Unveiling the Quirks of Room Service: From Diet Water to Doggy Rice Bowls

Created: JANUARY 24, 2025

A recent Hotels.com survey of nearly 500 hotels offering room service has revealed some truly bizarre guest requests. The "Room Service Report," drawing data from ten countries including the U.S., U.K., and Japan, highlights a global surge in room service usage, with some surprising trends.

Forget "skinny water" – guests are now requesting "diet water." Other unusual orders include melted ice cream, boiled bottled water, and even a "giant serving of bison." One guest went so far as to request their own personally-caught fish be cooked by room service. And yes, someone actually ordered blowfish, a potentially poisonous delicacy if not prepared correctly.

Room service in action

Despite these quirky requests, the humble burger reigns supreme, topping the global room service charts, beating out club sandwiches, pizza, and chips. Peak room service hour? Between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., perfect for a post-sightseeing treat. In the U.K., vegan orders are experiencing a significant rise, outpacing vegetarian and dairy-free options.

Enjoying a burger

But room service isn't just about burgers and bizarre requests. Luxury hotels are offering extravagant experiences, like the Ashford Castle in Ireland, where guests can summon a Lego butler to deliver Lego sets on a silver platter. Meanwhile, fans of "Home Alone" can indulge in a $300, 16-scoop "Home Alone Sundae" at New York City's Plaza Hotel, complete with a mountain of toppings.

Kevin McCallister from Home Alone

For those with truly extravagant tastes, Houston's Post Oak Hotel offers "The Black Gold Burger," featuring Wagyu beef, foie gras, black truffle, and a caviar-infused, gold-flecked brioche bun – all for a cool $1,600. Steak and champagne consistently rank as the priciest room service items. The survey, conducted online in April, reveals that nearly a third of travelers spend an average of $125 per night on room service.

Champagne celebration

Here's a quick rundown of the top 10 wackiest room service orders:

  1. Diet water
  2. Melted ice cream
  3. Blowfish
  4. Boiled bottled water
  5. Cooked guest-provided fish
  6. Cockle popcorn
  7. No-egg-white omelet
  8. Rice bowl for dogs
  9. Bison
  10. Eggless shakshuka

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