The Curious Case of the Perpetually Closed Restaurant: Tales from the Front Desk
If you’ve ever worked in hospitality, you know the front desk is less a desk and more the frontline of the most baffling, hilarious, and downright head-scratching guest encounters. Today’s tale, straight from Reddit’s r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk, is a tribute to every hotel worker who’s ever had to explain—over and over—that no, you really can’t open the restaurant just for them.
It’s a story of one determined guest, an immovable restaurant schedule, and the immortal phrase: “Are you sure?”
When the Open Sign Isn’t Enough: A Day in the Life
Picture this: It’s noon on a Monday. The hotel’s attached restaurant, still running on those “temporary” pandemic hours years later, has closed for its midday lull. The hours aren’t a secret—they’re posted on the restaurant door, on a sign at the front desk, and apparently, on the very faces of the staff.
Enter our hero—a hungry, well-intentioned gentleman, determined to buy a lunch certificate for his brother. He walks up to the locked restaurant, glances at the hours, and then approaches the front desk:
Him: So you are telling me that the restaurant is closed?
Me: Yes sir. It will open back up at 3.
So far, so good. But instead of accepting defeat (or, you know, checking the hours he just read), he tries to will the restaurant open by sheer persistence. Maybe, just maybe, if he asks enough times, the universe will bend and a hot lunch will materialize.
Him: Can’t you open the restaurant and ring me up? Or can I buy one here at the front desk?
Me: Unfortunately I cannot open the restaurant nor do I have the certificates here at the desk. Only the restaurant sells them.
Him: Are you sure?
Spoiler alert: Yes, they’re sure.
The Five-Minute Loop and the Quest for Authority
At this point, our guest embarks on the well-known “Are you really sure?” spiral—a circular conversation that lasts a full five minutes. The front desk staff, channeling all their patience, offers helpful alternatives:
- A phone call when the restaurant reopens
- Taking his details for a swift transaction later
No dice. He rejects every option, then pivots to the next logical step in the hospitality playbook: ask someone else. He approaches the lobby attendant—whose job is to clean, not to conjure lunch certificates out of thin air—and receives the same answer.
Undeterred, he asks for a manager. But alas, the restaurant manager is out. Our persistent protagonist, now apparently out of options, delivers his final verdict: “I’ll just go to Subway.”
Persistence, Thy Name Is Guest
You might think the saga ends here, but no! The next day, the front desk learns the guest returned to buy the elusive lunch certificates—at 11 pm. That’s right, a full hour after the restaurant’s second closing. If stubbornness were a superpower, this guy would be the Marvel hero of hotel gift certificates.
Why Won’t They Believe Us?
This story isn’t just a hilarious snapshot of hotel life—it’s a microcosm of a universal truth in customer service: some guests simply refuse to believe you know your own business. Maybe it’s optimism. Maybe it’s skepticism. Maybe it’s the hope that the rules will bend for them if they just ask one more time (or ten).
But here’s the thing: front desk workers are the keepers of the schedule, the gatekeepers of gift certificates, and the repeaters of policies—whether it’s the tenth or the hundredth time that day.
Lessons from the Desk: Surviving the Repetition Olympics
So, what can we learn from our determined lunch certificate seeker?
1. Clear signage helps—but isn’t foolproof.
2. Patience is a superpower. The ability to repeat yourself without combusting is vital.
3. Some quests are never-ending. You can’t win them all.
And if you’re a guest reading this? Spare a thought for your friendly front desk staff. Chances are, they really do know the business better than you.
Your Turn: What’s Your “Are You Sure?” Moment?
Have you experienced your own version of this never-ending customer query—either as staff or guest? Share your stories in the comments below! Let’s commiserate, laugh, and remember: sometimes, you just have to go to Subway.
Original Reddit Post: We know the business better than you!