‘You don't get a room': Karen guest denied service after refusing to follow front desk clerk's orders

Author image for Eleonora Bader
Eleonora Bader
Jun 22, 2023 10:00 AM EDT

Working in the customer service industry, you've got to be tough as nails, as you will be constantly and consistently tested without fail. Every day you'll need more and more patience as Karen customers become less daunting, and more of a nuisance. OP was working as a front desk clerk at a hotel that was holding a very expensive, corporate event, resulting in most of the rooms being taken by said event. The last ten or so rooms were reserved by construction workers who had a contract with the hotel.

According to OP, they were basically emotional Karens who were irritating, demanding, and entitled. One such guest, Gary, was particularly annoying, and rudely approached the front desk, telling OP he was 'checking in'. OP asked for his ID, and Gary got mad, giving OP the regular sob story: nobody ever asks me for my ID. OP told Gary that meant other people weren't doing their jobs, but that OP wasn't 'other people', and that he was going to do his job.

A verbal duel began between the two, and let's just say, Gary was on the losing side. Scroll down to read what happened next in this ordeal that led to one or two managers being called upon. For more, here is an IT manager who quit, and then made sure that the entire company wouldn't have internet service for three whole days.

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  • 01
    Font - Posted by u/kthrnhpbrnnkdbsmnt 8 hours ago "You're Denying me Service?" "Yes." Medium Howdy howdy. This happened about 10 minutes ago.
    via u/kthrnhpbrnnkdbsmnt
  • 02
    Font - Our hotel (126 room business hotel in Northern Minnesota) is sold out. A big corporate event (like eighty grand big) took all but 10 rooms, and those ten got reserved. Unfortunately, most of them were reserved by construction workers: for the most part, they're emotional Karens who freak the hell out about everything and like to flap their proverbial di-ks at me. And then there's Gary, who is Special--in that he's more of a dichole than all the others.
    via u/kthrnhpbrnnkdbsmnt
  • 03
    Font - Gary approached me at the desk. "Checking in." "Just need to see your ID." "No you don't." I let that hang there for a moment, then: "Yeah, I do." "No, you don't. I've been staying here for months. You don't need to see my ID."
    via u/kthrnhpbrnnkdbsmnt
  • 04
    Font - "Yes, I do." "No you don't. Nobody else checks it." "They're doing their jobs wrong. ID, please." "I'm not showing you my ID." "I'm not giving you the keys to your room otherwise."
    via u/kthrnhpbrnnkdbsmnt
  • 05
    Font - "So you're gonna deny me service just because I wouldn't show you my freaking ID?" "Yes." Gary huffed and puffed and tried to blow the house down, but I am immune to the rages of middle aged imp tents. "Nobody else ever IDs me." "Sir, if Jesus Christ walked through that door and showed me the stigmata, I'd still ask for a government-issued photo ID. And I'd love to see yours, now."
    via u/kthrnhpbrnnkdbsmnt
  • 06
    Font - Gary relented and pulled out his wallet. Yep, it's Gary! So I pulled up his reservation. "Okay, now I just need you to swipe or insert your card here!" "No you don't and no I won't. Nobody ever makes me do this." "Then they're doing their jobs wrong, and I'm doing mine right."
    via u/kthrnhpbrnnkdbsmnt
  • 07
    Font - "No, you're not, you're just making stuff up to feel like a big man." "I don't need to feel like a big man. I need you to swipe or insert your card." "Why?" "If you dispute the charge, we have physical authorization showing that you authorized the payment. It helps us out with scammers."
    via u/kthrnhpbrnnkdbsmnt
  • 08
    Font - "So I'm a scammer?" "No. Swipe or insert your card here please." "I'm not going to! Because nobody else ever makes me do this, and I don't care about helping you guys out." "Well I'm making you do it." "No you aren't. I'm not gonna." "Then you don't get into your room."
    via u/kthrnhpbrnnkdbsmnt
  • 09
    Font - "Aren't you supposed to satisfy customers? I'm not satisfied. Call your manager." "I won't be doing that." "I'm not giving you my card." "Then I'm not giving you your room. Have a good night."
    via u/kthrnhpbrnnkdbsmnt
  • 10
    Font - I turn to walk away--lo and behold! The card appears in his hand! He inserts the chip! Payment goes through! I get him his keys and hand them to him with a smile. "Have a good night." "You're a real di head, you know that?" "If you decide to become verbally abusive with me or any other employees I will have the police remove you. Only warning. Have a good night." "You--"
