God Help You If You Touch This Guy’s Cupcakes!

I work in a hotel. A local church rented a few adjoining rooms for a week or so for their pastor or other church officials. I’m not sure what their business is, but they seem like they’re busy with meetings, etc. There are always people coming and going, and they like to congregate in our breakfast area by the lounge. They make coffee, bring snacks and refreshments, and meet for a few hours or so. This hasn’t been an issue as we haven’t been particularly busy, but as the holidays approach, we’re steadily getting busier and busier.

They’re not rude per se, but they aren’t exactly pleasant, either. They’ve asked me a number of times for plates, cutlery, etc., which I provide from our stores. After the third time or so, I told them our supplies are running low, so I could only provide so much. They gave me a look like they were thinking, “What kind of place is this?” and took what I offered.

Sometimes, they don’t completely clean up after themselves, either, which is annoying. A few times, they asked me to ask other guests to leave their “meeting area” because they were disturbing them. I informed them that other guests are free to use our public spaces as they like. I didn’t want to sound rude, but I suggested that if they held their meeting in their rooms, no one would disturb them there. I was met with more “What kind of rathole is this?” stares.

We sold out fairly early yesterday, and I was running through the bucket checking information, helping with guests’ phone calls, etc., when one of the church members came to the desk looking grumpier than usual. He was glaring at me with a sour bulldog face as I was hanging up with a guest. I braced and internally prepared for whatever this was going to be.

Guest: “What are you doing?”

Me: “Helping guests at the moment. What can I do for you?”

Guest: “While you’ve been doing whatever you’re doing, people have been eating our cupcakes from our meeting area. They were meant for later.”

Me: “I’m sorry, sir, but what meeting area?”

He pointed to the breakfast area.

Me: “I apologize, sir, but that is our breakfast area, which is open to all our guests. If food is left there unattended, we are not responsible for what happens to it.”

Guest: “So, what should we do, then?”

I’m thinking, “I don’t know. Keep it in one of your rooms until you’re ready for your meeting, maybe?”

Guest: “I saw some dirty-looking kid grab one; now we have to throw the rest out! And there are people drinking at the bar, being loud, and causing a disturbance!”

He went on for a bit, I guess fully expecting me to clear out the area so they could have their meeting in their “meeting area.” I just repeated that it was a public space, so we were not responsible for whatever they left out; my job is to attend to guests and I can’t police their cupcakes or whatever. I didn’t say it like that, but I made my point.

Guest: “I at least expect full compensation for the cupcakes!”

Me: “I can’t clear that because you chose to leave your stuff in a public area, and that isn’t our responsibility at all.”

He got my name and my manager’s cards and left. He didn’t do anything more about the cupcakes, and he didn’t say if they were going to meet there or not, so I just left it.

Near the end of my shift, no one from the church had been by, and the cupcakes were still there, so I just threw them away.

They are only here through Saturday, thank God, and I’m off tomorrow so I don’t have to see them. Praise!