Lobbying For Breakfast

Guest: “I’m feeling like I need to complain about your breakfast service.”

Me: “I’m sorry to hear that, ma’am. What is the nature of the complaint?”

Guest: “Well, we were excited to enjoy our continental breakfast but were greatly disappointed to find that we had to serve ourselves in the cavernous lobby!”

Me: “We do also have a restaurant on the top floor that offers a sit-down service.”

Guest: “Yes, but that’s not part of the prepaid breakfast!”

Me: “That’s correct. The self-serve breakfast still serves a wide variety of options, and—”

Guest: “—No! I expect waitstaff to bring my breakfast to me, and for it to be included in the room rate! This would not be acceptable in America!”

Me: “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Guest: “…and?”

Me: “And what, madam?”

Guest: “You’re sorry to hear that… aaaaaand?!”

Me: “…and I hope you have a nice day?”

Guest: “You’re not going to do anything?”

Me: “The breakfast will be served in the lobby, the same as it has for the last twenty years, madam. We have a smaller sit-down restaurant on the roof deck for à la carte options, but these are charged separately. There is nothing else I can do for you regarding your query.”

Guest: “Well… that’s just not acceptable!”

Me: “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Guest: “Stop being sorry!”

Me: “Yes, madam.”

Guest: “And do something about it!”

Me: “Would you like your breakfast pre-selected and brought to your room from tomorrow morning?”

Guest: “What good would that do?!”

Me: “It would mean you wouldn’t have to enter our cavernous lobby.”

Guest: “That doesn’t benefit me!”

I soooo wanted to say, “but it DOES benefit me,” but I held back. 

The manager ended up taking her complaint and re-explained how the hotel works. She seemed completely incapable of accepting that her complaint would elicit no action or apologies from us, and when she finally ran out of steam and wandered away, it was more from confusion than anger.