7 things boomers do at hotel breakfast buffets that make millennials die inside

There's something oddly fascinating about hotel breakfast buffets. They're this strange social experiment where generations collide over scrambled eggs and mini muffins.

I've spent enough mornings observing the choreography of the breakfast buffet to notice some patterns. And let me tell you, the generational differences are real.

Today, we're diving into seven things that happen at these morning gatherings that make millennials want to crawl under the waffle station.

Let's get into it.

1. Taking photos of every single dish before anyone can eat

Here's the thing about buffet photography that drives younger guests up the wall.

It's not the taking of photos itself. Millennials invented food photography, after all. We're the generation that made "pics or it didn't happen" a lifestyle.

The difference? Speed and awareness.

When a boomer approaches the buffet with their iPad (yes, iPad, not phone) held horizontally at arm's length, time stops. They're composing the perfect shot of the fruit salad. They're adjusting the angle on the bagel display. Meanwhile, there's a line of people behind them clutching empty plates and dying inside.

I watched this play out last month in Portland. A gentleman spent what felt like five minutes photographing the pastry section from multiple angles while at least a dozen people waited. When someone politely tried to reach around him for a croissant, he actually asked them to wait.

The millennial approach? Snap it quickly from the side, apply a filter later, move on. We learned efficiency because we grew up in a world where everyone had a camera and nobody wanted to be that person holding up the line.

2. Asking staff to remake items that are already available

Walk into any hotel breakfast area and you'll eventually hear it.

"Excuse me, could you make the eggs less runny?"

"Can you toast this bagel a bit more?"

"Is it possible to get the bacon crispier?"

Now, I get it. You want your breakfast just right. But here's what makes millennials cringe about this behavior.

The buffet is what it is. It's a compromise. That's literally the entire concept. You get variety and convenience in exchange for not having everything exactly to your specifications.

Millennials tend to value experiences and efficiency over perfection. We're the generation that learned to adapt because we came of age during economic uncertainty.

When the eggs are a bit runny, we just grab more toast. When the bacon isn't crispy enough, we eat it anyway or skip it entirely. We've internalized that not everything needs to be customized, especially in a setting designed for volume and variety.

Plus, there's an awareness of the staff's workload. Those breakfast attendants are juggling fifty tasks already. Asking them to remake something that's perfectly edible feels unnecessarily demanding.

3. Hovering over the waffle maker like it's a complicated science experiment

The waffle maker situation deserves its own discussion.

Every hotel has one. They all work basically the same way. Pour batter, close lid, wait for green light, flip, wait again, remove waffle. The instructions are literally printed on a laminated card next to the machine.

Yet somehow, this device becomes a source of endless confusion and extended deliberation.

I've witnessed people stare at the waffle maker for genuinely concerning lengths of time, debating whether to commit to making one. They'll pour the batter, then panic about the timing. They'll flip it too early, too late, or not at all. They'll open it repeatedly to check progress, letting all the heat escape.

The worst part? The hovering. Standing directly in front of the machine, blocking access for everyone else, monitoring their waffle like it's a soufflé that might collapse.

Here's what younger guests find frustrating about this. We grew up with technology that required us to figure things out quickly. We had to learn new interfaces constantly. A waffle maker with literal instructions should not require a ten-minute learning curve.

Start the waffle, step aside while it cooks, come back when it's done. Simple.

4. Piling plates so high they need two hands to carry them

There's an art to buffet strategy that seems to skip a generation.

The plate tower. You know what I'm talking about. Pancakes as the base, scrambled eggs precariously balanced on top, bacon forming a lattice structure, fruit threatening to roll off at any moment, maybe a muffin wedged in there somewhere for good measure.

Why does this make millennials uncomfortable? A few reasons.

First, there's the waste factor. Studies show that younger generations are significantly more conscious about food waste and environmental impact. When we see someone pile a plate high with food they clearly won't finish, it triggers that eco-anxiety we've all developed.

