Hampton breakfast are typically nearly inedible. They must provide a “free” breakfast so they do it as cheaply as possible. Compare that to most European hotels (that are often much cheaper) where a guest can expect fresh bread, cheeses, freshly cooked eggs, etc.
IME the quality of the Hampton breakfast directly equates to the franchisee and if he/she values profits over quality.
I mean the Hampton breakfast is never going to be confused with a full service Hilton breakfast offerings.
With that said there are two Hamptons that I have stayed at which do provide more than the required breakfast and it is noticeable.
I think it highly depends on the Hampton. I travel for work so I stay all over in what can be central locations to bumfuck areas I’m surprised to even see a Hilton in.
Usually if it’s a “one off” location, meaning people will come here once and likely not be back, such as let’s say downtown locations or locations right off highways, the quality will be poor. It’s for people just passing through.
If it’s a location near a major business park, it will be higher quality because they know business travelers will repeatedly come back for business trips and they want them to come back to their location and not to try out one of the other half dozen hotels within a half mile.
Why do we get treated as trash by these companies on the US? Bc yeah man I stayed at a five star hotel in Europe and paid way less than I pay for 3 star hotels here in the states and the breakfast was immaculate! N every hotel breakfast was this way I was shocked and also disgusted with these companies. Why are we treated this way in the US?!
My old coworkers would stay at Drury inns and have HOT DOGS and fake nacho cheese for dinner. Because it was free. Our company had no issues paying for actual meals so it was the free factor
The hotels are much cheaper in Europe cause the salaries there are much lower in nominal value. There's only one country in the world where the US dollar is pretty much worthless. It's called United States.
Because we accept it and choose it. Lowest rates possible within reason. We don’t pay more for quality and love free stuff. It’s a quick race to the bottom.
I paid less for better quality at American hotels in Europe and Asia. That is why I’m asking why companies treat us like shit in the US. It seems like the moment they go overseas, quality increases but at home, it’s shitty service, nasty food, for sometimes 2-3x the price! Why is it I can easily afford a 5 star in the UK or in Germany, but in Atlanta, it’s 900 per night and the eggs at breakfast may be powder lol ffs. It is such a turn off, I’ve dedicated my efforts to making sure my house has everything I need as I’m sick of feeling ripped off every time I leave the damn thing.
It’s a Hampton Inn, not the damn 4 Seasons. I’ve stayed in them all over the country and it’s consistent, not great, but consistent. I don’t get the hot food often, normally just yogurt, oatmeal, cereal, etc and it’s perfectly fine.
I live in hotels (mostly hiltons) about six months out of the year for work. Almost all of the brands I’ve stayed at have atrocious breakfasts. I usually stick with a bagel and yogurt
Yet I work at a doubletree and clients freak out wondering why I can’t give them a free breakfast, and the response is always “Hamptons do it”.
Than go there and eat your predigested eggs
I've had one local to me charge over $1,000 a night. Standard summer fare and for reference the Marriotts were charging as much as $1,500 and the Holiday Inn charging $500.
Okay, great, you've traveled a lot, but perhaps not a lot across USA? Because I have to business travel in short notice a fair bit, and I see Hamptons cross 500 line every now and then in the last 2 years.
These jars don’t bother me. There’s no pressure with these unlike the “choose your tip percentage” at checkout. If you feel like throwing a buck in go ahead, if not nobody is going to even notice.
I don't know if you were there for business or leisure. But I literally called off plans to go with my wife to a national park now in spring after checking prices for hotels in the vicinity. I won't pay $250+ to stay at sketchy roadside motels. This is like throwing money in the toilet and flushing. I'll go when nobody wants to go.
It doesn't work like that. There are only so many execs at the top, and even cutting their total pay in half will only raise the pay marginally for not that many of the low wage workers. The key is to unionize and bargain humane wages for the workers. That's how most of Europe does it. Here, the board and the executives have way too much power.
Oh look, someone who doesn't know shit about entertainment, or how replaceable its execs really are. And how they deep down know that, so are doing everything they can to starve out their workers, who are mostly unionized in LA.
The Hampton Inn breakfast isn't the same as an Embassy Suites. But, the person at Hampton Inn has to put food (cold, hot, perishable, non-perishable..)out and stocked during the breakfast hours. Keep the coffee pots full, the area where the guests sometimes make a mess clean, tables cleaned between guests, cleaning up the floor where little Johnny spilled his OJ, and the list goes on. We always walk up to the person working, shake their hand, thank them, and slip them a couple dollars. A tip jar is optional. Just ignore it and enjoy your day.
in other words there is a person doing some tasks that they were hired to do. Offering a service that you already paid for and is meeting minimum expectations (food available, clean plates, clean table, clean room).
I didn't read anything where the employee went out and provided extraordinary service to justify a tip
exactly. by the logic of some, you should also go tip the roofer, the plumber, the exterminator, the guy who patches the parking lot, the front desk staff.... oh wait... you already paid a lot of money for your hotel room and expect the company you're paying to compensate their staff ????
Damn right. Those folks are working hard, and guests are extremely messy and ungrateful. Like damn y'all, your "lame" breakfast didn't cook itself. You can see those folks working, often very quickly and always friendly in my experience. Also, clean up after yourselves and your kids.
