A woman alarmed TikTok users by successfully using a Chuck E. Cheese card to get into her hotel room.
The video comes from creator harpertheauthor, and has amassed more than 25,000 views since July 16. It shows the creator with an “All You Can Play” card from the video game and pizza emporium that bills itself as “the ultimate kids’ birthday party place for everyday fun.”
“So, peep this,” she begins, standing outside a Sleep Inn, speaking over the brand of suspenseful music that might play in a horror movie. “Got this Chuck E. Cheese card, right? And I’m at the hotel … and I’ll see if this Chuck E. Cheese card can open this hotel door.”
@harpertheauthor Wonder if it works at other hotels… 🤔 #fyp #chuckecheese #hotel #keycard ♬ Primal Fear – Drama Effect – Dave James
She walks to a side door at the hotel, shows that the door is locked, waves the Chuck E. Cheese card over the card reader, and it turns green. She’s then able to open the door.
There are several different types of hotel keys, including RFID cards, magnetic stripe cards, and hole cards. RFID cards like in the video need to be placed in proximity to the reader so that it can be scanned, and are equipped with chips that should ensure only the intended card is able to unlock the door.
Yet, the video features harpertheauthor using a card definitely not issued by Sleep Inn to unlock the door.
One commenter asked the obvious question: “Howwww.”
According to the creator, “I just had a feeling that it would work, & it did lol.”
Another remarked, “It’s the magnetic strip… or the electronic card itself… it’s all very scary tho!!!!”
“The key cards hotels have actually given me [barely] work,” someone else observed. “This is outrageous.”
“What made u do this,” asked one user.
“We came back from Chuck E Cheese’s and I was trynna pull my room card out, but pulled that out. Decided to try anyway to see what would happen,” harpertheauthor replied.
Of course, this isn’t the first time the topic of hotel security has popped up online. A few years ago, a viral hack purportedly allowed thieves to enter a hotel room in a minute flat. Earlier this year, a flight attendant shared hotel safety tips she uses while on the road.
The Daily Dot reached out to the creator via TikTok and to Sleep Inn via email for comment.
