Why don't hotels make it easier to order room service?

[Mattg]

I'm currently staying at Holiday Inn, in a country where I speak only a small amount of the local language. I was hungry but didn't have time to head down to the restaurant, so I decided to order some room service.

Hotels are generally pretty good at collecting ancillary revenue, and often have lots of extra products and services available for guests to purchase. But I can't help but feel that the whole process of ordering room service needs some work. Not just at this particular hotel, but all around the world.

The only way to order room service at this hotel (and most others) is to pick up the old-school phone in the room and hit the "room service" button. I did this and was connected to someone in the restaurant who I could barely understand because (1) the line had a terrible connection with lots of crackling sounds, and (2) he didn't speak English.

So, I tried anyway to order in the local language but the guy didn't seem to understand me. He then put me on hold for a moment and got a colleague to help, but before I could finish placing my order the call disconnected.

I got there on the second attempt, but when my order arrived, half of it was wrong.

This reminds me of another experience I had ordering room service in a different language where I couldn't understand one of the questions the guy was asking me. Turns out, he was asking how I wanted my steak cooked and I inadvertently selected the "very well done" option. My steak arrived as a charcoal brick.

It's 2024 and technology has come a long way. Is the only way to order room service really to pick up a phone with a spiral cord and terrible sound quality? Surely hotels could let their guests order and pay via a QR code or something, making life easier for everyone. Why aren't more hotels doing this?

 

[RooFlyer]

Is the only way to order room service really to pick up a phone with a spiral cord and terrible sound quality? Surely hotels could let their guests order and pay via a QR code or something, making life easier for everyone. Why aren't more hotels doing this?

A number of places in Australia I've stayed at recently have had a QR code in the room as the only order option. Holiday Inn Express Brisbane Central the most recent, from memory. Normally, I'd use the room landline, if it was an option - easier than jiggering around with mobile phone, navigating on screen etc.

 

[aikman]

So basically there was a language barrier so a self ordering option (with English functionality) would have been preferred.

I guess if Uber Eats (or local equivalent) is taking away their room service revenue then it may not be worth the investment in setting up an online room service ordering system.

 

[NM]

The QR code option would seem to make sense. Plenty of cafes/restaurants went down that path during Covid and the technology seems to work well, sending the order directly to the kitchen and knowing exactly which room/table placed the order.

The menu could easily be presented in a number of languages and an option to charge to the room account or pay directly with credit card or a mobile payment service (Apple/Google Pay).

A business opportunity for someone to sell to hotels!

 

[dajop]

A little OT, but reminds me of a time I was proactively offered room "service" in a hotel in a small city in Western China. Mid evening, I had someone call me on the phone speaking Mandarin and didn't understand, I just said the word english, and 5 minutes later someone else called explaining in English exactly the sort of room "service" being offered. No thanks. Knowing China, I wouldn't be surprised if that "service" was now available via QR code, probably even before they made "room service" available.

 

[SYD]

A number of places in Australia I've stayed at recently have had a QR code in the room as the only order option. Holiday Inn Express Brisbane Central the most recent, from memory.

Snap! I was at the same HIE recently and checkin staff made a point of mentioning the QR code for room service (there was also a connection with one of the usual suspect food delivery providers).

Normally, I'd use the room landline, if it was an option - easier than jiggering around with mobile phone, navigating on screen etc.

An iPad probably works better.

I didn't turn on the TV, but I have seen room service ordering capability available via the TV.

 

[Mattg]

So basically there was a language barrier so a self ordering option (with English functionality) would have been preferred.

There was a language barrier, but I don't have this issue when dining out at restaurants here. It's easier to understand one another when you're not trying to talk over a barely audible phone line, and at a restaurant you can simply point to what you want on the menu.

In any case, this is an international hotel with lots of guests from all over the world. Many of the guests would face the same language barrier, making room service difficult to order - which seems to be a lost revenue opportunity for the hotel.

I guess if Uber Eats (or local equivalent) is taking away their room service revenue then it may not be worth the investment in setting up an online room service ordering system.

Isn't this the point, though? If it's easier (and cheaper) for me as a guest to order in Uber Eats, I might just do that next time instead of using the room service option.

 

[Rich]

The QR code option would seem to make sense. Plenty of cafes/restaurants went down that path during Covid and the technology seems to work well, sending the order directly to the kitchen and knowing exactly which room/table placed the order.