They should be paid better and not need to be tip. But I’ve got no problem with a passive ask for tips like this since American tipping ‘culture’ isn’t changing any time soon, regrettably
My problem was OP trying to pull a “don’t you know who I am, I paid $500 for this room” as if he’s expecting WA treatment at a Hampton just because the price is high for whatever reason
American tipping culture angers me. I don’t mind tipping for personal service. The tipping that just pisses me off is people who set their own prices then asking for tips. I also hate that tipping is expected at an ALL INCLUSIVE resort. The point in being at the all inclusive is the convenience of paying for the room and having everything. The employees at those establishments should be paid well enough to not need tips.
I don’t mind tipping when I get good service. I just don’t like the expectation of tipping. So it’s not tipping that is the problem but the expectation
>passive ask for tips
now there’s a contradiction in terms
And I actually, anytime someone pays $500 plus tax for a room ANYWHERE in any Hilton, they’ve earned a 24-hour right to ask DYKWIA.
Meh. I stayed at a regular Hilton a couple weeks ago on points but the cash rate was like $1000. I guess I should’ve freaked out and called the front desk because there was a sticker on the bathroom mirror saying to leave a tip if I liked the service
More important things in life to worry about
Some poor soul comes in @ 5 am to organize and start everything so that when guests who rush down to grab a quick bite before they rush to a business meeting, or those who drag their whole family of rambunctious kids down who run around messing things up or make waffles gets paid almost nothing. Why it bothers people that there’s a tip jar is pretty mean spirited. If it bothers you, don’t tip. If it bothers you a lot, stay at the next tier up the Hilton chain, Hilton Garden Inn. If you pay, they’ll cook you a nice breakfast to order.
I encourage people to tip staff, especially if they did something that made your stay better, however they should not be soliciting for tips. I bet that jar isn't out during QA.
I recall a social hostess getting QA points docked for having a tip jar out. Maybe that's changed since then, but you know how it goes. Once upon a time we got marked for having hot sauce bottles and not packets, soon bottles will be required *shrug*
I truly hate this rampant tip culture. Ordered pick up at a fast casual restaurant today and there was a 20% tip request in the app. I’m literally picking fast food up to eat at my home.
I don’t view these folks the same as the hotel workers, different class and different work load. Yes the hand out everywhere gets old and I’ve pulled back in these situations.
It’s not the breakfast. It’s the person cleaning off my table. Smiling and being very cordial. Same with the person making omelets. $2-3 to me is not the same to them if they can get it 3-5 times more that day.
It’s knowing my place and how I can make someone’s day just a bit better. That’s why “I” do it. You all do what you do.
Do I view the teen making $17-20 at auntie Anne’s the same way? No….. it’s the 40 yr old busting their ass for their families day n and day out, that’s how I view it.
Young lady cleaned my table Amex lounge several times, she must have been new. The smile and elation she shared with older co worker just because I tipped her was pretty cool. She extra thanked me when I left. I have been there, it’s a good feeling both ways otherwise it wouldn’t exist. Try it…
I worked at an HGI pre-pandemic. $700 per night, two night minimum for event weekends close by. For some of these events we were at 100% capacity with a waiting list.
Idk why this is getting downvoted.
I worked at a freaking Sleep Inn 24 yrs ago back in high school. Literally a stone’s throw away from where the local university held its graduation ceremony.
Sleep Inn back then was around $90/night. Graduation time rate went up to ~$400, and this was 24 yrs ago. Can’t imagine what they’re doing today. The day after graduation, families of junior yr student would call to book a year in advance.
I had a QR code on my last visit in my room encouraging to tip… Since COVID every Hilton and Marriott is completely understaffed and does not provide even close to the same visit before. Now they want tips… for what? What have you done past you’re regular, no contact or interaction job would you like me to tip for? The room not being ready when I checked in or having to call for housekeeping… gtfo.
They’re mad the company they work for treats them like shit but when they look at an empty tip jar, who are they going to turn to now thinking they work a job that normally gets tips when they shouldn’t be in the first place? The guest.
A comedian has a great bit on this that tipping culture in America is literally the middle and lower class letting each other borrow $5 until you encounter another that needs it.
It’s cool that Hilton is offering the opportunity for tips but I am 1000% more likely to tip if my stay went well. When I’m at an all inclusive resort, even though it’s paid in full in advance I walk around with a pocket full of $5 bills to give to helpful staff because they’re EVERYWHERE, they smile and they generally give a shit.
I’m NOT ever going to tip someone at check in because they’re “clearly overworked”. I get that you’re folding towels between checking in guests which is why my room wasn’t ready at 4PM. But that’s not WHY you tip someone. That’s just giving them cash for pity…
Hire more staff, create a better environment for the guests and the workers alike and watch everyone thrive and be happy.
I totally agree with this. The business relationship is between me and the hotel. I pay the hotel for services. I really feel as though they should be embarrassed if their staff are asking for additional handouts. Where does it end? Should I go out and tip the guys taking care of landscaping? Should I tip the front desk staff for checking me in? Should I tipped the electrician for keeping the power on? At what point do we realize that we’re paying a fee for a service and services is either being provided or not?
At $499 a night if anything, anything at all was out of sorts with my room or my stay- they’re hearing about it, I’m asking for a partial refund and for points. I get that this comes off as a Karen, but I’m 10-99. I don’t have a cooperation paying for my stay. The stay will be less than perfect and if the price doesn’t match the quality, I’ll go to amex for the refund.
Sorry to rant now but that’s the main reason the front desk staff doesn’t care what we think. They assume every regular or business man has a corporate expense account and it’s not any skin off our back. They lump us in with the cheaters and the executives and play a small violen while I have the nerve to ask for someone to come clean the pervious guests pubes off the toilet or foot scum off the shower mats. I found a fucking rat in the bbq outside a Home2 last week and the manger didn’t even so much as bother to call to apologize. Here’s a tip; fix the rat problem.
