Free Elite Breakfasts Now Daily at Marriott

Catching up, finally, with other major hotel-loyalty programs, Marriott announced that, beginning on June 22, Gold and Platinum elite members of the Marriott Rewards program can expect a daily complimentary Continental breakfast for two at participating JW Marriott, Autograph Collection, Renaissance, and Marriott hotels in the U.S. and Canada.

Until then, the free breakfasts are only available during the work week.

If the lounge is closed, Gold and Platinum members will be given a choice of a free continental breakfast in the hotel restaurant, or 750 Marriott Rewards points.

Resorts and Courtyard by Marriott hotels are explicitly excluded.

Most major-hotel programs already offer free breakfasts to their top-tier elite members seven days a week. And Marriott elites are arguably more deserving than their counterparts in other programs. Gold and Platinum status in Marriott Rewards require 50 and 70 nights, respectively, among the highest qualification hurdles in the industry.

So the question for Marriott is: What took you so long?

And the follow-up question: When will the benefit be extended to elites staying at resorts and Courtyard by Marriott hotels?

Reader Reality Check

Better late than never?

This article originally appeared on FrequentFlier.com.

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