re: Visiting a different gym as guest

i previously worked in the fitness industry (including 24 hour fitness) for many years, so i'll answer this question from a few different perspectives.

#1, the intent of a guest pass is to get people to join. As such, almost every pass will have fine print that says something to the extent of local residents only. the pass is not intended for someone from out of town to get a quick workout because they don't like their hotel gym.

regarding the sales pitch- it's mandated by the company and/or management. so as much as you dont want to sit through a 30 minute pitch, the sales guy doesnt want to give it either (knowing that you arent looking to join). however, there's probably a sales manager or general mgr looking over their shoulder, and if they don't tour you around, or make an effort to close you, they will get in trouble.

regarding a hurricane Harvey promo- i don't know the specifics, but i remember at 24 we used to let all military in, hassle free, on memorial day and veterans day. We may have given them the softest of closes (like maybe a 1 minute sales pitch with no tour), but that was it. If 24 is offering free workouts because of Harvey, there shouldn't be the same amount of pressure as a regular guest pass.

what should your etiquette be- you are a guest of their gym, it's a private company, and the sales person has a job to do. expect a tour and a price presentation; the assumption is you are looking for a gym, maybe not on that specific day, but in the near future. You can (and should) be honest up front, and tell them you aren't looking to join immediately. You may get lucky, and there won't be a manager on duty and the sales guy will let you slide through without much hassle. However, if you are just visiting from out of town, have been a guest recently, etc. dont be surprised if you arent allowed to workout for free.

Keep in mind, there are people that pay for the gym. It's not fair that the guy taking up space on the bench press isn't a paying member, while there are paying customers waiting to use that same equipment.

are the guest passes a bait and switch? ehhh, depends. A 30 minute sales pitch is a bit much, but it's the same as a timeshare presentation- nothing comes for free. At 24, all the rules were printed on the pass. Also, there were special passes from corporate that were "no hassle" passes, and we let people walk right in, only signing the waiver.