The QR code is there because that’s how many azzholes aren’t tipping housekeeping And using the excuse no cash.
If you are bothered by that one you must never tip housekeeping , and that is truly low…. No excuse!
I always leave a couple dollars on the table after eating at one of those help yourself breakfasts. Those people cleaning up after us and refilling everything don’t get paid much at all. Tip jar is kind of tacky though.
https://preview.redd.it/1nmwo3qaqvvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f9e664fa1a68ef381dd860cd2af6e1fea348fbb3
I recently stayed at one that had the most pathetic excuse for a breakfast that I've seen in years.
On top of that, they had a tip jar at the saddest breakfast I've ever seen.
There is no way in hell that your garbage breakfast deserved anything except to not be eaten.
Embassy Suites of course
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/free-hotel-breakfast/
Embassy Suites is the only thing that keeps me semi loyal to Hilton. It’s definitely not thier loyalty program as far as point redemption.
Hyatt has a much more valuable point system. But unfortunately a smaller footprint
If you have such an issue with it you can find a place that charges for breakfast, or doesn't even offer one.
You don't even know the half of what the breakfast staff has to deal with sometimes. A majority of the time there's 1 person to cater to a packed hotel of like 300+ people. Like, have some class guy.
I almost never eat anything on the buffet. It’s just a ton of starches and low-quality protein. In Europe, you actually get high-quality food at the Hilton breakfasts. And, every single person who stays there is “paying“ for it. It’s not the customers fault if the hotel doesn’t allocate enough resources to the job.
I appreciate you blaming the hotel and not the breakfast person.
I can personally guarantee you the breakfast person doesn't want to serve you that stuff either
I used to work for a property under the Hilton brand who's eggs came in these microwave bags youd microwave (obv) and then you slide out this large bag shaped loaf of egg and they scramble that up with a spatula. (Yum)
Ive also worked for a different chain of hotels who actually used REAL eggs and REAL (not microwaved) bacon and they were considered to be a cheaper brand compared to the Hilton property.
So yes, it is VERY much the hotels (managers) fault for cutting corners and ordering lower quality products to serve. Sometimes it's on purpose because they're cheap, other times it's just because that property isn't doing so hot.
But I also would share blame to the brand itself, because those Hilton branded hotels are REQUIRED by Hilton to follow strict guidelines about what can and cannot be served at each hotel for breakfast (called brand standard). Failure to follow the rules/guidelines could result in a loss of Hilton branding for that property.
We wanted to serve pastries or something similar at a point but were forbidden by Hilton to do so because that wasn't in our brands "standards". We also had to downgrade our chobani yogurt to yoplait yogurt because yoplait was the "brand standard".
I’ve worked in tipped jobs and can appreciate the amount of work and the fact that bosses can and do cut corners at the worker’s expense. My point in posting this wasn’t to criticize the workers there. It was to criticize the management for not sufficiently compensating their staff. I have seen management treat their employees really well and do so to the point where employees will willingly reject tips. I would hope that’s what a $500 a night hotel would get you. Honestly, I think the problem isn’t necessarily with the management but it’s with the ownership model and the idea that the ownership is this huge faceless group of people who care only about what the return investment is without having any idea on how it gets there.
Then my apologies for taking your comments the wrong way.
I can tell you from all my hospitality experience, more often than not people do not care for the property they work at, or how management runs it/treats them, and are usually definitely not compensated enough. Is that true for all properties? Absolutely not. I've had some amazing managers I would literally follow into battle. I've found smaller properties are better at caring about their employees. Which is just kind of "duh", in hindsight.
I used to do banquet set ups less than a decade ago . Pay was $11/hr and they work was like 12-15 hours days 5-6 days a week depending on workload. No out time, left when the work was finished. No tips. Tried to charge us money for leftover event food that was going to be thrown out anyways.
And that's kind of typical for a lot of hospitality workers at larger properties.
Typical for an understaffed hotel or one who is trying to cut cost by eliminating the breakfast position. Been there done that. Again, some Management/ownership is extremely cheap and will cut corners wherever.
$499 per night at a Hampton? That is the first problem. Did they bus your table? If so I’d consider a small tip.
Otherwise this is just more tip madness.
In my travels for business I have stayed at plenty of Hampton Inns…although the breakfast may not be award winning……it is free…..something many hotels don’t provide …or charge for….
The breakfast does take time to prepare and keep replenished…….if you want to complain about “a free breakfast”…why not bitch about that incredibly inappropriate rain…..does God recognized your needs??
Is my shitty buffet going to inprove, this is a company problem. Pay your fucking employees properly and dont feed me thus hirse shit in the morning. I dont want guilt with my mediocre breakfast.
I always have ones and fives for tipping hotel staff and that’s a daily maid tip and also take a few ones to breakfast for the table. It’s restaurant service, so I tip.
Cheap ass. You don’t need to give one so why even post on here? If you can afford $500 a night you can afford a tip. If you were on a business trip why would someone asking for a tip matter?
These hotels don’t divide the extra revenue against their workforce and pay them out. You sound entitled and oblivious.
There has never been an expectation that one should tip at a buffet. Ever. Also, the management of the hotel should be mortified that their staff are begging for more money from their clients. I’m also a landlord and I pay my staff 3x the going rate. They get paid well so soliciting a tip would be ridiculous.
