8 Hotel Breakfast Hacks That Can Help You Save More Money

If you’re on vacation or on a business trip, the last thing you want to do is spend extra money on pointless expenses. You’d much rather save the money and spend it on experiences rather than quick meals. Thankfully, with these hotel breakfast hacks, you can save a lot of money while traveling.

Get the most by always checking with your specific hotel (I love a good Mariott property) to see what the rules are about taking food out of the breakfast section first before trying these hacks.

8. Plan Arrival Time

For those who have a larger family or just want to eat in relative peace, it’s best to go when it’s not so busy, which is most likely as soon as breakfast is open. This way, you have time to check out the options, plan your meals, current and future leisurely without holding up other guests.

7. Grab Tea Bags and 2 Cups of Coffee

Most hotels offer a large selection of tea bags for your choosing. If you want to have tea throughout the day, tea bags are a great thing to stock up on and throw in your bag. Keep your hotel room loaded with your favorite tea so you can wind down at the end of a long and strenuous day of exploring and traveling.

Taking two cups of coffee at a time may feel a little greedy but it saves a trip and keeps the congestion down. I don’t see the harm especially if they provide washable mugs.

6. Check for Leftovers

If you’re not the kind of person who likes waking up super early, but still want to try hotel breakfast hacks, then stop in towards the end of breakfast. While it might be more crowded, this is a great opportunity to stock up on what’s left of the food without feeling guilty of taking extras. There’s also a variety of items, like pastries, cereal boxes, and fruit that hotels won’t use a second day, that would be open to you grabbing a lot of, so it doesn’t go to waste.

5. Maximize Your Plates

A great way to save money and be efficient during breakfast is just maximize your plate. Don’t just grab a bowl of cereal and a waffle. Grab a balance of delicious, yet nutritious options. Pile on the protein with eggs, yogurt, and cottage cheese, along with fiber from granola and berries. You can still grab a decadent pastry, but make sure you’re filling up on food that will keep you full longer, which will help you stay energized while traveling and avoid the cost of snacks later.

4. Prepare Snack Boxes

Bring reusable containers on your trip and make snack boxes for the day. Hotel breakfasts have an abundance of options that would make the perfect snacks, like yogurt and fruit, toast with peanut butter, or even a bagel with cream cheese. Just a few boxes will be enough to satisfy the family without worrying about spending extra money.

3. Ask About To-Go Options

Another one of the best hotel breakfast hacks that will help you save money in the long run is just asking the hotel if they have to-go options. Not everyone has the chance to sit down and enjoy breakfast, but they will have granola bars, parfaits, or salads at the ready that you can take before you start your day. This is a great way to have a premade meal on hand while traveling.

2. Make Sandwiches

Similar to preparing snack boxes, another hotel breakfast hack that is perfect for large families is just making lunch. Hotel breakfasts will always have bread, with some offering deli options. If your hotel encourages you to optimize your stay, grab a few Tupperwares and make sandwiches with some fruit on the side, and have a picnic in the afternoon at no cost to you.

1. Bring a Thermos or Bottle

While it’s nice to explore a local coffee shop when traveling, doing so every day can become a wasteful expense. Make sure to bring along reusable water bottles and your thermos. Prepare drinks before you leave for the day. Hotels have an abundance of drip coffee, with various creamers, syrups, and sugar to add, as well as tea bags. They also have pitchers of water, so you can avoid spending an obscene amount of money on plastic water bottles later in the day.