Second, there's the practicality issue. Multiple trips exist for a reason. The food isn't going anywhere. You can go back. That's the whole point.

I've seen plates so overloaded that people have to walk back to their table like they're defusing a bomb, taking tiny steps, everyone around them nervously watching, waiting for the inevitable collapse.

Just take what you'll eat right now. Return for seconds. It's not complicated.

5. Treating the buffet like a social gathering spot

Picture this scenario that plays out every single morning.

Two people recognize each other at the buffet. Great! They haven't seen each other since the conference in Chicago. They catch up. Right there. In front of the orange juice dispenser. For fifteen minutes.

They're blocking multiple items, completely oblivious to the growing crowd trying to navigate around them. Their conversation covers everything from grandchildren to knee surgery to that restaurant they went to in 2017.

Meanwhile, someone just wants to grab a banana.

This reflects a fundamental difference in social awareness. I've mentioned this before, but millennials grew up in crowded spaces, shared economies, and environments where spatial awareness became crucial. We learned to read a room, literally.

When we run into someone we know, we do the quick greeting, maybe exchange a sentence or two, then suggest meeting at the table to continue the conversation. We don't anchor ourselves in high-traffic areas.

It's not that boomers are intentionally rude. They grew up in a world with more space, less crowding, and different social norms about public interaction. But in a busy breakfast buffet, that generational difference becomes painfully obvious.

6. Questioning every ingredient like they're performing a health inspection

"What kind of cheese is in this omelet?"

"Are these eggs real or from a carton?"

"Is this juice fresh-squeezed?"

"What kind of oil did you use for the potatoes?"

Look, being health-conscious is fine. Dietary restrictions are real. But there's a way to navigate these concerns that doesn't involve interrogating the staff about every ingredient at a complimentary hotel breakfast.

The food is what it is. It's mass-produced, cost-effective hotel fare. If you have serious dietary concerns, you probably already know that hotel buffets aren't your best option.

What makes this behavior particularly eye-roll-inducing for millennials is that we're also health-conscious, maybe even more so. But we've adapted our approach. We scan for what works for us, make reasonable assumptions, and move on. We don't expect a hotel breakfast buffet to meet the same standards as our favorite farm-to-table brunch spot.

There's also something about the tone of these inquiries that feels off. It often comes across less as genuine concern and more as a performance of sophistication or judgment about the quality of free food.

7. Leaving a disaster zone at their table without clearing anything

Here's where we get to perhaps the most universally frustrating behavior.

The aftermath. The table that looks like a small tornado touched down. Used napkins everywhere. Plates stacked haphazardly with food remnants. Coffee spilled and not wiped up. Chairs pushed out at odd angles. And then they just walk away.

Now, I know what some people will say. The hotel has staff to clean up. That's their job. Technically true.

But here's what millennials understand about this situation. Just because someone is paid to clean doesn't mean you should make their job harder than necessary. Younger generations typically prioritize empathy and consideration for service workers.

We stack our plates. We push in our chairs. We consolidate the mess. We make eye contact with the staff and say thank you. These small actions take seconds but show basic respect for someone else's labor.

This isn't about being judgmental. It's about recognizing that we're all sharing space and that small acts of consideration make everyone's experience better.

The bottom line

Here's the thing about all of this.

These behaviors aren't malicious. Nobody's trying to ruin anyone's morning. But they do reflect different generational experiences with shared spaces, technology, and social awareness.

Millennials grew up in a more crowded, faster-paced world. We learned to be efficient, aware of others, and adaptable to situations that weren't perfectly tailored to our preferences.

The breakfast buffet is just one small window into how these differences play out in everyday life.

Next time you're at a hotel breakfast, take a moment to observe the dynamics. You'll see what I mean. And maybe, just maybe, we can all be a little more aware of how our actions affect the people around us.

After all, we're all just trying to get some decent coffee and start our day.