The Case of the Closed Kitchen: When Entitlement Meets the Front Desk
Picture this: It’s a rainy Sunday evening at a hotel, hours after brunch has ended and the restaurant is, as made abundantly clear by staff and signage, closed for the night. You’re manning the front desk, perhaps enjoying a brief lull, when a guest storms down, indignant that she cannot have her dinner in-house. What follows is a wild ride involving accusations of theft, the myth of the ever-present salad chef, and—of course—a free breakfast coupon. Welcome to the latest episode of “Tales From the Front Desk,” where reality rivals Fawlty Towers, and customer entitlement knows no bounds.
This story, shared by u/Llfeofjerm and upvoted over a thousand times on Reddit, is a masterclass in what front desk heroes deal with daily. But it’s not just the tale itself that’s golden—it’s the chorus of Reddit commenters weighing in, with everything from relatable stories to righteous indignation, and enough wit to fill a guestbook.
When Closed Means... Open? The Art of Selective Hearing
Let’s set the scene: The hotel restaurant, by policy and practice, closes every Sunday after brunch—a detail explained at check-in, posted online, and noted at the front desk. Yet, as u/Speciesunkn0wn wryly observed, there are always those “people that walk right past the opening hours listed on a sign ten minutes before opening or after close and rattle on the door non-stop.” Our guest, having missed brunch the day before, expects the rules to bend for her, rain or shine (but especially rain).
When informed the kitchen is closed, she demands a chef, a manager, or at least someone to whip up a “simple salad.” As u/stewieatb quipped, “Once again on this sub, life imitates Fawlty Towers,” referencing the classic episode where a guest insists on a Waldorf salad from a British staff unfamiliar with the concept. The front desk, not to be outdone, offers delivery menus and assistance—only to be met with rolling eyes and accusations of conspiracy.
Entitlement and the Free Breakfast Conundrum
Perhaps the most infuriating twist for both staff and seasoned service workers in the comment section comes when management, in an attempt to pacify, offers a free breakfast coupon. As u/Kevo_1227 laments, “Your manager is a coward for giving this maniac free breakfast vouchers…You shouldn’t be rewarding this kind of behavior.” Many echoed this sentiment, noting that rewarding unpleasant guests simply trains them to repeat their performance elsewhere. “It’s because of people like OP’s manager giving them free shit when they whine,” wrote u/mstarrbrannigan, “They’ve been conditioned that if they act like this they’ll get something.”
Others, like u/Bennington_Booyah, recognized a familiar breed: “We dealt with those sorts at my retail job. Demanding us to open early, because they have a full day planned and our hours negatively impact their plans... There is no end to the shocking demands.” It’s not just a hotel problem—it’s an epidemic of Main Character Syndrome, as u/Helenesdottir dubbed it, where some guests believe the universe is merely set dressing for their personal narrative.
Rain, Karma, and the Case of the Missing Takeout
The saga didn’t end with the restaurant. When the guest’s delivery order went astray (thanks to her own typo), she called down accusing the front desk of food theft, then insisted staff fetch it for her—because, you guessed it, “it’s raining.” As u/LandofGreenGinger62 shared, even college professors have students who think rain is a valid excuse for skipping class (“unless you’re made of paper, yes you do…”). One commenter, u/OneLow5610, offered a wish: “Hope it rains on her everywhere she goes for a solid month.” Others wondered if she might melt, referencing both witches and the sugar-averse.
Karma, as Reddit gleefully noted, arrived swiftly. The guest, unwilling to brave the elements, ultimately had to fetch her own food, returning presumably damp and even less amused. “She should be upset at herself for not checking when the restaurant was open, like most normal people do,” said u/eightezzz. But, as u/Large_Search3573 pointed out, “Those kind of people never get upset with themselves because they always blame others.”
Lessons from the Front (Desk) Lines
So, what’s the takeaway? For hotel staff and anyone in service, stories like this are both cautionary tale and comedic catharsis. As u/8bumblebees shared, sometimes guests don’t even understand what “closed” means, demanding rooftop cigars or after-hours cocktails, only to be frustrated when employees stick to policy. The community consensus: boundaries matter, and “no” is a complete sentence.
But there’s also camaraderie in the trenches. “I have people argue with me all the time wanting me to open the bar. 1) I don’t want to and the small tip you’re offering me to do so certainly won’t change that...” wrote u/iamcode101. Others, like u/SMayhall, recounted the creative persistence of guests seeking food or drink after hours, sometimes with offers of illicit cash or the classic “just one more.”
Above all, as u/Penyrolewen1970 mused, “I’m always amazed because I have never, and will never, be rude to anyone who is providing me with a service. I just don’t see any benefit in it.” The Reddit hive mind agrees—kindness costs nothing, but entitlement can cost you your dignity (and perhaps your fries).
The Final Bill
In the end, the guest got a free breakfast, a wet walk in the rain, and a starring role in a viral Reddit post. The staff got a story for the ages—and the rest of us, a reminder that hospitality is not the same as servitude. Next time you’re at a hotel and the kitchen’s closed, maybe try a little patience—and perhaps pack a snack, just in case.
Have you witnessed or survived a next-level entitled guest? Or maybe you’re a frontline worker with a story that rivals this one? Share your tales below or weigh in: Should management ever reward bad behavior, or is it time for a new playbook? Let’s hear your thoughts—rain or shine!
Original Reddit Post: Guest asked me to open restaurant when it was closed.