‘Possible marriage material’: Tradie earns glowing praise for simple act

In some cultures, it is a sign of the highest respect, reserved for religious institutions; but a simple act by a tradie at a fast food joint has made him a “legend”.

A tradie has earned high praise for a simple act outside a Subway restaurant, leading some to describe him as an “angel in hi-vis”.

Seemingly on smoko, the worker stopped by the sandwich shop in the southwest Brisbane suburb of Oxley for a bite to eat.

And while the worker was nowhere to be seen — presumably in the shop ordering lunch — his workboots, caked in mud and muck, were left neatly outside the door.

The tradie, presumably inside ordering lunch, left his boots outside. Picture: Reddit.

Dried muck could be seen crumbled on the pavers behind the boots. Picture: Reddit.

“Highly respect the tradie who took off his dirty boots before heading into Subway,” the person who took photos of the workboots at the shop wrote on the post to Reddit.

The images quickly gained attention, with dozens of people praising the “legend” for his “considerate” act.

“I would hire this guy because he knows how to care about people who like things clean,” one wrote.

“Good man,” another wrote, simply.

Others said the tradie was “brought up right” and an “upstanding Oxley citizen” for respecting the staff in the Subway, who would have had to clean up the mud the boots tracked in.

Another simply wrote the act made the tradie “possible marriage material”.

“As a Subway employee I have a very high level of respect for this tradie,” someone else added.

“My Subway is in an industrial area and the amount of tradies that walk in with filthy boots is very high.”

Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Workers at the Subway store confirmed to media that they did not ask the tradie to take his work boots off.

Some were worried the worker’s boots may be stolen, or that his now-exposed shoes would subject Subway staff and customers to lingering “tradie foot smell”.

But the tradie did cop some criticism for leaving his boots too far from the door and in the walkway. While others said the action didn’t make him a “real tradie”.

“Nope, a real tradie keeps his boots on. Stomps and banks them on the gutter then goes in.”

It’s the latest instance of Aussies opting to go barefoot to go about their day — with mixed results.

Another Queenslander recently hit back at a local shopping centre for allegedly kicking her out for walking around without any shoes.

Actor Chris Hemsworth has also become somewhat notorious for parading around Byron Bay barefoot like many locals do.

Many public venues require visitors to wear closed shoes at all times for health and safety reasons, however it is not a universal policy.

Not all heroes wear capes, but it seems they take off their dirty work boots before ordering a sandwich. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

And, yet, there seems to be possible bonus incentive, at least for tradies with filthy boots, to taking off the steelcaps before they enter a shop.

A number of people commented on the Reddit post admitting they dish out rewards to any workers kind enough to save them the extra cleaning task by leaving their boots at the door.

“I work in a workwear and safety shop, I give a sneaky discount to those tradies who take their dirty boots off,” one wrote.

“I have to vacuum the floor after the filthy buggers who trample dirt and mud all through my shop, so I reward the good ones who are respectful.”

“The smoko shop near me give free dim sims if ya (sic.) take muddy boots off,” another wrote.

Some added that since removing shoes is a mark of high respect in some cultures, and enforced particularly at religious institutions, that “this implies that Subway is holy ground”.

“We all have places of religious significance,” another added.

And some would argue the Subway cookies are worthy of worship.