Why Hotels Are Refusing Room Service (and You Should, Too)
Like movie theaters or shopping, room service in hotels was already falling in popularity before the pandemic almost completely killed the practice. For years, hotels have steadily reduced or eliminated room service options entirely. For example, in 2016, the American Hotel and Accommodation Association reported that only 22 percent of US hotels even offered room service.
With on-demand food delivery apps now so normalized, hotel room service is hardly worth the exorbitant cost. So while hotels are cutting back on traditional room service, they are doing everything they can to make sure they get a cut of how we order food. Here’s what you need to know about delivering food to your hotel room door without room service.
Look for hotels partnering with food delivery apps
Just because room service is in decline doesn’t mean hotels think you’ve stopped dining in your room. Rather than sit back while delivery apps deliver order after order in the lobby, chances are your hotel is partnering with a food delivery partner . Some of them are: Hyatt is partnering with Go Puff , IHG is partnering with Grubhub , and Marriot Bonvoy is partnering with UberEats . What this means for you: Room service has been replaced by third-party apps you use at home.
Take advantage of cooperation with the hotel
You may not get room service, but you should still try to get the most out of your hotel stay. Instead of using the Doordash or UberEats app on your phone , book through the hotel’s app, website, or room portal. This way you can be sure you don’t miss out on potential partnership rewards such as hotel points that you can use on future bookings.
Get the same room service experience
If you want to use classic room service, use in-app messaging to work directly with your courier and see if they can deliver right to your door. Otherwise, you may have to pick up your order at the lobby – not quite the picture of decadence that room service used to bring.
Don’t forget to tip
When it comes to hotel staff, when and how much to tip is confusing for many travelers. Luckily, you’re probably more familiar with the protocol for tipping couriers. We recommend tipping 20% in cash .
If you don’t want to use third party apps
Partnering your hotel with their food delivery app of choice is your best bet for room delivery. However, if you’re willing to sacrifice a sense of luxury in order to save some money, most hotels have options to bring to your room.
And finally, if the thought of picking up the phone at a hotel and getting food on a literal silver platter is non-negotiable for you? Well, we advise you to research or call your hotel ahead of time to make sure they offer room service as an option at all.