Excerpt from Washington Post
With delivery at guests’ fingertips, do they need a $7 Diet Coke?
Growing up, Susan Buckley heard a common refrain from her mother on family road trips: Don’t even think about touching that minibar.
“Skull and crossbones. Don’t go there,” she said. “Everything is super expensive.”
They might be expensive, yes, but they’re also inviting to the weary traveler: a cold can of Coca-Cola, a refreshing bottle of water or a tiny bottle of booze paired with a can of Pringles and bag of M&Ms. That’s practically a meal.
But over the past decade, many hotel companies have steered clear of the once-vaunted amenity. “Hotels call time on the minibar,” The Independent wrote in 2013, referencing the hassle and cost of upkeep. “The Death of the Minibar Is Nigh,” an Esquire headline proclaimed that same year. The Atlantic ran a story that year simply titled “Elegy for the Minibar.”
The Atlantic piece reported that a German company invented the minibar in the early 1960s. The first one to become famous was at the Madison Hotel in D.C. Hilton claims to have “popularized” the in-room concept in 1974 in Hong Kong.
The heyday that followed for minibars is largely over. Large hotel chains have been scaling down their use for several years. The Wall Street Journal reported in 2011 that Hyatt Hotels & Resorts was removing stocked minibars from some convention hotels, and Hilton and Omni were making similar moves.
Popular new brands emphasize a communal atmosphere, with wine hour in the lobby or a market near the front desk. Delivery services also make it easier to order a meal to the door - even if room service isn’t available.
“Are minibars still necessary if you can order things to be delivered to you, whether it’s at 8 a.m., 2 p.m. or 2 a.m.?” said Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst and co-founder of Atmosphere Research Group.
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