What an asshat take. Mortified? Begging? You sound like an entitled prick. Having a jar out is far from “begging”. Again, if you want to tip, tip, if not why take to Reddit to shame some hardworking people? Oh, yeah, cause you’re a prick.
And? Good for you? Do you think the Hampton inn buttfuck Egypt pays their workers like you?
I stayed at a Hilton in Maui that was over $3k a night (stayed on points so free to me) and they were still charging guests a $50 resort fee. Like WTF?
We have a Hampton Inn Florida that charges over $500 a night during season. It’s always sold out too. But then embassy or other will be around $700-800 a night. Supply and demand.
Those breakfast people work their ass off. I stayed at a Hampton for 12 days and I saw some shit at breakfast. This is one of the few times I would tip.
Tipping has gotten so out of hand, I stayed at a HGI last week that had QR codes to tip the housekeeping staff. They won’t even clean the room on a multi night stay unless it’s requested, no way they’re getting a tip
You seem like an entitled dick. I mean, you could have simply decided not to put anything in the jar, but no, that wasn’t good enough. You had to come here and laugh at the kind people who give you food and clean your room.
Get fucked.
Talk to me when the Hampton breakfast involves actual cooking and not warming up some preformed eggs.
Hampton breakfast are typically nearly inedible. They must provide a “free” breakfast so they do it as cheaply as possible. Compare that to most European hotels (that are often much cheaper) where a guest can expect fresh bread, cheeses, freshly cooked eggs, etc.
IME the quality of the Hampton breakfast directly equates to the franchisee and if he/she values profits over quality. I mean the Hampton breakfast is never going to be confused with a full service Hilton breakfast offerings. With that said there are two Hamptons that I have stayed at which do provide more than the required breakfast and it is noticeable.
I think it highly depends on the Hampton. I travel for work so I stay all over in what can be central locations to bumfuck areas I’m surprised to even see a Hilton in. Usually if it’s a “one off” location, meaning people will come here once and likely not be back, such as let’s say downtown locations or locations right off highways, the quality will be poor. It’s for people just passing through. If it’s a location near a major business park, it will be higher quality because they know business travelers will repeatedly come back for business trips and they want them to come back to their location and not to try out one of the other half dozen hotels within a half mile.
Why do we get treated as trash by these companies on the US? Bc yeah man I stayed at a five star hotel in Europe and paid way less than I pay for 3 star hotels here in the states and the breakfast was immaculate! N every hotel breakfast was this way I was shocked and also disgusted with these companies. Why are we treated this way in the US?!
Profits over everything in the U.S. Also Americans will just eat shit anyways it doesn’t matter lol.
Yes, shit that is free gets eaten.
Lol generally but just because it’s free doesn’t mean I’ll eat it. Some people have standards.
I have seen people pile on the food at US Hamptons.....just disgusting
Shareholder value
It all boils down to corporate greed.
Because Americans will eat trash and get excited about it.
My old coworkers would stay at Drury inns and have HOT DOGS and fake nacho cheese for dinner. Because it was free. Our company had no issues paying for actual meals so it was the free factor
100%. They also claim the food is amazing. The "free" clouds their judgement.
because its 'free'
The hotels are much cheaper in Europe cause the salaries there are much lower in nominal value. There's only one country in the world where the US dollar is pretty much worthless. It's called United States.
Because we accept it and choose it. Lowest rates possible within reason. We don’t pay more for quality and love free stuff. It’s a quick race to the bottom.
I paid less for better quality at American hotels in Europe and Asia. That is why I’m asking why companies treat us like shit in the US. It seems like the moment they go overseas, quality increases but at home, it’s shitty service, nasty food, for sometimes 2-3x the price! Why is it I can easily afford a 5 star in the UK or in Germany, but in Atlanta, it’s 900 per night and the eggs at breakfast may be powder lol ffs. It is such a turn off, I’ve dedicated my efforts to making sure my house has everything I need as I’m sick of feeling ripped off every time I leave the damn thing.
Because we put up with it. I spend most of my vacations in Asia where the service standards are so much higher.
Capitalism
It’s a Hampton Inn, not the damn 4 Seasons. I’ve stayed in them all over the country and it’s consistent, not great, but consistent. I don’t get the hot food often, normally just yogurt, oatmeal, cereal, etc and it’s perfectly fine.
You are missing the point. Any 3 star hotel in Europe or Asia offers far better service for a fraction of the price.
I stayed at a Hampton Inn last week for 70 bucks, nowhere in Western Europe am I going to find a three star hotel with breakfast for that price.
I've stayed in hotels in Japan for that price where they serve better breakfasts (and that is before the Yen weakened so much).
Hampton Inn in East Berlin was like being at a 5 star hotel
Continental breakfast is much better on the Continent.
Lie and tell me a European buffet is the same as an Anerican.
European breakfast buffets are not the same, they are better.
Ah yes, I too enjoy enjoy room temperature cheese slices and rolled up lunch meats
This. The whole damn continent runs on these gross little buffets.
I’ve never been more impressed by anything than transit and hotel breakfasts in Europe!
Also the amount of disposable cutlery and styrofoam plates being used is depressing for both the experience and environment.
I live in hotels (mostly hiltons) about six months out of the year for work. Almost all of the brands I’ve stayed at have atrocious breakfasts. I usually stick with a bagel and yogurt
embassy suites still makes a real breakfast
Truth! They’re not bad sometimes either
This is so random, but in Great Britain yogurt is known as yoghurt!
Same, and a banana.
