“I’m Calling Corporate!”: When Motel Guests Try to Outwit the Front Desk
If you’ve ever worked the front desk at a motel—or any customer service job, really—you know that some guests will do just about anything to save a buck. But what happens when a guest’s cunning plan to dodge an extra fee backfires, and suddenly you’re being threatened with a call to corporate? Well, buckle up, because this is one of those stories that will make every hospitality worker nod in exasperated agreement.
Our tale comes courtesy of Reddit’s r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk, where u/dirtydog9834 shares the saga of a disgruntled guest, a $13 charge, and a threat that’s as empty as a minibar at checkout. Let’s dive in!
The “Surprise” Extra Adult
It all started in a “smallish” town at a franchised motel—nothing fancy, but definitely the kind of place where everyone knows the rules, especially about extra guests. As is standard in the motel world, there’s a charge for every adult over the stated occupancy. In this case, a guest booked a room, showed up with an extra adult (oops!), and conveniently left that detail off the reservation.
The front desk did what they had to do: they charged the guest an extra $13 for the additional adult at checkout, deducting it from the deposit. Seems fair, right? Not to our guest. Cue the angry phone call, complete with accusations of fraud and theft.
“Other Motels Don’t Do This!”
You can practically hear the indignation through the phone line. According to the guest, “other locations never do this,” and not only that, but he was going straight to corporate to expose these “frauds and thief’s” (his words, not ours).
For anyone who’s worked in hospitality, this is the moment you put the caller on speaker, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and settle in for a performance. The front desk agent, no stranger to this routine, calmly explained that pricing is per adult, not per bed, and that it’s the same whether the room has one bed or two. In other words: No, you can’t sneak in extra people just because there’s an extra pillow.
The “Call Corporate” Dance
Here’s where the story gets truly classic. The guest, unsatisfied with logic, threatens to “call corporate.” This is the hospitality worker’s equivalent of “I’d like to speak to your manager,” turned up to eleven. What the guest doesn’t realize is that every franchise has rules—and corporate exists to enforce them, not to hand out free passes to corner-cutting customers.
Our hero at the front desk wasn’t fazed. “Go right ahead,” they said, making a note on the account for good measure. If corporate ever did call, they’d see a clear record: guest didn’t book correctly, extra adult added, standard fee applied. Case closed, thank you and goodnight.
Why Motel Policies Matter
It’s easy to joke about these situations, but there’s a serious side, too. For motels, charging for extra adults isn’t just about squeezing a few extra dollars from guests; it’s about covering real costs. More people means more towels, more water, more electricity, and more wear and tear on the rooms. Not to mention, fire codes and insurance policies are often based on occupancy.
When guests try to game the system, they’re not just cheating the motel—they’re making it harder for honest travelers, too. And let’s be honest: If you can afford a room, you can afford $13 for your buddy.
The Real Heroes: Front Desk Staff
If you take anything from this story, let it be this: Front desk agents have seen it all. They’re the unsung heroes who keep the wheels turning, deal with every curveball, and still manage to smile (most days). The next time you check into a motel, maybe give them a break—and if you’re traveling with extra people, just be upfront. It’s cheaper than a call to corporate, and a lot less embarrassing.
Have You Ever “Called Corporate”?
Do you have your own tales of hotel drama or guest shenanigans? Have you ever been on either side of the front desk when things got heated over a small charge? Drop your stories in the comments! We’d love to hear your most outrageous “call corporate” moments.
Original Reddit Post: I’m going to call corporate because I lied