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Here is the current wording from the AAA "Winter Your Way" promotion:

Breakfast is only available at designated hotel restaurants, not applicable for brunch or room service, and includes coffee, tea or juice and one a la carte entrée OR the full breakfast buffet if it is offered in that particular Hyatt hotel; except at Hyatt Regency Bethesda where offer includes continental breakfast only.

Does that mean the guest has the right to select an entree instead of the buffet, as in the past? Or is it the hotel's option?

etsmyers

I am currently at the Capital Hyatt in DC. The certs appear to be from Hyatt corporate, not the property, and they say full breakfast.

neuro0

My cert (nicely printed with AAA/CAA Complimentry Full Breakfast in big font) from HR Rochester stated one entree plus coffee, tea or juice. No mention of buffet at all. However, I used it for the buffet and it was okay (I don't see why not).
IMO, you are definitely within your right to go a la carte.

Altaflyer

Grand Hyatt San Francisco gave me the option of an entree or the buffet.

Trustguy

Most of the hotels where I have used the BREAKF code have given me the option of menu or buffet. Quite often, the restaurant at the hotels push the buffet option.

m3m3m3

this is my experience as well. the waiter/waitress would almost always give an option for buffet or ala carte. but there was always a dollar limit (~$25) if we went ala carte

TrojanHorse

I was there last week and still have one of mine in front of me now as it was sitting on the coffee table

its a bad photo copy of a corp issue to begin with but it says

AAA/CAA complimentary full b/f for two (Winter your way to the left)

the t&C's in faded out print (man they need new toner) says

certificate valid at issuing hotel throughtr expiration and includes complimentary full b/f for two registered guests.. blah blah on taxes on tip

No room svc and rest participation varies by prop

this appears to be their out clause if they do not want to give you a menu item

rfrost

I'm sure there were places where I was required to take the buffet. Maybe the SFO Hyatt?

huskergreg

I've always just taken the buffet, but I recall that many times I've been told that I could apply the value of the buffet against what I ordered from the menu.

ThatAdamGuy

I was with a friend for breakfast today at the Hyatt Santa Clara and we missed the buffet; didn't realize that -- while breakfast goes 'til 11am -- buffet ends at either 10 or 10:30. We were surprised and pleased when the waiter said we could have anything we wanted for breakfast off the menu. "Anything?!" we asked incredulously, and he just nodded and smiled.

We went nuts, but only a little. Two coffees, two grapefruit juices (quite good... almost tasted fresh-squeezed!), eggs benedict (yum!), corned beef hash (a little chincy on the amount, but delicious) and apple-cinnamon pancakes (yum again!). I wasn't sure whether it was appropriate to give a tip or not in this circumstance, so I left 15% of the listed cost in cash just in case (do you think that was appropriate? unnecessary?)

Given this breakfast for two, the room rate ($78), Costco discount (essentially 20% off, so effective room rate of $62), the nice hot tub, and 2500 frequent flyer miles, I was pretty pleased with the value of the stay! It almost makes me forgive Hyatt for the ridiculous nickel-and-diming re: Internet charges .

pdb

Both of the properties at which I have stayed, using BREAKF, have told me that there are no physical coupons for the AAA breakfast, but rather the charges would be removed--and they were. However, it sounds as though other properties continue to use paper coupons--is that right?

Trustguy

I have seen hotels use the certificates and others that have eliminated charges at checkout without any paper certificate. Others (Orange County) have gone between both.

EasternTraveler

They will offer you up to the value of the buffet for one entree in most locations. Some servers will differ......

Explore

At Sacramento this past weekend, we qualified for both the AAA breakfast and the "Regency Club is Closed breakfast." In practice, they used the same individual hotel-issued certificate which states it is good for a free buffet breakfast. Querying the VINES restaurant staff, they said it is also good for $18 off any menu items. Most menu items are $14 to $18, and coffee is extra. So I ended up with a bill for around $1.08, which I thought was kind of cheeky because AAA breakfast specifically includes one entree plus beverage. But since the certificate also says tax and gratuity are included, and the AAA promo may not provide for that, I left the $1.08 plus an extra tip of $1.92. The service had been very good. Of course, they probably wanted me to tip on the full value of over $20.

stbeeman

My experience is that you can have anything you negotiate for, especially if you're Diamond. It's how and who you ask...