Nanceetom

I just called Marriott customer care, and was told the evening meal is written up as a brand item. However, each location has the option of no offering it and we should call the hotel directly to see if they offer it or not. I guess that is a conflict of continuity in a brand. Basically in NYC we probably would use it as a light snack and then have a late dinner, it was more matter of principle to find out!

hhoope01

I think this may be a bit of a Chicken Little syndrome. So far we have one person at one hotel stating something that has not yet been corroborated anywhere else.

SkiAdcock

Has it though? I know FTers don't like it, but unless you've got access to Marriott's #s for the Bistros it's hard to call it a 'disaster'.

Cheers.

Jon Maiman

+1 I am not a fan of the CY Bistro concept; however, I don't know how it has done for Marriott as a company. Since they haven't abandoned the concept nor made any mention of upcoming changes to it, I suspect it must be doing okay from their perspective. I.e. it is working for the target demographic and I must not be in that demographic. My two cents....

--Jon

hhoope01

While Socrates has never provided any actual #s, he has stated that this change for CYs has not only been a "success" but actually was exceeding Marriott's expectations.

And given that Marriott hasn't been wavering on this at all (that I have been able to see) over the last 4 years, I doubt anything has changed and it is still working out very well for Marriott overall.

socrates

that's not quite correct...there is a minimum standard that must be met, x number of weeknights, x times etc...the hotel gets to select from the options for x but x must still be met...it's possible you were there on a night that was Y....

socrates

the program continues to do very well...and it's become part of the brand culture these days

username

So, it is a slippery slope once "brand items" become optional...

Could X = 0

I guess the "squeeze whatever you can from the business travellers who have expense account" strategy worked.

I would think a large number of CY travellers are business travellers to whom value is not as important. Rest moved to FI, SHS, RI and TPS. So, I wonder if the "working" part means Bistro revenue or something else?

rjwx2man

Just completed a 7 night stay at an RI. Their evening food was Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The Brats cooked on the grill were awesome on Wednesday.

VickiSoCal

Not everyone who travels on business gets an unlimited expense account. the husband gets 60 dollars a day no matter what he spends.

Also not everyone eats breakfast or drinks coffee or if they do eat breakfast will eat the free stuff served at lower end brands. Last time we were at a SHS the only thing I found edible was the whole fruit.

apodo77

Even when I am at a SHS, RI. or FFI I rarely eat the offerings. Just doesn't look appetizing and the crowds are typically outrageous.

gardener

I am at RI RNO right now, burning 3 Cat 4 certs from Megabonus. Still manager's reception Mon-Tue-Wed. The whole month's schedule is posted on our fridge.

kymbakitty

After God only knows how many years (20?), State of California state workers now get a whopping $7 for breakfast and $11 for lunch (up from $6 and $10).

And I promise you....I have not eaten anything offered in the way of free breakfast at any of these hotels for quite sometime. Ick.

Dawn

VickiSoCal

Exactly. There seems to be an assumption by many posters that "business travelers" are on some kind of free for all binge. It hasn't been that way at any company I or my spouse has worked for in the last couple of decades. And with new travel booking tools it has only gotten tighter. Book the FS Marriott on the travel app for 215 a night when the company limit for that city is 180? A popup comes up saying that your travel approver will be notified that you did not take one of the six cheaper options (one of which is probably a Courtyard!) do you still want to proceed?

username

I must have hit a nerve for those who work for organizations that have cost control There are bigshot types who don't worry about budgets. The rest of us do. That is why we don't stay at Ritz or JW and choose between FS Marriott, Ren, CY, SHS, FI, RI and TPS, right?

I don't stay at CY because I prefer to have my own breakfast in the room - I need a refrigerator and ideally microwave for it. Most CY rooms don't have them.

I can see people expensing a coffee and a breakfast item from the Bistro instead of taking advantage of the free breakfast at other Marriott brands. How did this become a "unlimited expense account" rant?

I worked for a company in the late 90s that had $25/day meal allowance - it was set by its customer. The cheapness was one reason I left. Now, when I switch job and I expect to travel a lot, I will want to know the travel policy in advance as it is a huge factor in determining my quality of life.