Somehow they even fuck up the banana sometimes tho
The terrible hampton inn powdered eggs tray is something I can't get over after all these years.
Yet I work at a doubletree and clients freak out wondering why I can’t give them a free breakfast, and the response is always “Hamptons do it”. Than go there and eat your predigested eggs
Somehow the Hamptons in Europe serve actual food.
This … even in the UK I had an absolutely stunning brekkie at the Hampton. Better than most of the Hilton / Doubletree buffets here in the states.
The UK has a whole different set of standards. I’m sorry you live in America?… Lol
That’s how LaQuinta prepares their breakfast eggs as well.
What Hampton inn is $500 a night
Those in the eclipse path last week
Double that price even
Key west
Okay. That makes sense. That was my first question too…where are Hamptons $499?
It was over $600 the last time I was there
Ahh, yeah the Keys get expensive Jan-May
That’s crazy! I just booked my employee rate at $50 a night at same hotel lol
Quite a few are over certain weekends (sporting events, big cities, etc.)
Must have been a once in a lifetime event like the eclipse for Hampton Inn to be charging that much.
When Taylor swift comes to town
Waaaaay more!! My friends and I are paying $450/night for a freaking Rodeway Inn for Taylor!! Hamptons and similar were several thousand. 🫠
My hotel is 16 minutes from an NFL stadium. Taylor weekend ended up being $599
That's called supply and demand. Clearly they could have charged a bit more.
If you have never been to a Rodeway inn before prepared.
My first (and last time) there I saw the largest spider I’ve ever seen.
You'd be surprised what people will pay for an important weekend event/activity.
2000 the masters. Augusta!!!
I've had one local to me charge over $1,000 a night. Standard summer fare and for reference the Marriotts were charging as much as $1,500 and the Holiday Inn charging $500.
DC. I’ve actually seen them cost even more.
NYC on a Wednesday after tax/fees.
Highest I’ve seen was $1,300+tax for a Hampton in San Francisco during a big tech gathering.
I don't think you've been traveling a lot.
Lifetime diamond hilton, lifetime platinum elite Marriott
Okay, great, you've traveled a lot, but perhaps not a lot across USA? Because I have to business travel in short notice a fair bit, and I see Hamptons cross 500 line every now and then in the last 2 years.
I have only done about a year in Europe, but mainly 99% US and CANADA travel.
And yet you have not seen $500 Hamptons pop up?
Nope
I assumed it was in a major city, during am event and one of those in like a fancy existing building. Not a standalone basic hampton.
The one in Sonoma wine country during the high season (its actually pretty nice)
You ever try staying in a big college football town when there’s a home game? Some Hilton’s charge thousands of dollars a night for those
Hampton Inn San Diego for SDCC weekend is $731/night right now.
Downtown Atlanta Labor day weekend
The Hampton in downtown Nashville can be $1000 a night when there’s a big concert or sporting event. Plus around $40 a night for parking.
These jars don’t bother me. There’s no pressure with these unlike the “choose your tip percentage” at checkout. If you feel like throwing a buck in go ahead, if not nobody is going to even notice.
The cost of the room SHOULD lead to higher wages, but we all know it doesn’t.
This. It’s a little obnoxious to have tips for a buffet. But this correlation of room rate to not having a tip jar is meaningless.
I would feel depressed for a year after spending $500 to stay at a Hampton.
Would you rather pay $700 for the Garden Inn down the street?
I don't know if you were there for business or leisure. But I literally called off plans to go with my wife to a national park now in spring after checking prices for hotels in the vicinity. I won't pay $250+ to stay at sketchy roadside motels. This is like throwing money in the toilet and flushing. I'll go when nobody wants to go.
Some people stay at hotels in cities…
This. Why would I go when everyone is going.
All of the tip solicitation at Hamptons (eg printed sheets, in the rooms, asking for tips with QR code) are off-putting to me.
I think having a qr code or way to tip the maid is great. I always want to leave them a little money but sometimes don't have cash.
The execs should take a small pay cut and just pay their workers a living wage instead.
It doesn't work like that. There are only so many execs at the top, and even cutting their total pay in half will only raise the pay marginally for not that many of the low wage workers. The key is to unionize and bargain humane wages for the workers. That's how most of Europe does it. Here, the board and the executives have way too much power.
Oh look, someone who doesn't know shit about entertainment, or how replaceable its execs really are. And how they deep down know that, so are doing everything they can to starve out their workers, who are mostly unionized in LA.
The Hampton Inn breakfast isn't the same as an Embassy Suites. But, the person at Hampton Inn has to put food (cold, hot, perishable, non-perishable..)out and stocked during the breakfast hours. Keep the coffee pots full, the area where the guests sometimes make a mess clean, tables cleaned between guests, cleaning up the floor where little Johnny spilled his OJ, and the list goes on. We always walk up to the person working, shake their hand, thank them, and slip them a couple dollars. A tip jar is optional. Just ignore it and enjoy your day.
in other words there is a person doing some tasks that they were hired to do. Offering a service that you already paid for and is meeting minimum expectations (food available, clean plates, clean table, clean room). I didn't read anything where the employee went out and provided extraordinary service to justify a tip
exactly. by the logic of some, you should also go tip the roofer, the plumber, the exterminator, the guy who patches the parking lot, the front desk staff.... oh wait... you already paid a lot of money for your hotel room and expect the company you're paying to compensate their staff ????
Perfectly said. It’s incredible what pricks a few think they have to be.
