Hilton Honors Daily Food & Beverage Credit Replaces Free Breakfast. Here’s How It Works

For the travelers who skip breakfast — or simply prefer to eat on their own schedule — Hilton Honors’ daily food and beverage credit remains one of the most flexible elite status perks in the hotel world. Introduced in 2022 as a replacement for the traditional complimentary continental breakfast, the credit has stuck around through 2025 and is still offered to Hilton Honors members with Hilton Gold or Hilton Diamond elite status.

If you’re a Hilton Honors member with Gold or Diamond elite status, you’ll receive a daily credit for each night of your stay at select U.S. Hilton brands — essentially anywhere that would’ve previously offered complimentary continental breakfast.

Traveling with a buddy? You get double the credit if two guests are registered to the room. Up to one additional guest registered to the same room receives the credit.

To redeem it, simply charge your food and beverage purchase to your room. The credit applies whether you dine at the lobby restaurant, grab a smoothie at the café or order a glass of wine at the bar.

The amount of the credit varies by hotel brand. Generally speaking, more upscale hotel brands offer a higher credit. Here's what you can expect, broken down by Hilton brand:

Each credit is "use it or lose it" per night. So, you can’t stack a week’s worth of credits to blow on one fancy dinner.

And since it’s a room charge, you’ll owe whatever you spend beyond the credit’s value. If you have a $25 credit but you've spent $30, you’ll owe $5 upon checkout. Yet if you charge only $20, you won’t get $5 back. Though, you don't have to make all the charges at once, so you could spend $20 on breakfast and have $5 left for an afternoon snack.

» Learn more: Your guide to booking award nights with Hilton Honors

Hilton offers three credit cards that offer Gold or Diamond elite status, which in turn provides a daily food and beverage credit (or free breakfast) depending on the hotel. Here are the cards, along with their perks.

In a post-pandemic world where breakfast buffets vary wildly — and often fall short of expectations — Hilton’s credit allows you to take charge of your own dining experience.

• There's more timing flexibility: Not a morning person? Use your credit at lunch or for a late-night dessert at the bar.

• You might actually get a hot breakfast: Instead of the default toast-and-cereal buffet, you might put your credit toward an omelet, latte or cocktail.

• You have more options: You don't need to carry your wallet around — just room-charge your expenses and the credit will apply automatically. And yes, you can even use the credit on alcohol, depending on state and local laws.

» Learn more: The complete guide to earning Hilton Honors points

While the new Hilton food and beverage credit is generally better than the former continental breakfast option, it still has issues.

• You might owe more money: For example, two guests using a $30 credit for a $34 breakfast buffet will still owe the $4. That can come as a surprise to folks used to fully comped breakfasts.

• Billing could be awkward: Unlike the old days of a breakfast voucher handed to a server, you’ll receive an actual bill — and you’re still responsible for any balance after the credit.

• Not all hotel establishments accept it: Some third-party restaurants operating within the hotel may not accept the credit. At the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, you might be tempted by the smell of hibachi steak wafting into the lobby from the on-site Benihana. But your flaming onion volcano isn’t free. This is just one example of a third-party restaurant that's not covered.

Hotel breakfasts have evolved since the pandemic — and Hilton’s food and beverage credit is one of the best adaptations yet. While some guests might grumble about having to tip or being unable to stack credits, the added flexibility and ability to eat when and how you want can make it far more valuable than a stale croissant and weak coffee buffet.

As Hilton continues expanding in 2025 — particularly across luxury and lifestyle brands — expect more travelers to benefit from this perk in more destinations around the world.