Update, 12/14: Hilton tells me that they will extend this credit through 2022 and will be increasing the mid-tier credit from $12/$24 per day to $15/$30 per day and from $15/$30 per day to $18/$36 per day in the select markets mentioned below.
Update, 6/28: Hilton has released this chart detailing the Gold/Diamond food and beverage credit for July-December in the US:
*Select markets include Boston, Chicago, District of Columbia, Key Largo, Key West, New York City, San Francisco, the County of Los Angeles and the state of Hawaii.
Originally posted on 5/21:
In a surprising move, Hilton hotels in the US won’t be providing their Gold and Diamond members with complimentary breakfast from July through December.
Instead they will provide a food and beverage credit that will vary based on the brand.
Hilton says that this is “showcasing its commitment to providing more flexibility, value and choice.” That’s nonsense. If they actually wanted to provide flexibility, they would give elites the option to choose from breakfast or a food and beverage credit.
It’s pretty bush league to have members earn elite status for a benefit like free breakfast, only to have that removed with a month’s notice.
Gold members can choose from a measly 500-1,000 points per stay instead of the daily food and beverage credit. Diamond members receive the points and the food and beverage credit.
Hilton won’t officially say what the credit will be, but reports say that it will be $25 per person at luxury brands, $12-$15 per person at full service and lifestyle brands, and $10 per person at Hilton Garden Inn. The credit must be used daily and can’t be stacked together.
While the regular breakfast benefit typically allows for a whole family to eat free, this credit will only be given to 1 or 2 people in the room.
That being said, unless I’m staying at a hotel like the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem, I don’t typically eat breakfast at a hotel. And as that hotel is outside of the US, it won’t be affected by this change. So personally speaking, I prefer a food and beverage credit to the regular breakfast.
However I’m disappointed that Hilton isn’t giving members the option of breakfast of the food and beverage credit. This is a massive devaluation for families that eat breakfast at hotels.
What do you think of this change?
Well, yeah…. if one is makbid on Cholov Yisroel and Pas Yisroel then outside of a banana there wouldn’t be much of a picking at these breakfasts. I miss the opportunity to grab a closed packaged: yogurt, cottage cheese, cream cheese, Lender’s bagels and breads, OU-D muffins and cookies, coffees and creamers, cereals, oatmeal, waffle machine, etc…
Hence, a massive devaluation.
How can they do this mid way. I earned diamond the hard way, and they remove the most important benefit
This is question for the lawyers, but I’m sure they reserve the right to make changes at any time.
Shame that we don’t have a phone number to light up ( So Gen-X/Boomer – rather than a Twitter storm) – over this faux-flexibility – seems enough Diamonds amongst the travel hackers to maybe swayed this decision.
It’s highly likely this is a permanent devalue – rather than a Temp devalue – even moreso with mask mandate roll-back and ramp up in bookings and travel.
Terms for breakfast benefit only for 2, not whole family. That being said, not a fan of this change.
Have you ever been denied breakfast for the family?
Many places provide credits up to a certain amount per person up to 2 people. So yes many times. They just subtract the credit from bill. Credits may not even cover 2 much less a whole family.
Not really a devaluation if they were giving people stuff that they weren’t entitled to.
Sure it is, breakfast costs much more than the paltry credit being offered.
I have. Every time. Only two per room.
Well you should try out the Waldorf Jerusalem 😀
Best breakfast in the Hilton chain anyway. Really hope we do not lose this. I would cancel my Aspire card ASAP if they did.
Yes, at the Hilton Tel Aviv. My wife and i were Gold they only gave the credit to the two of us and made us pay for the kids.
Not directly, but I was always given two tickets per day per breakfast.
how does that work for a place like wsj for a family wth 2 kids?
wsj?
waj pardon? is it geniva to take bkfst for more then two people?
🙄
They offer it.
Agreed. For all full service US Hilton properties I’ve been at, it’s always been a per person credit that typically equals the most basic “continental” breakfast offering for up to 2 people. International properties like WAJ were the outlier here.
I’m a gold member I stay myself and family trips always at Hilton brands even though I don’t eat chalav stam…. They always accommodate us with fruit close packages of oatmeal and on occasion they even have PI bagels or bread plus they always provide with plastic plates and cutlery so yes this is a very big devaluation might consider transferring to Marriott group
i am trying to reach hilton execs for years on my closed hilton account and no one has answered it is very distressing i lost million points christopeher.nasseta doesnt respond
Low move. This right after their latest devaluation. At this point it’s a race to the bottom between Hilton and Marriott.
Hyatt and flexible currency only.
Can you check in as two people and have double credit if you are one?
I’m not a fan at all of this change.
outrageous that Hilton would do this!! Time to book elsewhere.
Diamond members get nothing? I’m confused
Read the post?
Hyatt globalist still the best hotel program!
Are you guys seriously eating COVID grab and go breakfast? You are so pathetic. When the world is open, pls go to Asia. And you will know what breakfast really means.
Are the breakfasts going to continue to be free at the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem for gold members?
Major devaluation for Jews and family, will be much more likely to go Marriott or Hyatt.
Some hotels have offered a breakfast F&B $ credit for some time already. E.g. Bakers Cay (Curio collection) in Key Largo has had a $15/person/day (2 guest max) and credit may only be used for breakfast charges for a couple of years. Conrad NY Downtown has a similar policy. I suspect there are very few US full service properties that were ever as generous as WAJ in terms of complimentary offerings.
How does the credit work if the hotel does not have a restaurant on premises?
Well, one thing is sure. Make sure that for any reservations you always have at least 2 people in the room in order to maximize on the points/Dollar credit that they do offer.
I do see this change as an improvement for the kosher consumer being that you can now get items from the snack bar or maybe even the real bar.
Going tomorrow to the Waldorf in Orlando will advise!
I am staying in the Homewood suites , Jackson, Wyoming , at the end of July. No credit for that ?
I’ve just emailed Hilton about this. I suggest you do the same.
Hilton ; diamond@hilton.com; guest.correspondence@hilton.com
Here’s what I wrote.
The recent change to your benefits for Diamond members is unacceptable. A food and beverage credit, or 500-1000 points, does not reward your most loyal guests and has the opposite effect, it frustrates us.
https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/hotel-deals/hilton-hotels-us-will-give-elites-food-beverage-credit-instead-breakfast-july-december
As a result, my next trip (3 nights) will be at a Marriott property. They have been improving their rewards program, not diluting it.
Please fix this ASAP so I don’t have to cancel all my other Hilton reservations and rebook them with another hotel.
Thank you.
Even if you don’t eat breakfast, (whether you don’t have time, kashrut issues, etc.) you should always spend the amount you are given. At some locations, you can just pick up some bottles of beer at the bar to take to your room. Every time I have used this credit, I have received Hilton points (base and spending) for the amount of the breakfast even though I receive a credit for it on my bill. I also always say there are two people in the room, even if I am traveling alone. At $24 per day, I pick up 240 base points, plus up to 1,200 spending points if I am earning 5x points, per day, just for getting a free breakfast. Getting points for free beer is a win/win. It’s not a lot for one day, but it adds up over time.
Does this mean I get $50/night in total using FNC at grand wailea (Maui) for 2 adults and 2 kids?
ahh for the days of free breakfast for the family and 5 nights at Hilton Los Cabos for 160,000! (which we did for 3 years) I’d been saving up the 280,000 now required for 5 nights and my cost of breakfast just went up to eighty bucks/day for the family
how does this $25 pp credit work – Can i just order from kosher local restaurant and the hotel covers the cost?
Only in your dreams. It’s for hotel sold food and beverages.
So basically useless