Soda / soft drink at breakfast
May 19, 2017, 6:13 am
#16
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As someone who doesn't tend to have lounge access, if I saw someone at the buffet lifting a soda I'd probably lift one too, even just to take back to the room.
May 19, 2017, 6:35 am
#17
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May 19, 2017, 6:49 am
#18
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I would expect a breakfast buffet in a *good* hotel to be willing to provide a soda in place of coffee or tea at breakfast for no additional cost, but if one is asking for the soda in addition to the usual breakfast beverage, I would expect to be charged the standard restaurant price (not the room service price).
If I'm eating at a hotel's restaurant breakfast buffet I'll often ask for diet coke/Pepsi when they ask if I want tea or coffee. I don't get charged for it. But if I asked for tea/coffee + soda, I would expect to get charged for the soda.
Cheers.
May 19, 2017, 8:45 am
#19
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Actually in the lounges I've been in there is usually a sign which says "all beverages and food are meant to be consumed in the lounge" or the equivalent. Whether it's enforced isn't the point; the providing of free soft drinks is something specific to the lounge.
I do agree they should have just put a cloth over the 'fridge.
I do agree they should have just put a cloth over the 'fridge.
May 19, 2017, 9:12 am
#20
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The hotel should be embarrassed. Do they have a right to charge for the soda? Of course. Does it make sense to create ill-will over the price of a soda? Of course not. Obviously the OP is a good enough customer to have lounge access. As for monkey-see, monkey do - other customers seeing him take a soda so they take a soda - how would they know he didn't pay for it. The hotel staff could have gently stated something like, "Ordinarily soda is not included, but for you Mr. zzap, of course." That would have been a customer service win. Instead, we now all know the Westin in Taipei nickels and dimes guests.
FWIW, a couple months ago I asked for a Coke at breakfast in the Bali Sheraton. It was brought quickly, without question and without charge. It never occurred to me that there might be a charge. Since then I've given up soda and sugar, lost 30+ pounds and feel great, but that's another story.
FWIW, a couple months ago I asked for a Coke at breakfast in the Bali Sheraton. It was brought quickly, without question and without charge. It never occurred to me that there might be a charge. Since then I've given up soda and sugar, lost 30+ pounds and feel great, but that's another story.
May 19, 2017, 9:51 am
#21
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There is a big difference in asking for a soda, and it being brought without charge, and grabbing one from a fridge. Outside the US I would never expect soda to be available simply for taking at breakfast.
May 19, 2017, 11:37 am
#22
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This is one of my biggest pet peeves at hotels. I only drink soda (no coffee, no tea) and want one with breakfast. Recently, at the Aloft Abu Dhabi (no lounge), I was told I'd be charged. This negatively impacts my view of the property and my online reviews reflect as much. Does soda cost that much more than juice? Likely not, especially in the quantities they are providing. The lack of soda at breakfast is just galling to me personally (first world problem, I know).
May 19, 2017, 12:05 pm
#23
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Entertaining how so many people in this thread have completely ignored the fact that OP was at a breakfast buffet in order to jump at passing judgment... FT at its usual best, I suppose.
Note that soda out of a fountain costs literally pennies on the dollar (acknowledging that juice can be reconstituted in fountains as well, and that a soda fountain was not the case in the OP).
Note that soda out of a fountain costs literally pennies on the dollar (acknowledging that juice can be reconstituted in fountains as well, and that a soda fountain was not the case in the OP).
May 19, 2017, 12:09 pm
#24
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Entertaining how so many people in this thread have completely ignored the fact that OP was at a breakfast buffet in order to jump at passing judgment... FT at its usual best, I suppose.
Note that soda out of a fountain costs literally pennies on the dollar (acknowledging that juice can be reconstituted in fountains as well, and that a soda fountain was not the case in the OP).
Note that soda out of a fountain costs literally pennies on the dollar (acknowledging that juice can be reconstituted in fountains as well, and that a soda fountain was not the case in the OP).
If he knew he had problems/issues with this before, he certainly could have asked staff or the management about adding or substituting a soda.
May 19, 2017, 12:13 pm
#25
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If you make the argument for sodas, the next person will make the argument for beer and wine. If they make the argument for beer and wine, the next person will make the argument for rum and gin.
What if the craving was for premium nuts at lunchtime? or for hors d'oeuvres at dinnertime in the restaurant?
