An Ode to the Hotel Minibar (No Touching!)

There are only so many five-dollar bags of chips and six-dollar cans of diet coke someone can consume before they ask, “What’s the point of it all?”

It may seem like common sense—and may be especially daunting to remember under the influence of illicit substances, cough—but it bears repeating. Do not, under any circumstances, touch the minibar. Don’t even look at it. Nope, no, no, noooooo.

Prices are regularly marked up by 100% to as much as 1,300% (yes, you read that right… one-thousand-three-hundred-per-cent) from what a normal person can find at the local store.

Just how much more? Well here’s an idea, according to data from Mint:

Okay, confession time. I’m a heavy snacker. I’ve raided a few minibars in my day. I swiped a bag of M&Ms and a can of Sprite at a hotel in Milan; I went for a few of those fun-sized bags of peanuts in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Before you judge, know I was young, naïve and hungry. And I ended up regretting it every time (usually when my parents found out). Cause these days, these things have sensors. Sensors!

The best way to avoid the minibar is to stop by a convenience or grocery store on the way to the hotel (duh). Stock up on all the goodies.

Cover all those snacking bases:

Water (Stay hydrated, folks.)

Something salty (Turkey jerky!)

Something sweet (Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups!)

Something else salty (48 ounce bag of pistachios!)

Booze (None for me, but essential for many. I’ll stick with soda.)

Caffeine (Gallons upon gallons of cold brew, ideally.)

—Sam Wright Fairbanks

This article was originally published by Map Happy under the headline An Ode to the Hotel Minibar (No Touching!). It is reprinted here with permission.

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