These are the 8 most common types of guests in the hospitality industry: which one are you?
Working in the hospitality industry is like taking part in a comedy show, with a new episode full of colorful characters every day. From the eternal regular to the TikTok tourist; these are the most common guests you may encounter in the hospitality industry. Do you recognize yourself in any of them?
A part-time job in the hospitality industry has taught me more about people than I ever thought possible. I have even wondered whether you should first graduate summa cum laude in psychology before taking up this profession. From lovely guests to types who make your evening very difficult, you are constantly tested on your social skills. Everyone who works or has worked in the hospitality industry will recognize them: these guests.
The regular
Also known as part of the furniture. This guest is there so often that you start wondering whether they secretly pay the rent for their permanent spot at the bar. They always order ‘the usual’ and know more about the gossip among the staff than you do. If they don’t show up one day, you start wondering whether the ‘closed’ sign is still hanging in the window.
The foodie
Also known as the Michelin critic in disguise. Ai, guilty in the first degree. We may not walk in wearing a fake mustache, but we are the kind of people who ask endless questions about every dish, where the ingredients come from and, oh, of course, take photos of everything. Preferably with the chef themselves in the shot, smiling as they pour the sauce over the dish—at the perfect angle and with the perfect lighting. Awful, but hey: it’s work.
The sociable group
Also known as the noise-makers. You know you’re dealing with this group when you leave the restaurant and your ears are still ringing. There they are again: that table full of friends whose conversations drown out the entire establishment. The air vibrates with loud bursts of laughter, and it’s always someone’s birthday in this group. Great fun. As long as they don’t all want to pay separately…
The impatient one
Also known as the speed demon. They are in a hurry, always and extremely in a hurry. Whether they have a flight to catch or simply have no patience, this guest expects their order to arrive faster than the speed of light. You haven’t even poured the milk into the coffee before they are already asking where their bill is. Next time, you’ll give them the McDonald’s drive-thru menu, you promise yourself.
The critical guest
When they complain that the water is too wet, or that the ice cream is too cold, you know you’re dealing with a true professional. This guest isn’t merely critical; they have a doctorate in finding shortcomings. The steak is always too tough, the dry wine too dry, and the chairs too hard. But if you keep smiling and remain understanding, you are their biggest fan.
The family
Honestly, I understand the concept of ‘adult only‘. Because children come in all shapes and sizes, and some are better behaved than others, let’s be honest. They find throwing food more fun than eating it and, if you’re unlucky, the parents don’t feel like parenting for a moment and you have to scrub applesauce off the baseboards after closing time.
The tourist
Armed with a Lonely Planet or waving a TikTok video. The first tries very sweetly to order the most authentic dish on the menu in broken Dutch. Two pancakes with cheese and bacon and—a little confused—a glass of milk ‘on the side’. The second simply wants what all the other TikTok tourists want. They are happy to brave all those queues, only to take the same photo of their dish that everyone else in line before them has already taken.
The Tinder date
Whether they come in together or separately, you immediately know you’re dealing with a first Tinder date. The awkwardness, the often slightly too fast and too much drinking… It is almost comical how hard both people try to be polite and attentive. Asking whether the other person would like another drink, even though they have just received a full glass. And conversations as if they were at the hairdresser’s (‘Do you have any travel plans?’). The big question: who is going to pick up the bill?
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