Hotel restaurants serve various types of breakfast in the morning. From small cereal tables to brimming buffets, guests can swing by the restaurant anytime during the morning for a fresh meal to start their day. Depending on the hotel, these breakfasts may even be free—or at least partially.

Complimentary breakfasts most often fall under the “continental” category. This traditional French breakfast consists of croissants, toast, coffee or tea and other small pastries. The Americanized variant, full of proteins and other fried goods, rarely gets included in the price of a room, except for elite rewards members.

How Many Hotels Offer Complimentary Breakfasts?

A survey from 2012 found that 79 percent of hotel chains offer complimentary breakfasts—up 22 percent from 2010. Nowadays, hotels without some type of breakfast offering are competitively disadvantaged. This is because breakfast builds on the pillars of hospitably:

1. Convenience: Hotel breakfasts are made ahead of time, allowing guests to saunter in leisurely throughout the morning. The best part—they needn’t put on coats or dress up since it’s only a few floors below their rooms. On-premise restaurants also guarantee a breakfast. In an unfamiliar city, finding a decent meal can sometimes by a challenge.
2. Expectation: As mentioned, hotel breakfasts have become somewhat standardized. In fact, a recent Little Hotelier survey found that 42.2 percent of respondents view breakfast as their most anticipated hotel feature.