`` 7-Eleven killed the minibar . '' The sentiments of one hotel manager in Hong Kong could well extend to hotels around the world . The hotel minibar , loved and cursed at by millions of desperate midnight snackers/drinkers , is on the decline . Hilton Hong Kong installed the world 's first hotel minibar in 1974 by stocking liquors and fridges in each of its 840 rooms . The move reportedly led to a 500 % increase in room-service drink sales and a 5 % boost to the company 's net income that year . Soon , the minibar became a near-universal industry standard . But Hilton recently started backtracking in some of its properties , removing the booze and leaving the fridges in its rooms , for guests to fill themselves . Other hotel giants , including the Grand Hyatt , Starwood and Marriott brands , are also phasing out this once ubiquitous in-room feature from some of their properties . It 's because we just do n't seem to enjoy them as much as we once did . TripAdvisor recently released a survey that found the minibar ranked least popular among all hotel amenities -- just 21 % of respondents found the room fridge an important feature compared with 89 % that wanted a free wireless connection . PKF Hospitality Research found that in the United States , revenue from minibars , which represents just 1 % of total hotel revenue , fell 28 % from 2007 to 2012 . Robert Mandelbaum , the firm 's director of research information services , says properties in the United States have adapted their food and beverage offerings , installing food outlets that resemble `` grab and go '' mini-markets . The trend for `` convenience eating '' is also contributing to a decline in the traditional hotel restaurant that serves three meals a day , he says . They 're being replaced with casual food outlets offering items such as pre-packaged salads . It 's all part of what Mandelbaum calls the `` Starbucks phenomenon , '' a property design and management philosophy that enables and encourages interaction between strangers . Combine this with the emergence of sociable `` millennials '' who prefer to mingle in the hotel lobby than order room service , and you have an industry and consumer move away from imbibing in the room . Is this such a bad thing ? For those who think inflated prices on items like tiny bags of macadamia nuts and mediocre chocolate bars are offensive , especially when nearby convenience stores offer the same stuff for a fraction of the price , the stocked in-room bar has always been an irritant . Simon Dell , vice president of operations of Thailand-based ONYX Hospitality Group , agrees . `` We do n't want to sell mini-macadamia nuts for $ 8.50 . It 's not what people want , '' he says . What 's more , by eliminating minibars from rooms , hotels can actually save costs , says Dell . `` When ( we ) remove any content from the minibar it takes a considerable number of tasks out of every ( housekeeper 's ) day , so there 's time saved , headcount saved , therefore money saved , which is reflected in the overall price ( of rooms ) , '' he says . Better for a property to focus on amenities guests prioritize , such as Internet access . `` Connectivity is as ubiquitous as the telephone 20 years ago , when it had to be in the room , or like your own shower or bathroom has to be in the room . '' $ 10 Coke 'not right ' Others think the minibar simply needs to evolve to changing needs of guests . `` We ca n't just give hot and cold running water , '' says Dean Winter , area director of operations of Hong Kong Hotels & China Projects at Swire Hotels . Take the example of Swire 's Hong Kong property , Upper House -- each room features a complimentary selection ( beer , soda , healthy juices , coconut water and snacks ) and a separate , chargeable wine fridge . `` We wanted to differentiate ourselves to appeal to discerning business and leisure travelers without following the traditional routes of five-star hospitality , '' explains Winter . He thinks `` charging $ 5-10 for Coke is not the right thing to do , '' as people remain price conscious . `` People appreciate a complimentary minibar or Wi-Fi or movies , and paying a rate and not all these add-ons , '' he says . Less hard booze . Today there 's far less hard liquor , complimentary or not . Ten years ago , JW Marriott yanked the petite bottles of liquor out of its chargeable minibars in its Hong Kong hotel , citing low consumption . At The Mira Hong Kong , miniature spirits were phased out in 2011 . According to the property , `` the hard liquor was removed as we prefer to tempt our guests with drinks and entertainment at our open air lounge bar Vibes , and cocktail bar Room One with a live band . '' Only corporate or high-paying guests get the fully complimentary minibar . Cheap trumps convenient . The minibar is also increasingly part of an all-inclusive package . At Hong Kong 's Ovolo Hotel , the complimentary scheme is extensive : guests get a free minibar , breakfasts , plus two-hours free booze daily at its O Lounge , including all spirits and wine . Removing the prices has also helped remove the headache of arguing with guests over what exactly they did or did not consume , says the hotel manager in Ovolo 's Aberdeen branch , Chum Roa . `` It was a source of many disputes in hotels , '' he says . `` If the customer persists they had nothing , often hotels absorb the cost to not ruin guest relations over minibar items . '' Now , he does n't have to deal with that . Roa imagines a future in which the traditional minibar is extinct . `` The competitor of the minibar is n't nearby hotels but the 24-hour stores where one can get everything you need a few blocks away , '' he says . The convenience of having a cold drink in your room is n't quite enough if you have to pay three times as much for it , it seems . Will you miss minibars in hotel rooms or say good riddance to shockingly priced beer and M & M 's ? Leave a comment .
Many hotel giants are phasing out minibars in rooms . Revenue from minibars in the United States fell 27 % in five years . Nearby convenience stores are now preferred by guests .