Saturday, January 5, 2008

How much for that coffee in the window?


This morning I went to pick up my rent-a-car at the Hyatt Hotel right near the Hudson River in Jersey City. Very very swank hotel with Manhattan views. I was early so I decided to go to their dining area to get breakfast to go. The hostess directed me to the breakfast bar where I selected for myself one banana and one apple danish. I walked over to her counter where she was pouring me coffee at my request. At that time I looked down and in front of me was my bill.

The following is the conversation that happened next:

'Excuse me, is this my bill?'
'Yes it is.'
'Umm, there must be mistake. $15.85 for a banana, danish and coffee?'
'Yes that is for our breakfast package. You can add more stuff if you'd like'.
'No no, I don't want more stuff nor a banana, danish and coffee for $15.85. These items should only cost at most $4.00.'
'Oh O.K. Well what I'll do is ring up these items the other way.'

The other way. What is the other way??? She goes back to her register and brings me another bill.

'It looks like it will not be much cheaper. Your total is now $12.19.'
'Wait a minute. There is no way a banana, danish and coffee should cost this much no matter how nice this hotel is. No thank you. Have a good day.'

So after I picked up the rent-a-car I stopped off at the Exxon gas station near the Holland Tunnel and bought a pre-wrapped cheese cake and a Starbucks iced drink in a bottle.

'That will be $3.75 sir'.

Nice! And I was willing to spend $4.00. So I saved myself a quarter.
- The Mountain Cat

5 comments:

Jay said...

Hotels are always trying to jack people up like that. Unless the breakfast is included in the room price I always find a Denny's to eat at.

Jay said...

P.S. You should have checked out their drink prices at the bar. I bet one beer costs as much as a six-pack.

DocMtCat said...

I've been there several times. Beers about $8 each. You are paying for the view which is pretty frigin' sweet though.

- TMC

none said...

I like the hilton hotels I can run to the lobby and get cereal, milk waffles fruit and coffee for free.

DocMtCat said...

I love this line ... "what I'll do is ring up these items the other way."

The other way... do you mean a la carte ???

BWAAHAHAHAHAHHAAAA!

-Doc