Hi socrates - ironically enough i read in a trade magazine about it being a big moneymaker for them. it's been a while now since i read that article so things could have changed.

and given that a lot are now going to computerized so that if you even take something out to look at it & put it back in you're charged for it even if you don't eat/drink it, i've still got to believe it's not a money loser for them. i learned that one the hard way & now read the fine print on the door if i see a computerized-style minibar.

the fact remains that they do charge more for items in the mini-bar than fair market value would be somewhere else, and the hotel chain probably buys in enough quanitites to get a discount, so i do thik it's a money-maker for them - how much, who knows?

as i mentioned, i rarely use the mini-bars now (although i did late at night recently w/ some friends - and there's no way 1/2 bottle of not great wine is worth $40, which was the fee)

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Sharon