Marriott cutting down on buffets
 

Travelers trying to power up on Vitamin C may find fewer options at breakfast buffets. Executives at Marriott International said the hotelier may drop items such as some fruit selections from the breakfast buffets -- or ditch them entirely for menu ordering -- if occupancy rates at some locations are too low because fewer people are traveling.

"You need to provide a breakfast experience, but you don't necessarily have to provide a huge spread to do that," Laura Paugh, the Bethesda, Md.-based company's vice president of investor relations, told analysts recently. "So there's always more things you can do should business continue to weaken."

I wonder when they will figure out that their occupancy rate might be dropping because of all of their cuts.

I don't believe it is a new one for the recession, in the area in which I work hotels (Marriotts and otherwise) have been doing that for years.... busy times mean full buffet, slower times mean ordered breakfast.

However, so far that has only been for hot food...

Are they really this stupid? Just adjust the quanitity of each item that you put out and be done with it. I'm sure smarter CPA's than I have correlated the occupancy from the night before and number of buffets sold in the morning. And they have years of historical data to refer to.

Smart messing with the fruit and its good bye Marriott.

For kicks, why not actually keep up with replenish the items (especially the fruit) as they are consumed. You'd be surprised how often the plate of this or that stays empty for 15+ minutes and I finally have to ask them to replenish the pineapple...

Marriott has not proven otherwise lately..

Has Marriott put a value on the bad PR they have been getting at every turn vs. how much money they think they've saved?

come on, we all know the answer to this question:(

Hah! I love the term "breakfast experience." If the trend keeps on going our "breakfast experience" will be cereal and toast.

actually no cereal....just toast. (and no butter or jam either, and only white bread!)

I stayed at the Hollywood CA Renaissance a few months ago during the week and no breakfast buffet was offered because of low occupancy.

Did they offer a breakfast cert? Or are they just penalizing the loyal remaining paying customers.

Did the breakfast buffet at the JW Hong Kong last week. Kind of sad to see how it's gone downhill just over the past few months - especially for what they charge for it.