I agree with the assessment of your actions being a bit rude and fully entitled. You admitted from the start that you've universally been charged for sodas at breakfast. But, knowing this, you still tried to sneak one instead of asking (admit it to yourself, you did) and got busted. Most of us have done similar at some point, and it hurts to get busted. But, while that's an ego bruiser, it should be considered a wake-up call (to either wake up to or to just tap snooze to) rather than a reason to argue with hotel employees.
You ask, "Am I to pre-emptively go to the lounge breakfast purely to grab a soda prior to heading down to the restaurant breakfast going forward?" Yes, if you drink it in the lounge, too. Otherwise you're just asking for the next conflict situation.
As previously mentioned, asking kindly may have gotten you somewhere.
What if the craving was for premium nuts at lunchtime? or for hors d'oeuvres at dinnertime in the restaurant?
I agree with the assessment of your actions being a bit rude and fully entitled. You admitted from the start that you've universally been charged for sodas at breakfast. But, knowing this, you still tried to sneak one instead of asking (admit it to yourself, you did) and got busted. Most of us have done similar at some point, and it hurts to get busted. But, while that's an ego bruiser, it should be considered a wake-up call (to either wake up to or to just tap snooze to) rather than a reason to argue with hotel employees.
You ask, "Am I to pre-emptively go to the lounge breakfast purely to grab a soda prior to heading down to the restaurant breakfast going forward?" Yes, if you drink it in the lounge, too. Otherwise you're just asking for the next conflict situation.
As previously mentioned, asking kindly may have gotten you somewhere.
May 19, 2017, 12:19 pm
#26
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I didn't ignore that. Keep in mind he asked for opinions. I would like to point out that the OP could avoided all of this by simply ASKING FIRST.
If he knew he had problems/issues with this before, he certainly could have asked staff or the management about adding or substituting a soda.
If he knew he had problems/issues with this before, he certainly could have asked staff or the management about adding or substituting a soda.
May 19, 2017, 12:23 pm
#27
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May 19, 2017, 12:27 pm
#28
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I drink diet coke in every breakfast at every hotel I stayed at ever since I stopped drinking coffee. I just a little bit of caffeine to start the morning. The only time I have been charged for the diet coke was in Hong Kong. I just paid for it but it was probably the most expansive can of soda I have paid.. I think it was $80 HK.. which is like $10 US LOL. But I figure I get the breakfasts free which was about $40 US per person... I could pay for the the overpriced can of coke.
May 19, 2017, 12:33 pm
#29
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I tried to read all the posts but the Mrs. Grundy responses just put me off. I'm surprised someone hasn't cross-examined you about whether you wiped your feet before entering the lounge.
So if someone already mentioned this, my apologies.
I don't think this would have happened in the US. Lots of Americans drink soda for breakfast. I don't get it. But I don't get chewing gum either.
Staff was rude and it's their responsibility to not have things that appear on offer when they aren't.
But I'm guessing they were as shocked at you wanting a soda as you were at their response.
So if someone already mentioned this, my apologies.
I don't think this would have happened in the US. Lots of Americans drink soda for breakfast. I don't get it. But I don't get chewing gum either.
Staff was rude and it's their responsibility to not have things that appear on offer when they aren't.
But I'm guessing they were as shocked at you wanting a soda as you were at their response.
May 19, 2017, 12:35 pm
#30
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Why this and not that?
Services are segmented and this is not some all-inclusive resort with different colored bracelets which staff can use to identify which guests are entitled to the top-shelf booze and who gets the swill.
Perhaps if OP had asked, someone would have told him to go ahead and thought nothing further of it.
This suggests asking before taking.
I do witness people who at least superficially appear to be well-dressed and well-fed raiding lounges as though they are feeding a large, starving and poverty-stricken village. It is something about the word "free" which for some people compels them to act this way. And we wonder why lounges and their offerings go down hill?
Services are segmented and this is not some all-inclusive resort with different colored bracelets which staff can use to identify which guests are entitled to the top-shelf booze and who gets the swill.
Perhaps if OP had asked, someone would have told him to go ahead and thought nothing further of it.
This suggests asking before taking.
I do witness people who at least superficially appear to be well-dressed and well-fed raiding lounges as though they are feeding a large, starving and poverty-stricken village. It is something about the word "free" which for some people compels them to act this way. And we wonder why lounges and their offerings go down hill?