    via u/kthrnhpbrnnkdbsmnt
  • 11
    Font - I lifted the receiver on the phone and stared at him. Gary rolled his eyes and stalked off, muttering darkly. Coincidentally, his boss came through the lobby not ten minutes later, and he was not happy to hear what I had to say about old Gary.
    via u/kthrnhpbrnnkdbsmnt
  • 12
    Font - mydogbaxter +2.8 hr. ago "Sorry, someone else walked in earlier and said they were Gary. Since I didn't ask for ID, they got the room." "What am I supposed to do?!" "I don't know. Take it up with Gary." Vote Reply Share
    via u/mydogbaxter
  • 13
    Font - wolfie379 +3.8 hr. ago Aren't you supposed to satisfy customers? I'm not satisfied. Call your manager. Until you swipe or insert your card, you aren't a customer. Reminds me of a saying by a bartender on another forum: The customer is always right, but I decide who is a customer. Vote Reply Share
    via u/wolfie379
  • 14
    Font - Lady - 8 hr. ago I stay at the same place every week for work. Usually T checks me in. He says, "Hello, LadySh tington, nice to see you. I've got you in your favorite room." And then I hand him my ID. He doesn't have to ask. Not difficult. Honestly, that is such a sad flex. Vote Reply Share
    via u/Lady
  • 15
    Font - lincolnjkc +2.7 hr. ago Appreciative [Top Tier] Guest I am on a first name basis with (virtually) everyone that works for my favorite airline at my home airport. I know their kids/pets, they know and celebrate my milestone dates (anniversary, birthday, ...)
    via u/lincolnjkc
  • 16
    Font - You know what I have out of my pocket before I get up to the counter every week when I check my bag? My drivers license. Sometimes they glance at it, usually we've exchanged greetings they have everything printed before I even get close enough for them to see it... But SOP is you need ID so I have ID.
    via u/lincolnjkc
  • 17
    Font - P.S. I love when FDAs confirm my ID on check in or for a replacement key. Sometimes just the digital key or room number is "good enough"... and that makes me nervous. 4 Vote Reply Share
    via u/lincolnjkc
  • 18
    Font - lapsteelguitar . 8 hr. ago I wonder how long it will take for Gary to sit properly. You did right telling the boss. Vote Reply Share kthrnhpbrnnkdbsmnt OP +2 8 hr. ago The boss just came down again to talk about it, and I unsubtly threatened that we would cut their contract if their workers didn't shape up. Vote Reply Share
    via u/lapsteelguitar, u/kthrnhpbrnnkdbsmnt
  • 19
    Font - ThePhengophobicGamer. 6 hr. ago Man, I HATE when people try and pull that "I've never had to do that before". With how 99%of hotels are these days, you must either NEVER travel, or being lying through your teeth.
    via u/ThePhengophobicGamer
  • 20
    Font - I told this already, but I had a guy throw a hi sy fit that his card was declined and I couldn't use the card on file from a previous stay. Turned into a whole big thing but he ended up not getting his room
    via u/ThePhengophobicGamer
  • 21
    Font - and getting on the DNR in the process. I'm glad other staff aren't just letting this kind of sh: fly. I'm very anti- confrontational, but there's a firm line when I would be not doing my job, and stick to that quite staunchly. Vote Reply Share
    via u/ThePhengophobicGamer
  • 22
    Font - kthrnhpbrnnkdbsmnt OP 6 hr. ago I'm going to speak to my manager about getting Gary on the DNR 4 +2 Vote Reply Share
    via u/kthrnhpbrnnkdbsmnt
  • 23
    Font - ThePhengophobicGamer. 6 hr. ago I dont know that I'd put him there if this is his first offense, but he's definitely on thin ice. Then again, I'm abit more lenient that I really should be, and not a manager, so not sure if it warrents it or not.
    via u/ThePhengophobicGamer
  • 24
    Font - No harm bringing it up, at least it'll be a noted behavior that if he keeps up it'll be more likely. Even better if you email the boss with the write- up for it. My most recent job has us type up a daily action report and email to managers and other clerks as pass-
    via u/ThePhengophobicGamer
  • 25
    Font - on/important info, and I LOVE having that kind of record for this sort of guest, the kind that wasn't outright bad, but if it's a habit then I wouldn't want to keep dealing with him. Vote Reply Share
    via u/ThePhengophobicGamer

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Tags

management customer service boss key-card hotel front-desk-clerk front desk karen-guest reservation business-contract petty revenge hotel room hotel-card service industry construction workers
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