A good breakfast is important to start the day right. It gives us the fuel we need to tackle whatever lies ahead. And when we’re on holiday, that first meal is often one of the little luxuries we look forward to before a day of exploration.
There’s a charm to waking up in a cozy hotel room and a warm, inviting breakfast spread. It’s a small luxury that many travelers look forward to.
However, a woman’s controversial tactic for enjoying this pleasure without the cost of a room has sparked a fiery debate online.
Bayley, a social media user from New York, has stirred up a storm with her savvy, albeit contentious, method for scoring a complimentary hotel breakfast.
Her approach is simple: If you walk into any chain hotel that offers a complimentary breakfast with ‘enough confidence’, you can enjoy the morning feast without ever checking in.
The audacity of her hack has divided viewers on social media, with some admiring her boldness and others condemning the ethical implications.
In the video, she walked into the hotel with determination, but she described how she was quickly faced with her first challenge: figuring out where breakfast was served.
Her strategy involved research, confidence, and a nonchalant demeanor. She suggested knowing the hotel layout and heading straight for the elevators to blend in.
‘Piggybacking on that, just look so busy, be on the phone, so that people feel bad talking to you,’ she added.
While some social media users are intrigued by the possibility of a free meal, others are concerned about the potential repercussions.
One user pleaded, ‘No, please don’t make this a series! It’s not that I don’t want you to have success, but because they’re going to start making policies to remove this.’
‘Ohh, I wonder, if you have like a carry on luggage with you or like just your phone and headphone (like you would if you were coming down from your room), would it be more believable,’ another user chimed in.
Some critics call it a ‘deadbeat move’, questioning why she feels entitled to a service that others have rightfully paid for.
On the other hand, industry experts like Carlo Martino, Executive Chef at Hyatt Regency London—The Churchill, and Daniel Pedreschi, executive vice president of operations at Park Plaza Hotels, emphasised the importance of well-executed breakfast service.
‘Breakfast is one of the most important services that a hotel offers. It’s incredibly important to get it right and include a variety of options that suit every palate,’ Pedreschi said.
A perfect hotel breakfast is a ‘meticulously curated combination of variety, service style, location, ambiance, and flexibility’, he explained.
According to Pedreschi, a good hotel breakfast is well-stocked and has low wait times. It includes cooked favorites like eggs, bacon, sausages, and hash browns alongside lighter, continental options like pastries, cereals, fruit, yoghurt, falafel, samosas, and rice.
He noted that a bad sign is ‘poor walk-flow’ around the buffet or food placed at different temperatures next to each other.
This viral video raises questions about entitlement and fairness. While getting something for free might seem appealing, it’s essential to consider the broader impact of such actions on businesses and fellow consumers.
What are your thoughts on this breakfast hack? Would you try it? Have you ever encountered similar ethical dilemmas while traveling? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments below!
Also read: Weet-Bix showdown: The battle of breakfast styles
