Sophisticated hotel billing hacks have become widespread, and despite the high profile, there is debate about their impact.
A TikTok video featuring the hack was posted on May 26 by a creator calling himself Billypreneur (@Billy Wilkins53) shows him standing in a hotel lobby bar with a few sticks of nutter butter and a Coca-Cola. Billy wastes no time setting the stage for tricks.
@Billy Wilkins53 ♬ Original song – Morimori
“Okay, this hotel has a little refreshment area, so just grab some food and go to the desk.”
Pointing the camera at the hotel staff, he asks confidently. “Hey, Madam, can I have three of these guys, no, three of them, no, four of them in room 408?” Preparations are complete. ”
As TikToker bids her farewell and heads for the exit, he reveals his secret to the camera.
“Okay, I’ve charged for room 408, so I’m staying in room 512,” Billy says in the video. The meaning is clear. He managed to trick a hotel attendant into charging him for snacks and drinks in a room other than the one he was staying in.
The video went viral quickly, garnering over 4.3 million views in its first two days, with many visiting the comments section to share their reactions.
One commenter said, “As a hotel employee, I always ask for your name and room number.”
“My hotel makes me check my last name for exactly this reason[laughs],” agrees the second man, seemingly throwing cold water on the idea that the trick is doable.
However, other commenters disagreed with this, with one commenting, “I work at the front desk and I do stuff like this all the time, but I never asked for proof, OMG.” I shared.
One person thought the ruse was even more subtle, saying, “I thought you were going to say, I’m not going to stay here and go to your car.” I was.
In the exchange, another commenter expressed surprise at the level of discussion, saying he was “surprised at how hard people are at recognizing ridiculous jokes.”
Daily Dot reached out to creators through comments on TikTok.
*First published: May 28, 2023 5:06 PM CDT
Vladimir Spica
Vladimir Spica is a Serbia-based freelance writer for The Daily Dot. He enjoys traveling Europe, reading non-fiction books and playing with his dog, Max.
