“Just Give Me a Date!”: The Hilarious Reality of Booking Hotel Rooms Over the Phone
If you’ve ever worked the front desk at a hotel, you know one universal truth: no two phone calls are ever the same. Sometimes you’re serenaded with a symphony of barking dogs in the background, other times you help grandma book her first-ever online reservation. But then there are calls like the one Redditor u/mstarrbrannigan recently shared—calls where all you want is a date (no, not the romantic kind), and all you get is…well, everything but.
Let’s dive into the hilariously relatable saga of “Just Give Me a Date!!!”—a tale that perfectly sums up the head-scratching, patience-testing, and sometimes laugh-out-loud moments that come with the territory.
The Check-In Date: A Mythical Creature?
Our story begins innocently enough. The phone rings. The front desk agent, whom we’ll call Bran (because, well, that’s what Reddit says), answers with their usual cheery greeting.
Caller: Hi, what’s your monthly rate?
It’s a question that seems straightforward, but quickly spirals into a game of calendar charades. Bran explains, as any seasoned hotelier would, that they don’t offer monthly rates, but are happy to provide a quote with specific check-in and check-out dates. Should be simple, right?
But the caller, perhaps channeling their inner time traveler, responds with, “Okay, so what would the price be for a month?” Bran, undeterred, tries to anchor the conversation: “Starting today?” The caller agrees. But when asked for a checkout date, the answer is, “A month from now.”
If you’ve ever tried to book anything for “a month from now” without a calendar in sight, you know where this is going. Bran attempts to pin down the specifics, suggesting, “Like October 3rd?” The caller pivots—maybe a week after next! But starting today. For that week. Or maybe until the weekend? Bran offers two options: Saturday the 13th or Sunday the 14th? Finally, a breakthrough: the 14th.
Cue the confetti—victory! Except, of course, the caller then admits they can’t afford to pay the full amount up front. Could they just pay day by day?
The Art of the Ambiguous Reservation
If you’ve never worked in hospitality, you might be wondering, “Why is it so hard to get a date?” The answer is both simple and surprisingly complex.
From a customer perspective, it’s easy to forget that hotels operate on a daily rate system. We live in a world of streaming subscriptions and monthly billing cycles, so asking for a “monthly rate” feels natural. But hotels? They’re not Netflix. Their pricing is as dynamic as the stock market: rates fluctuate based on demand, season, and even local events. A “month” can be 28, 30, or 31 days. And each of those days might have a different price tag.
For front desk agents, pinning down dates is critical. It’s not just about quoting the right price; it’s about availability, policy, and avoiding double bookings. When callers are vague, it’s like trying to solve a Sudoku puzzle with half the numbers missing.
Why Hospitality Workers Deserve Medals
Reading this story, you can’t help but admire Bran’s patience. Many of us would have lost track after the third change of plans or been tempted to invent a monthly rate just to end the call. But Bran stays the course, gently nudging the caller toward a concrete date. It’s a dance that hospitality workers know all too well: the guest leads, the front desk follows, and sometimes everyone ends up waltzing in circles.
And let’s not forget the kicker—the caller, after all this, can’t pay the full amount anyway. It’s the punchline to a joke only front desk workers truly appreciate. If you ever find yourself on the other end of that phone, spare a thought (and maybe some chocolate) for the unsung heroes of the hospitality world.
Takeaways (and a Plea for Specificity)
So, what’s the moral of this story? Next time you call a hotel, come armed with dates. Not only will you save everyone time, but you might even get a better rate (pro tip: midweek stays are often cheaper!). And if you work the front desk, remember—you’re not alone. Reddit’s r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk is full of kindred spirits who know the struggle all too well.
Have you had your own “just give me a date!” moment, either as a guest or a hotel worker? Share your stories in the comments—let’s keep the laughter (and empathy) going!
After all, in hospitality, sometimes the hardest reservation to make is just getting a date.
Original Reddit Post: Just give me a date!!!