San Francisco Hotel Charges Guests For Taking Too Long to Eat

One San Fransisco restaurant is stepping up and charging guests for overstaying their welcome. Located in the Fairmont Hotel, a luxury hotel on top of Nob Hill, the Fairmont's Laurel Court Restaurant and Bar has issued a new policy, where lingering too long at the breakfast table will cost you; $30 to be exact.

The Fairmont Hotel, One of San Francisco's Famous Getaways

Built in 1907, the Fairmont San Francisco has played a large role in San Francisco's history. In 1945 the San Francisco hotel hosted international statesmen for meetings that created the United Nations. The hotel is also home to the Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar, a historic Tiki Bar which features an entire pool (it's not a real swimming pool) in the middle of the bar.

Love classic big band songs? This historic hotel is where Tony Bennett first sang, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" in 1961.

Along with the Fairmont in San Francisco, the hotel group also owns 75 other Fairmont Hotels & Resorts including the Fairmont Banff Springs, Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston, the Plaza in New York City, and Fairmont Heritage Place, located in Ghirardelli square.

Fairmont Property Charges Guests For Taking Too Long to Eat Breakfast

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the hotel added a time policy due to the annual four-day J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. Due to the influx of guests looking to enjoy breakfast, the restaurant informed guests of a "food & beverage minimum of $50 per person plus an 18% service charge and 8.5% tax for all reservations." Along with that, breakfast table reservations are only for 90 minutes. Once the 90-minute mark is up, the table is then rented to the party for "$30/person (+8.5% tax) for each additional hour."

It's not a new policy, and it is only for the three days of the convention," said Fairmont General Manager Paul Tormey. "So we have a minimum spending rule and a time frame, otherwise they linger and tie up the tables turning the restaurant into a big meeting room and the servers and our other customers would suffer.

At $10 a pop for a glass of orange juice, it's not a huge surprise that a deluxe restaurant like this would charge guests to sit and eat. I can't imagine what the wifi price is.

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