For room service it seems a good idea but I can't stand this in a Cafe or restaurant and I usually ask for a printed menu. Trying to read a menu on your phone (particularly a large menu), keying in credit card details etc is an absolute pain. Then they have the nerve to offer a suggested tip. A tip for what? Delivering your order to the table?
The only time I like it is at a bar when you otherwise have to go up to buy your drinks.

 

[Cynicor]

I guess this problem is more likely to come up in a hotel with lower staffing costs and lower margins. So the investment required is not worth the cost to the bean counters. You still got your food (and paid for the wrong order) it seems?

If it doesn’t cost them, why would they pay for an upgrade?

I.e. the 4 seasons wherever you are probably has an English speaker

 

[NM]

For room service it seems a good idea but I can't stand this in a Cafe or restaurant and I usually ask for a printed menu. Trying to read a menu on your phone (particularly a large menu), keying in credit card details etc is an absolute pain. Then they have the nerve to offer a suggested tip. A tip for what? Delivering your order to the table?
The only time I like it is at a bar when you otherwise have to go up to buy your drinks.

Yes, I also dislike the option at a cafe/restaurant. And agree it is coughbersome viewing the full menu on a small device. Some places do a good job of categorising menu sections to avoid scrolling, but some are atrocious.

But I think I would be happy to use such a process for hotel room service ordering, especially where it was offered as an option in locations where language barrier may be an issue.

 

[RooFlyer]

For room service it seems a good idea but I can't stand this in a Cafe or restaurant and I usually ask for a printed menu. Trying to read a menu on your phone (particularly a large menu), keying in credit card details etc is an absolute pain. Then they have the nerve to offer a suggested tip. A tip for what?

Agree!! Another issue for a cafe is that if you are overseas & don't have internet (relying on wi-fi) then you simply can't order. @Port Power and I couldn't use at least one restaurant in Santiago.

Another time in Oz I've walked away because I couldn't make sense of the menu on my phone in a cafe.

 

[RooFlyer]

Snap! I was at the same HIE recently and checkin staff made a point of mentioning the QR code for room service

For me, there was no 'room service'. I ordered using QR, then they called when ready and I went down to the kitchen area & picked up. Can't recall why - may have been out of restaurant hours, no staff still on to bring?

 

[VPS]

I’m currently in the Hilton in Edinburgh. They give you a little card at check in with the QR code on it. The other night I tried to use the QR code because I thought I might get Room service and it just takes you in a loop I didn’t actually think about looking on the TV. I might do that and let me know before I go down and complain.

 

[NM]

I’m currently in the Hilton in Edinburgh. They give you a little card at check in with the QR code on it. The other night I tried to use the QR code because I thought I might get Room service and it just takes you in a loop I didn’t actually think about looking on the TV. I might do that and let me know before I go down and complain.

And you may well also experience a language barrier trying to order room service in Edinburgh!

 

[RooFlyer]

And you may well also experience a language barrier trying to order room service in Edinburgh!

Neeps and tatties recommended. I wonder if they'll be on the QR code menu?

 

[VPS]

And you may well also experience a language barrier trying to order room service in Edinburgh!

Edinburgh is heaving and full of Americans especially at my hotel

Neeps and tatties recommended. I wonder if they'll be on the QR code menu?

Lots of haggis on menus

 

[dajop]

And you may well also experience a language barrier trying to order room service in Edinburgh!

Probably not as much as the language barrier trying to order room service at a hotel down the road in Glasgow....

 

[TheRealTMA]

Edinburgh is heaving and full of Americans especially at my hotel

Lots of haggis on menus

Hiltons are always full of Americans.

 

[Cynicor]

Reminds me of Sri Lanka recently, actually. Random little ariport-ish hotel (Amigi Aria, decent enough for a night and $60USD). Room service menu has weird names for all their pizzas, like the chicken one is "the clucker" or that sort of thing. Try to order, guy speaks perfect english but has no idea what I want. "oh, the chicken pizza"... yep, why bother with silly names.
Then it took about 1.5 hours to come, no idea why.

 

[exceladdict]

I feel like a number of newer hotels i have stayed at in the last year or so have used variants of app based in room ordering. I want to say it was crowne plaza Christchurch and Hobart but I could be wrong on the last one. The menu being on the TV is also a thing.

What I really liked - I think at CP Christchurch but again I could be wrong - was they had a pillow menu on the app so I had a contour pillow delivered!