'You know this call cost more than your meal, right?': Traveling businessman works a 14-hour shift then uses a long-distance phone call to the bean-counters to prove an expensive point about meal reimbursements

Author image for Jesse Kessenheimer
Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Oct 18, 2024 10:00 AM EDT

This traveling businessman had had enough of their silly company policy because after a 14-hour shift and with no motivation to go out to a restaurant, this worker pointed out the flaws in his micromanager's meal reimbursement rules.

If you've ever traveled for work, you know it's no vacation. 

Somehow, traveling employees end up working egregiously long hours, awaiting micromanager's orders, and eating takeout for every meal. While this is a dream for some, it's a nightmare for homebodies and anyone who enjoys a home-cooked meal every now and then. But when the guy in this next story, a businessman out of the country for work, got home from a terribly long day, all he wanted was a simple meal delivered to his hotel room. Per company policy, and because he had a helicopter manager, the guy was forbidden to order room service–no matter what! 

So instead of paying out of pocket, the employee played out his patience on a long-distance phone call, waiting for 10 minutes on hold for his micromanager to approve a single meal reimbursement, accruing an insane amount of cellular fees for the sake of proving a point. Keep scrolling for this delicious compliance that ended in an exhausted worker getting to put his feet up for a change on an out-of-town shift.

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10417524224
    via Jacob Lund

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    Can't order room service unless approved prior? I will wait. S About two decades ago, worked for a company which reimbursed meals when your work out of town.
    via Charming_Artist_1202
  • 03
    BUT NO ROOM SERVICE. Not even if you order within allowance. Was once too tired to go out after a 0630-2030 work day, had to pay out of pocket because accounts bounced the receipt.
    via Charming_Artist_1202
  • 04
    Meeting 2 sets of clients in my suite in a country a continent away, first one overran, only 1 hour before the next, and had to set up the room. Cue M.C.
    via Charming_Artist_1202
  • 05
    It was a time when long- distance calls were ridiculously expensive. Called accounts. Assistant manager took call, manager nowhere to be found. AM: Will ask her to call you back
    via Charming_Artist_1202
  • 06
    Me: I need to know as there is just scarcely enough time for me to shove food in. I will hold the call. Manager returned about 10 mins later. Me: So may I order room service? Not enough time to set up if i have to leave for food.
    via Charming_Artist_1202
  • 07
    Manager..... you do know this call is probably cost more than your meal, right? Me: Of course. But I don't want to run afoul company policy. So, do I get your approval to order room service?
    via Charming_Artist_1202
  • 08
    Manager: (sigh) Yes, you may. Next time use your discretion and common sense. Me: But common sense is not that common in this company...... She never messed with me on reimbursement again.
    via Charming_Artist_1202
  • 09
    IHaveSomeOpinions09 "Yes, but you'll reimburse me for this phone call. You won't for the room service."
    via IHaveSomeOpinions09
  • 10
    snootnoots "But the last time I used my discretion, you wouldn't repay me."
    via snootnoots
  • 11
    fatapolloissexy. A company did similar to my mom. If she was out of town she got meals. When she visited my area once a month for her job she stayed with us for 2 nights.
    via fatapolloissexy
  • 12
    Every month. For years! Saving thousands. One day she decides to buy a pizza for us all as dinner and expense it. They won't approve it because she wasn't out of town overnight.
    via fatapolloissexy
  • 13
    She tells them look at the location. She is 5 hours from her house and is overnight. She just stays with her daughter to save the company money. They would not budge. From then on, she booked
    via fatapolloissexy
  • 14
    a hotel every single time she visited my area. Upgraded to the nicer room. Anything she could. Ordered the largest to go meal she could. Pizza/steak whatever. Never slept in those hotels
    via fatapolloissexy
  • 15
    a single time. Why would she when my house was down the road? Cost them so much more that that little ceaser hot and ready pizza would have. I hate companies doing this . Good job getting them to freaking understand
    via fatapolloissexy
  • 16
    Restart from Zero I love it when they say to use common sense like they won't literally be the person reaming you out for violating company policy.
    via Restart_from_Zero
  • 17
    9lobaldude The bean counter got beaned with some common sense
    via 9lobaldude

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boss worker employee hotel manager job expenses work coworkers working business travel ceo employees room service supervisor workplace traveling travel expense company coworker business
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