New York City visitors and business travelers are in for a rude awakening when they stay at Manhattan’s Midtown Hilton. “Yes, I’d like room service brought up to my suite. I’ll take eggs benedict, fresh-squeezed OJ and black coffee.” Pause. “Pardon? I have to get it myself?”

While the Midtown Hilton (New York City’s largest hotel at 2,000 rooms) eliminating room service may or may not be a trend across all chains—it begs the question, what might chains cut next?

An alternative? Steer clear of chains in favor of boutique, independent hotels. While not all indie hotels offer room service, independently owned hotels have this in common: they embrace indie-minded travelers and won’t sacrifice guest satisfaction for Wall Street-style ROI.

Does room service need a fresh approach anyway?

There is increased traveler demand for healthier or less expensive alternatives to room service, such as:

• Grocery-delivery service, such as FreshDirect (based in New York City) now used by Affinia New York hotels.
• Pizza delivery—always a winner, day or night. Some hotels make and deliver their own pies.
• Hunt and gather for yourself. Walk out of your room and into fresh air to gain perspective or experience a dash of local culture (time permitting).

When was the last time you used room service? Are you more likely to order in-room or eat elsewhere when traveling on business?