I have a confession to make that apparently makes me somewhat unfashionable as a hotel guest: I like minibars.
Or maybe it's more accurate to say I like the idea of minibars, as the execution always seems to be somewhat lacking. I feel like this is a relevant point to make in 2022 as the industry is in the middle of an ongoing re-imagining of food and beverage in the never-ending quest to streamline operations while boosting guest satisfaction.
It's somewhat understandable why many in the industry have thought in recent times that minibars are a vestige of days gone by for the hotel industry and something that needs to be sent packing forever in favor of more en vogue options like lobby grab-and-go stations. But I worry that line of thinking overlooks the ultimate appeal of something like grab and go: convenience.
With that in mind, what could possibly be more convenient than the minibar? If I'm in my guestroom in need of a snack or drink, having them already in my room ready to go is an infinitely better option than having to walk down to the lobby to grab then go back to said room. In marketing terms, the minibar is a much more frictionless experience.
The problem is that the offerings within the minibar are universally worse than what I'd find while making that trek downstairs. I'm sure there are a million good reasons why minibars are so underwhelming, but in a period where the industry is rethinking every aspect of operations from the ground up, I have to think there's a simpler, better way to do it. The idea of staying in a nice, simple hotel room with a well-stocked minibar is extremely appealing to me.
We hear over and over how food and beverage at hotels is evolving to adopt a "less is more" approach with fewer options but of higher quality. That line of thought would obviously apply to minibars as well. I don't need 27 things to choose from, but a couple reliable options to snack on make all the difference.
Maybe I'm the exception on this trend because I'm often stuck in a guest room trying to churn out copy on a quick deadline, but as more and more business travelers get back on the road going forward, I don't think it's crazy to think prioritizing that ultimate level of convenience could pay dividends for hotels.
Let me know what you think on Twitter, LinkedIn or via email.
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