Never Joke With The Customers… Ever!, Part 5

Hotel, Jerk, Karma/Comeuppance, Petty Revenge, Reddit | Right | CREDIT: mstarrbrannigan | August 29, 2023

I work in a hotel. I’m at the desk having a nice evening. The guests have been great, I’ve had some pizza, and things are going well. Then, everything has to go and change, and now I’m in a bad mood.

A man comes into the lobby.

Man: “You got rooms?”

Me: “Yeah, our rooms are [total] after tax, and we put a refundable $100 deposit on your card for incidentals.”

He looks like I’ve just slapped him.

Man: “You have to do the deposit?”

It’s kind of a stupid question but not the dumbest I’ve heard, so I give a friendly laugh as I reply.

Me: “Well, sir, if it was optional, I’m not sure anyone would pay it.”

He looks at me like I’ve just called his mother something vulgar.

Man: “Really? I ask you a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question, and that’s how you respond to me?”

Me: “I was making a joke; I can see it hasn’t landed. But yes, you do have to pay the deposit.”

Man: *In the most condescending way possible* “Next time someone comes to check in, you just be a professional, okay?”

He offers out his card, and I stare at it for a moment, trying to decide if I want to be in the same general space as such a humorless a** for a whole evening. Ultimately, I decide that no, I do not.

Me: “I’m not going to check you in, sir.Have a good night.”

Man: “What?!”

Me: “I’m refusing you service. You’re not going to speak to me like that and get a room here.”

He gets BIG mad and starts demanding the manager. I point to the business cards on the desk.

Me: “The manager isn’t here, but she will be back in tomorrow.”

Man: “Call her!”

Me: “I’m not going to call her. She’ll be back in tomorrow.”

We go back and forth a few times before he leaves.

I start to text my general manager to warn her to expect his call, but then he comes back in.

Man: “Give me your name!”

I don’t wear a nametag.

Me: “I’m not comfortable giving you my name, but my manager will know who was working tonight.”

We go back and forth a few more times.

Man: “Fine! If you won’t give me your name, I’ll just take a picture of you!”

I step into the back office before he can, and I wait there until he leaves.

Man: *Calling over his shoulder* “I’m going to get you fired, you fat, stupid b****!”

Good luck, buddy. Go be someone else’s headache. Bullet dodged.

He sent in a customer care complaint about me that night, conveniently leaving out the part where he was an a**hole, AND he came into the hotel in person the next morning to complain to my boss about me. She told him he couldn’t speak to staff the way he did and then come crying to her about it. I’m not sure if she said those words exactly, but that was the gist. She also told him that if he was going to be disrespectful, she was not going to entertain his complaints.

I cannot imagine getting so bent out of shape about a friendly joke. I am glad I don’t have to deal with this guy in real life.