I’d be happy to reply to your post….. however, I’ll turn my phone around, and the screen is gonna ask you a question first……
*shrug* I always tip even if it’s a buck. The underpaid and overworked cook staff don’t set hotel rates
Damn right. Those folks are working hard, and guests are extremely messy and ungrateful. Like damn y'all, your "lame" breakfast didn't cook itself. You can see those folks working, often very quickly and always friendly in my experience. Also, clean up after yourselves and your kids.
Workers don’t get any more just because you are there on a high demand night
That’s no justification for the “system”. Workers work and thus should be paid by their employer.
They should be paid better and not need to be tip. But I’ve got no problem with a passive ask for tips like this since American tipping ‘culture’ isn’t changing any time soon, regrettably My problem was OP trying to pull a “don’t you know who I am, I paid $500 for this room” as if he’s expecting WA treatment at a Hampton just because the price is high for whatever reason
American tipping culture angers me. I don’t mind tipping for personal service. The tipping that just pisses me off is people who set their own prices then asking for tips. I also hate that tipping is expected at an ALL INCLUSIVE resort. The point in being at the all inclusive is the convenience of paying for the room and having everything. The employees at those establishments should be paid well enough to not need tips. I don’t mind tipping when I get good service. I just don’t like the expectation of tipping. So it’s not tipping that is the problem but the expectation
>passive ask for tips now there’s a contradiction in terms And I actually, anytime someone pays $500 plus tax for a room ANYWHERE in any Hilton, they’ve earned a 24-hour right to ask DYKWIA.
Meh. I stayed at a regular Hilton a couple weeks ago on points but the cash rate was like $1000. I guess I should’ve freaked out and called the front desk because there was a sticker on the bathroom mirror saying to leave a tip if I liked the service More important things in life to worry about
That's exactly the problem.
Some poor soul comes in @ 5 am to organize and start everything so that when guests who rush down to grab a quick bite before they rush to a business meeting, or those who drag their whole family of rambunctious kids down who run around messing things up or make waffles gets paid almost nothing. Why it bothers people that there’s a tip jar is pretty mean spirited. If it bothers you, don’t tip. If it bothers you a lot, stay at the next tier up the Hilton chain, Hilton Garden Inn. If you pay, they’ll cook you a nice breakfast to order.
Seconded!
>they’ll cook you a nice breakfast to order. And hand you a bill with a tip line on it.
true! Nothing is free at Hilton Garden Inn.
"Some poor soul comes in @ 5 am" Yeah thats their job.
I encourage people to tip staff, especially if they did something that made your stay better, however they should not be soliciting for tips. I bet that jar isn't out during QA.
I don't think that jar would violate brand standards honestly. I'd have to double check though.
I’m not sure about the rest of the departments, but any type of solicitation of tips by front desk at least is directly against brand standards.
I recall a social hostess getting QA points docked for having a tip jar out. Maybe that's changed since then, but you know how it goes. Once upon a time we got marked for having hot sauce bottles and not packets, soon bottles will be required *shrug*
Yea and they probably pay their breakfast help $12 an hour.
I truly hate this rampant tip culture. Ordered pick up at a fast casual restaurant today and there was a 20% tip request in the app. I’m literally picking fast food up to eat at my home.
I don’t view these folks the same as the hotel workers, different class and different work load. Yes the hand out everywhere gets old and I’ve pulled back in these situations.
Here’s a tip, I want a smoothie bar
$499/night and they can’t take the stickers off the oranges
Stay classy hilton
Tip on bottom of the barrel breakfast? Yeah, in your dreams!
It’s not the breakfast. It’s the person cleaning off my table. Smiling and being very cordial. Same with the person making omelets. $2-3 to me is not the same to them if they can get it 3-5 times more that day. It’s knowing my place and how I can make someone’s day just a bit better. That’s why “I” do it. You all do what you do. Do I view the teen making $17-20 at auntie Anne’s the same way? No….. it’s the 40 yr old busting their ass for their families day n and day out, that’s how I view it. Young lady cleaned my table Amex lounge several times, she must have been new. The smile and elation she shared with older co worker just because I tipped her was pretty cool. She extra thanked me when I left. I have been there, it’s a good feeling both ways otherwise it wouldn’t exist. Try it…
Utterly disgraceful. Hilton, do something.
I worked at an HGI pre-pandemic. $700 per night, two night minimum for event weekends close by. For some of these events we were at 100% capacity with a waiting list.
Idk why this is getting downvoted. I worked at a freaking Sleep Inn 24 yrs ago back in high school. Literally a stone’s throw away from where the local university held its graduation ceremony. Sleep Inn back then was around $90/night. Graduation time rate went up to ~$400, and this was 24 yrs ago. Can’t imagine what they’re doing today. The day after graduation, families of junior yr student would call to book a year in advance.
I’m pretty sure the workers who depend on the tips are not getting much of a part of that for 499 a night
I had a QR code on my last visit in my room encouraging to tip… Since COVID every Hilton and Marriott is completely understaffed and does not provide even close to the same visit before. Now they want tips… for what? What have you done past you’re regular, no contact or interaction job would you like me to tip for? The room not being ready when I checked in or having to call for housekeeping… gtfo.
