OP I can understand your feelings, you had a go-to hotel that you looked forward going to that took good care of you IYO.

I still cant understand how a CY doesnt give me as a Plat anything for breakfast, the only brand that gives nothing, and MR still toots their horn how CY is a brand for Business people by business people. I dont of a single business person who would rather pay for a breakfast then get it for $0. Or how they made all the CYs get rid of the free coffee since they were going to sell Starbucks instead. Nor why except for FS hotels we dont earn any pts on any purchases. So when possible I dont stay at CYs nor do I spend any $$ at a non-FS hotel, except for the room rate. I see many folks still staying at CYs and buying things at nonFS hotels. Its each persons choice

Heading to SoFL in a couple of weeks thought great I'll use up some of my Hilton pts.Knowing this time of yr isnt cheap I thought Id hit some 1st Gen Hamptons as in yrs past.No way,nothing < 30k they used to be 15-20K . Plenty of MRs at 10-15k

My pt is till the economy heads south again, rates will keep going up = higher Cat levels for award stays and benefits being slashed. You will find this among all the chains. Now you simply have to find the chain that will offer you what you are interested in getting, it may be the same as I am or not, theres no 1 chain that will be offer everyone what they want/need. that said Ive been to a # of SPG hotels where as a Plat I was offerred a cont breakfast or asked if I wanted breakfast or pts for my amenity, some use to give both, some still may but they will be the rare ones

Good points, all!!!

I value the 'snack' a lot more than the breakfast - although that was the best brekkie I have ever had.

What I have seen now a few times is that hotels use some standard serialized Vouchers and hand them to their Elite members. It looks like these are provided by Marriott corporate as they are - apart from the serial number - fully identical between hotels. On these vouchers the same wording is used in terms of the breakfast it provides as it is listed on marriott.com - so maybe the Munich Airport Marriott now also uses these vouchers and misinterpreted the wording in a way that they are no longer allowed to provide more than the minimum. And this is certainly possible since I have seen other hotels also using these certs yet still providing the breakfast in the same way as before...

In a nutshell: I do not see this being an actual corporate directive, but either a misunderstanding based on these new vouchers or a decision made at the local level at this hotel...

Greetings - Dirk

Here's my take on breakfast and evening appetizers.

1. The lounge was never meant to satisfy all traveler food expectations. If the kids and I can eat a light breakie and grab some water bottles, perfect. But don't short change me and keep making inconsistent promises about times, weekend closing, hot vs cold choices, just show me some consistency.

2. It's hard to whine about free food, drinks, water bottles, but show consistency in the product. Fake eggs, add water, is just plain wrong. Make real eggs and have fresh fruit. Add water eggs are not eggs, they are egg products.

3. Getting a HOT coffee in the middle of the day while the lounge is open is very important to me but the product has to be HOT, it's coffee or tea, be consistent.

I have expectation, it's my fault, while not entitled to anything from Marriott, I am entitled to my expectations. I have had to reset them many times with airlines and hotels, and it stinks, it's reality. The good old days of travel are long gone. Too many people in airplanes and hotels compared to 1995,2000 even 2005. The hotels and airlines started this loyalty stuff, the passenger did not and they are certainly making many 'devalued' changes with a lot more to come.

While breakie is not a showstopper, it's important enough for me that I stay in SHS/FI over CY, FS/REN over Ritz and Vacation Clubs with kitchens over FS. I can cook the kids a good breakie and stock my own water bottles.

Fake Eggs
 

As someone with multiple food allergies I have very low expectations of finding food that works in a hotel. This is why almost all of our Marriott stays are at a RI where we can cook our own meals. I'm allergic to eggs, but I agree that "add water eggs" are not eggs, they're egg products. My wife really appreciates the hotels with continental breakfast that includes hard boiled (real) eggs.

Marriott had already lost us due to our changing travel habits. We had already canceled both Marriott cc in the last two months. I do appreciate the heads up on the devaluation so that I can pre-book our points nights. Our points are worth less every year for nearby trips thanks to living in the NW. Looking at the devaluation chart, it seems we would do alright living in the Midwest.

What is a "healthy start buffet"?

It's what some full service Marriott's call their cold buffet. Some call it the Good Start buffet.

Here's one from Times Square:

Healthy Start cold buffet $22.00
fresh fruit, oatmeal, cereals, granola, cheese,
breakfast breads, muffins, pastries

OR Hawaii:

Good Start Buffet
Oatmeal, cold cereal or housemade granola, fresh
fruit, a variety of milk, yogurts and choice of breakfast
breads. Includes juice and coffee or tea 20

Or Santa Ynez:

Good Start Buffet
Oatmeal, cold cereal or housemade granola, fresh
fruit, a variety of milk, yogurts and choice of breakfast
breads. Includes juice and coffee or tea 15

The title of this thread is misleading -- Marriott is not reducing breakfast items -- it has long been known that all that a hotel is required to provide is a continental breakfast.

Most hotels still provide more than required, although not all.

However, this thread should read that the Munich Airport Marriott is reducing breakfast items, not the implication that all Marriotts are or that
Marriott has sent a directive to reduce breakfast items.

Maybe the title thread is misleading, but it does seem that (after reading a few posts here and my experience) that indeed this seems to be (hopefully not) a trend. Besides this place looks like
- Renaissance Dusseldorf has some cut backs [not allowing kids to join the breakfast for free]
- Marriott Ghent (own experience) - service a plate of carbs

I remembered recently that MR made breakfast rule a guarantee, but it was only for continental and looks like some hotels are literally taking this as a 'Go' card to reduce their offerings.

Does not look good if this 'trend' continues...:(

Easy way to fix it on your behalf is not to go there again. I usually take notice via FT of properties that downgrade a bennie or skimp on other amenities and avoid them per FT chat. It's all about choice. Sometimes the scales tip in our favor but recently it seems more and more like airlines and hotels are downgrading loyalty programs more and more.

Wow. I would be pissed off if that is all I had available. It is neither healthy nor good for me. I can't eat any of those items--nothing low carb.

Well, aren't all F/S hotels in Hawaii resort hotels, so the mention of those are superfluous as no breakfast is provided free of charge.

I don't think that the T/S offering is that awful considering the higher costs for NYC, although of course, I would prefer hot offerings, as well.

Santa Ynez is just cheap, but that is within the terms of the rules, so one has to live with it.

A couple of hotels does not a trend make ... but it is good to monitor.