There is a point in every corporate roadies career when a $40 cheeseburger stops sounding ridiculous. Usually, it happens around 11 PM.
You’ve been in a ballroom since before sunrise, lunch happened standing up, and dinner disappeared somewhere between rehearsal, client notes and “let’s just run the opening one more time.” Now you’re back in the hotel staring at the room service menu like it’s your only remaining option.
Burger: $21. Fries: $6. Then comes the delivery fee, service charge, tax and tip. Somehow, you’ve just financed a cheeseburger.
Of course, there’s always Uber Eats. Or DoorDash. Or Grubhub. So you spend ten minutes bouncing between apps, convinced one of them has to be cheaper. Then the $14 burger becomes $40 after delivery fees, service fees, taxes and a tip, and you realize this is basically room service with more scrolling.
At home, you would never pay this much. On the road, the nearest restaurant is closing, your shoes are already off, and putting real pants back on feels like an unreasonable request. So you order it.
Twenty minutes later, someone arrives with a rolling table and a silver dome like they’re unveiling a five-star meal. You lift the lid and discover a burger that is aggressively average. The fries are warm-ish, the lettuce has surrendered, and they forgot the extra ketchup.
And somehow, it’s perfect.
Because after a 14-hour show day, luxury isn’t fine dining. Luxury is not leaving the room.
Tomorrow morning, you’ll complain about the receipt.
Tonight? Add the fries.
-CTC Staff