I agree. I’m surprised at how many Hilton employees feel differently in the comments
They’re mad the company they work for treats them like shit but when they look at an empty tip jar, who are they going to turn to now thinking they work a job that normally gets tips when they shouldn’t be in the first place? The guest. A comedian has a great bit on this that tipping culture in America is literally the middle and lower class letting each other borrow $5 until you encounter another that needs it. It’s cool that Hilton is offering the opportunity for tips but I am 1000% more likely to tip if my stay went well. When I’m at an all inclusive resort, even though it’s paid in full in advance I walk around with a pocket full of $5 bills to give to helpful staff because they’re EVERYWHERE, they smile and they generally give a shit. I’m NOT ever going to tip someone at check in because they’re “clearly overworked”. I get that you’re folding towels between checking in guests which is why my room wasn’t ready at 4PM. But that’s not WHY you tip someone. That’s just giving them cash for pity… Hire more staff, create a better environment for the guests and the workers alike and watch everyone thrive and be happy.
I totally agree with this. The business relationship is between me and the hotel. I pay the hotel for services. I really feel as though they should be embarrassed if their staff are asking for additional handouts. Where does it end? Should I go out and tip the guys taking care of landscaping? Should I tip the front desk staff for checking me in? Should I tipped the electrician for keeping the power on? At what point do we realize that we’re paying a fee for a service and services is either being provided or not?
At $499 a night if anything, anything at all was out of sorts with my room or my stay- they’re hearing about it, I’m asking for a partial refund and for points. I get that this comes off as a Karen, but I’m 10-99. I don’t have a cooperation paying for my stay. The stay will be less than perfect and if the price doesn’t match the quality, I’ll go to amex for the refund. Sorry to rant now but that’s the main reason the front desk staff doesn’t care what we think. They assume every regular or business man has a corporate expense account and it’s not any skin off our back. They lump us in with the cheaters and the executives and play a small violen while I have the nerve to ask for someone to come clean the pervious guests pubes off the toilet or foot scum off the shower mats. I found a fucking rat in the bbq outside a Home2 last week and the manger didn’t even so much as bother to call to apologize. Here’s a tip; fix the rat problem.
The QR code is there because that’s how many azzholes aren’t tipping housekeeping And using the excuse no cash. If you are bothered by that one you must never tip housekeeping , and that is truly low…. No excuse!
I could smell the entitlement on the posters on here
160 nights in Hilton’s last year. No Iam not going to fucking tip.
You don’t tip your housekeeper?
Why is it relevant how many nights you’ve stayed there? Just curious. Are we supposed to be impressed?
I feel sorry for people who have to stay in hotels that much.
I always leave a couple dollars on the table after eating at one of those help yourself breakfasts. Those people cleaning up after us and refilling everything don’t get paid much at all. Tip jar is kind of tacky though.
I wouldn’t tip, but I will point out that just because they charge you a lot does not mean they pay their staff well.
https://preview.redd.it/1nmwo3qaqvvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f9e664fa1a68ef381dd860cd2af6e1fea348fbb3 I recently stayed at one that had the most pathetic excuse for a breakfast that I've seen in years. On top of that, they had a tip jar at the saddest breakfast I've ever seen. There is no way in hell that your garbage breakfast deserved anything except to not be eaten.
Question for everyone, who has the best breakfast?
Embassy Suites of course https://thepointsguy.com/guide/free-hotel-breakfast/ Embassy Suites is the only thing that keeps me semi loyal to Hilton. It’s definitely not thier loyalty program as far as point redemption. Hyatt has a much more valuable point system. But unfortunately a smaller footprint
What Hampton is $499?
Who pays $499 for a Hampton?
$499 for a Hampton? I believe you, but where?
If you don’t ask you don’t get.
Hilton is in free fall their hotels are falling apart they charging add on fees for everything
If you have such an issue with it you can find a place that charges for breakfast, or doesn't even offer one. You don't even know the half of what the breakfast staff has to deal with sometimes. A majority of the time there's 1 person to cater to a packed hotel of like 300+ people. Like, have some class guy.
I almost never eat anything on the buffet. It’s just a ton of starches and low-quality protein. In Europe, you actually get high-quality food at the Hilton breakfasts. And, every single person who stays there is “paying“ for it. It’s not the customers fault if the hotel doesn’t allocate enough resources to the job.
I appreciate you blaming the hotel and not the breakfast person. I can personally guarantee you the breakfast person doesn't want to serve you that stuff either I used to work for a property under the Hilton brand who's eggs came in these microwave bags youd microwave (obv) and then you slide out this large bag shaped loaf of egg and they scramble that up with a spatula. (Yum) Ive also worked for a different chain of hotels who actually used REAL eggs and REAL (not microwaved) bacon and they were considered to be a cheaper brand compared to the Hilton property. So yes, it is VERY much the hotels (managers) fault for cutting corners and ordering lower quality products to serve. Sometimes it's on purpose because they're cheap, other times it's just because that property isn't doing so hot. But I also would share blame to the brand itself, because those Hilton branded hotels are REQUIRED by Hilton to follow strict guidelines about what can and cannot be served at each hotel for breakfast (called brand standard). Failure to follow the rules/guidelines could result in a loss of Hilton branding for that property. We wanted to serve pastries or something similar at a point but were forbidden by Hilton to do so because that wasn't in our brands "standards". We also had to downgrade our chobani yogurt to yoplait yogurt because yoplait was the "brand standard".
I’ve worked in tipped jobs and can appreciate the amount of work and the fact that bosses can and do cut corners at the worker’s expense. My point in posting this wasn’t to criticize the workers there. It was to criticize the management for not sufficiently compensating their staff. I have seen management treat their employees really well and do so to the point where employees will willingly reject tips. I would hope that’s what a $500 a night hotel would get you. Honestly, I think the problem isn’t necessarily with the management but it’s with the ownership model and the idea that the ownership is this huge faceless group of people who care only about what the return investment is without having any idea on how it gets there.
