" I work at a hotel , lol just bequeath , man . "

It seems whenever I hop onto the internet, I learn that something I view as a standard practice isn’t actually as common as I would’ve thought. Fromuniquehygiene rituals to dating 101, nothing is what it seems.

But one thing I truly believed to be a universal rule was hotel checkout — as in, when you’re done with your stay, you return to the hotel’s main lobby to return your key, pay any outstanding balances, and check out.

So, imagine my surprise when I realized some people literally just leave the hotel without doing so. In fact, the act of checking out is now being deemed a “boomer” activity, according tothisX (formerly known as Twitter) user — “Boomers will literally wait in a hotel line to tell someone at the front desk that they are ‘checking out’ instead of just going home.”

The responses to that tweet were split, with some people saying checking out of hotels is a courtesy, while others considered it a waste of time:

“lol I am shocked every time I learn people still ‘check out.'”

“Checking out of a hotel is a litmus test of character, like returning a shopping cart. It’s a 5 second task that makes someone else’s life easier. I’m team Boomer here idk.”

“I work at a hotel, lol just leave man.”

“This is basic courtesy. Return your key cards, and confirm checkout. This way they know the room’s available to be cleaned etc.”

“OMG my mom.. we were just in Costa Rica.. she said ‘we gotta take these cards downstairs,’ I was like ‘girl, let’s go”

Some argued that checking out helps avoid any unnecessary or incorrect charges that may have been applied to your room:

While others mentioned checking out not only helps the staff, but it also helps patrons who are checking in:

“You know why there are rarely rooms available for early check-in? Because Millenials don’t let the hotel know they’ve already gone home, so the room isn’t refreshed.”

“Honestly, it’s kind of rude not to check out. People are always looking to check in early, and that is harder when people don’t check out. Also, we recently [got] charged a $400 smoking fee (and we don’t smoke). If we didn’t check out, that may have gone unnoticed.”

“It’s courtesy to at least give the front desk your key. They update the housekeeping list to reflect checkouts so they can clean. My daughter was a regional manager of a hotel chain.”

SpongeBob SquarePants joyfully pops out of a box with arms raised, beneath the words "The Internet," conveying excitement and humor

Guests check in at a hotel reception with marble counters and elegant interior decor. Staff members assist them, offering a welcoming service

Tweet by Phil Bak: Boomers will wait in a hotel line to announce check-out rather than simply leaving

Tweet by Teddy Fusaro expressing surprise that people still "check out."

Tweet by Katie: Checking out of a hotel is a character test like returning a shopping cart, a quick task that helps others. Expresses support for "Boomer" values

Tweet from AvA: "I work at a hotel, lol just leave man."

Tweet advising travelers to return key cards and confirm checkout, ensuring rooms are marked ready for cleaning

Social media post by JustLivingNShit: "OMG my mom… We were just in Costa Rica… she said 'we gotta take these cards downstairs.' I was like 'girl, let’s go.'"

Social media screenshot with five users discussing hotel mini-bar and room service charge errors and how to dispute them

Tweet humorously suggests that Millennials often don't inform hotels they've left, resulting in unavailable rooms for early check-in

Tweet by Brett Rudy discussing the importance of hotel checkout and mentioning a $400 smoking fee charged despite not smoking

Tweet advises travelers to return hotel keys at checkout to help update housekeeping schedules. The author notes personal experience in the hospitality industry

Tweet from Morgan: "Stopping by the front desk to confirm checkout helps the entire hotel staff."