The Maple Menace: When One Entitled Guest Gives Canadians a Bad Name
Ever worked a late-night hotel shift and found yourself wishing you could call upon a flock of Canadian geese for backup? If not, let me introduce you to the wild world of hospitality through the eyes of a beleaguered front desk warrior, who recently faced off against an entitled guest from the Great White North—proving once and for all that “sorry” isn’t always in a Canadian’s vocabulary.
Picture this: It’s nearly 2AM, the night is colder than a Tim Hortons iced capp, and as the clock ticks down on your shift, trouble is brewing. A guest checks in, all smiles and small talk, only to immediately become the bane of your existence. His crime? Parking a massive pickup truck smack in the fire lane, right under the hotel’s front canopy. Cue the chaos.
When Politeness Melts Like Snow in July
Our story, as shared on Reddit’s r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk by u/rowenadevandal, starts innocuously enough. A weary Canadian traveler arrives in the dead of night, claiming the usual “it’s cold, eh?” camaraderie. But within minutes, the true drama emerges: His vehicular behemoth is sprawled across the no-parking zone, blocking emergency access like it’s his personal valet spot.
Now, most Canadians are famed for their politeness and rule-following—but not this guy. When politely asked (via a phone call to his room) to move his truck because, you know, fire lanes are for emergencies, not for showing off your Alberta plates, the guest’s true colors emerge. He flat-out refuses, citing his “four days a week in hotels” as if that earns him a lifetime parking pass. And, of course, he threatens to call corporate and get our hero fired.
The Universal Language of Entitlement
Here’s where it gets both hilarious and relatable. Anyone who’s worked front desk, retail, or customer service knows the type: The guest who’s convinced the rules don’t apply to them, who wields the “I know someone at corporate” threat like a rusty sword, and who always—always—manages to park like a toddler at bumper cars.
But what makes this tale especially entertaining is the contrast. Canadian guests are usually the ones apologizing for apologizing too much. They’re the folks who say, “Sorry, am I in your way?” when they’re a full six feet from the door. Yet here’s this dude, giving Canadian hospitality a black eye with his fire-lane bravado and Olympic-level grumbling.
A Comedy of Parking Errors
After much back-and-forth, the guest finally moves his truck—but, in a twist worthy of a sitcom, he simply relocates it to a new forbidden zone: next to the hotel sign, right by the street, and (naturally) outside the range of any security cameras. It’s almost impressive, really. If there were an award for Most Creative Parking Violations, this guy would be a gold medalist.
Undeterred, our front desk hero snaps some photographic evidence and sends it to management—because if you’re going to play parking roulette at 2AM, you can bet the night auditor is keeping receipts.
Hotel Heroes Need Love (and Maybe Geese) Too
The real kicker? In a final act of Canadian poetic justice, our narrator wishes a flock of their country’s most notorious export—a gaggle of angry, highly accurate geese—would descend upon the misparked truck. If you know anything about Canadian geese, you know this is no idle threat; those birds don’t mess around, and neither should hotel guests who think the fire lane is a personal parking spot.
The Takeaway: Don’t Be That Guest
This story isn’t just a hilarious tale of hotel hijinks and national stereotypes. It’s a gentle reminder that rules exist for a reason, and that the real heroes of the hospitality world are the folks who keep things running smoothly while fending off entitled guests (and, occasionally, their trucks).
So next time you check into a hotel—no matter what country you’re from—park where you’re supposed to, say “thank you,” and leave the fire lane (and the geese) out of it.
Have your own tales of parking nightmares or entitled guests? Share your best (or worst) stories in the comments—bonus points if they involve wildlife!
Conclusion
If you’ve ever worked the front desk, you know these stories are as common as lost room keys. But every now and then, one comes along that deserves a salute (and maybe a honking or two). Let’s raise a mug of coffee to the hospitality workers everywhere—and remember: Don’t give your country a bad name. Especially if you’re Canadian.
What’s your wildest hotel guest encounter? Join the conversation below!
Original Reddit Post: Entitled dude giving Canadians a bad name