Complimentary Breakfast and In-Room Coffee Service Sway Consumers' Hotel Selection, Says Technomic

CHICAGO, July 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- When choosing a hotel, it's not just the amenities they pay for, but the freebies they don't, that influence consumers' selection of one hotel over another. A new study from Technomic finds that when choosing a hotel, consumers say complimentary offerings such as breakfast and in-room coffee are more important to them than other amenities.

Overall, 40 percent of business and leisure guests say that foodservice offerings are very important to their choice of hotel. They prefer hotels with a casual-dining restaurant, a bar or lounge, and an extensive room service menu. For many midscale, economy and extended-stay hotels, foodservice is largely defined by the complimentary breakfast.

"Complimentary breakfast is often viewed as a drain on revenues," says Technomic EVP Darren Tristano. "However, it's an offering consumers are seeking out when they look over hotel options. It drives traffic and enhances the guest experience."

The 2011 Hotel Food and Beverage Consumer Trend Report was developed by Technomic to help hotel and foodservice executives understand consumer preferences and needstates associated with hotel foodservice.

Findings include:

• Business travelers order room service more often than those traveling for leisure. A quarter of business guests (24 percent) compared to just 12 percent of leisure guests purchased room service during their most recent overnight hotel stay.
• A substantial percentage of consumers are traveling more often today than a couple of years ago for business (34 percent) and leisure (25 percent). Both increases are strongly driven by younger consumers, indicating that operators may want to target younger guests by offering amenities and foodservice options that appeal to these consumers.
• Bar lounges and lobbies are expanding their menus and offering more tapas-style foods to promote the lobby as a casual, social-gathering place. Hotel catering programs are differentiating themselves through themed carts and onsite food preparation.

The 2011 Hotel Food and Beverage Consumer Trend Report covers consumer attitudes towards hotel limited- and full-service restaurants, bars and lounges, room service and in-room and complimentary offerings; data on consumer travel behavior and hotel usage; and hotel menu and concept trends.

The report's Menu, Marketing and Concept Trends section provides a comprehensive guide to trends shaping hotel foodservice. The Consumer Insights section examines hotel foodservice attitudes, preferences and purchasing behavior for overnight stays and catered occasions based on survey results from 1,500 consumers. Additionally, appendices include detailed concept and menu profiles of 15 innovative restaurants and bars located within hotels.

This report is now available on Technomic's online ACCESS platform, the industry's premier consumer research application for busy foodservice professionals.

To purchase or learn more about this report, please visit Technomic.com or contact one of the individuals listed below.

Contacts
Press Inquiries: Darren Tristano, 312-506-3850, or [email protected]
Purchasing Details: Patrick Noone, 312-506-3852, or [email protected]
Report Details: Kelly Weikel, 312-506-3830, or [email protected]

About Technomic

Technomic provides clients with the facts, insights and consulting support they need to enhance their business strategies, decisions and results. Its services include numerous publications and digital products, as well as proprietary studies and ongoing research on all aspects of the food industry.

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SOURCE Technomic