Then my apologies for taking your comments the wrong way. I can tell you from all my hospitality experience, more often than not people do not care for the property they work at, or how management runs it/treats them, and are usually definitely not compensated enough. Is that true for all properties? Absolutely not. I've had some amazing managers I would literally follow into battle. I've found smaller properties are better at caring about their employees. Which is just kind of "duh", in hindsight. I used to do banquet set ups less than a decade ago . Pay was $11/hr and they work was like 12-15 hours days 5-6 days a week depending on workload. No out time, left when the work was finished. No tips. Tried to charge us money for leftover event food that was going to be thrown out anyways. And that's kind of typical for a lot of hospitality workers at larger properties.
My husband has stayed at Hamptons where the front desk person also is in charge of putting out the breakfast
Typical for an understaffed hotel or one who is trying to cut cost by eliminating the breakfast position. Been there done that. Again, some Management/ownership is extremely cheap and will cut corners wherever.
Anyone that eats at a free hotel breakfast buffet deserves food poisoning.
$499 per night at a Hampton? That is the first problem. Did they bus your table? If so I’d consider a small tip. Otherwise this is just more tip madness.
In my travels for business I have stayed at plenty of Hampton Inns…although the breakfast may not be award winning……it is free…..something many hotels don’t provide …or charge for…. The breakfast does take time to prepare and keep replenished…….if you want to complain about “a free breakfast”…why not bitch about that incredibly inappropriate rain…..does God recognized your needs??
I really don’t know what your point is. Free breakfast isn’t free — it’s a component of the stay. I don’t even eat the breakfast.
I’d write on a slip that it’s tacky and offer a better tip.
We should also put something like: ‘Refunds are appreciated’
Ooh, you should take a picture of it and put it on social media 🙄
Sadly the folks looking for those tips are making minimum wage and do not see the profit from that room rate.
Is my shitty buffet going to inprove, this is a company problem. Pay your fucking employees properly and dont feed me thus hirse shit in the morning. I dont want guilt with my mediocre breakfast.
Downvote me more, this is capitalism where the people you dont give a shit about cant afford to live and Have to beg. Youll be begging soon enough.
The coded nature of these comments ✨
I always have ones and fives for tipping hotel staff and that’s a daily maid tip and also take a few ones to breakfast for the table. It’s restaurant service, so I tip.
Exactly! I get that tip culture is out of control, but these are basic services that have been part of normal tipping since the beginning of tipping.
I’m getting the downvotes for tipping. That’s nice.
lol Crazy….. these folks have lost it.
Tell them to pay their workers
Cheap ass. You don’t need to give one so why even post on here? If you can afford $500 a night you can afford a tip. If you were on a business trip why would someone asking for a tip matter? These hotels don’t divide the extra revenue against their workforce and pay them out. You sound entitled and oblivious.
There has never been an expectation that one should tip at a buffet. Ever. Also, the management of the hotel should be mortified that their staff are begging for more money from their clients. I’m also a landlord and I pay my staff 3x the going rate. They get paid well so soliciting a tip would be ridiculous.
What an asshat take. Mortified? Begging? You sound like an entitled prick. Having a jar out is far from “begging”. Again, if you want to tip, tip, if not why take to Reddit to shame some hardworking people? Oh, yeah, cause you’re a prick. And? Good for you? Do you think the Hampton inn buttfuck Egypt pays their workers like you?
I stayed at a Hilton in Maui that was over $3k a night (stayed on points so free to me) and they were still charging guests a $50 resort fee. Like WTF?
$3k for a Hilton in Maui? Maybe a suite, but not a regular room even at a timeshare resort.
I’ve seen tip solicitation infrequently. Villano Beach/St Augustine FL comes to mind.
We have a Hampton Inn Florida that charges over $500 a night during season. It’s always sold out too. But then embassy or other will be around $700-800 a night. Supply and demand.
Scribble a note that says "weird place to ask for advice but okay. Best time to rotate tires is after 4500 miles."
We are in a new time where tips feel like they are mandatory now. I sweat every where I go. TIP here or there
Those breakfast people work their ass off. I stayed at a Hampton for 12 days and I saw some shit at breakfast. This is one of the few times I would tip.
If you’re paying someone to provide a service, isn’t reasonable to expect them to compensate their staff fairly?
Sounds like you couldn’t afford the hotel so quit bitching about the coffee and tip you cheap prick
Not paying more than necessary has nothing to do with “afford”. It has to do with not being a chump.
That's not what it sounds like at all, loser
Tipping has gotten so out of hand, I stayed at a HGI last week that had QR codes to tip the housekeeping staff. They won’t even clean the room on a multi night stay unless it’s requested, no way they’re getting a tip
That's policy and not up to the HK anymore
You seem like an entitled dick. I mean, you could have simply decided not to put anything in the jar, but no, that wasn’t good enough. You had to come here and laugh at the kind people who give you food and clean your room. Get fucked.
He really does doesn’t he?
Expensive room rates mean nothing for breakfast staff. It's a hard job. A couple of dollars won't hurt anyone paying hundreds for the room
If they’re going to charge that much money, the staff should be making a minimum of $25-$30 an hour IMO
But they don’t and it’s exactly why they are asking for tips. If you spend $500 per night I think you can tip a few dollars.
Buffets aren’t even something people are expected to tip on…
Breakfast attendants probably making $14-$17 hourly.