Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-08-19
FULL EUROPEAN PLAN.
Said That Hotel Men Are Considering
Adopting That Business Method.

The Portland Argus says it has it
from good authority that one of the
topics which was touched upon at the
meeting Of the hotel men, last Friday,
in fact the principal topic and the main
reason for calling the members To-
gether has not even leaked out as yet.
This was the proposition to change the
entire system of running hotels In TINS
State from the American to the fuii
European plan. The European plan, as
everybody knows, is briefly stated as
pay for what you have" and II you
don't have it don't pay for it. MOST
hotels in this section of the country
are run on the American plan, wh1ch
means that for so much per day you
can have a room and three meals II you
want them But if you have only one
meal or two you have to pay Tor three
lust the same. The generality OF people
want all that is coming to them and
if they have to pay for three meals
| they take good care that they eat all
they can three times day. They or
der almost everything there is on the
hill of fare and spoil a dish full of food
nv taking one small bite out of it. This
| il a wasteful method Of doing business
from every point of view and excites
remark from all manner of foreigners
who come to this country on tours.
In the good old days when we were
flush this went all right, but nova
days when all the wealth in the coun-
try is in the hands of dozen or Is
families and the rest of the world at
large have to get along economically
| in order to make both ends meet, it is
we'll to cut down at the beginning and
keep it up all through. Hotel men are
| feeling this pinch as much if not more
than any other class. The prices of
provisions are rising in all directions
and people are beginning to make faces
at their bills much more forcibly than
they used to do.
The proposition which was made at
the meeting of the hotel men. Friday.
as the Argus hears it was nothing less
startling than that to change over to
a full European system. This means
| that there will be a fixed charge for a
room. Then there will be fixed
charge for bath. Then so much for a
| beef steak and so much for a bowl OF
mush and milk, and SO on through the
whole catalogue. This will make every
] hotel dining room IN erect a restaurant
I with a regular restaurant bill of fare.
People who have travelled extensively,
| to Boston for instance, know that the
newer and better class Of hotels there
are run on that basis entirely and the
managers claim that it is the only fair
| way to do business. The Maine hotel
men are anxious to try the same sys-
| tenn in this State.
But the shoe that pinched was the
one that was on the feet of the men
from the country towns, where it is not
customary to have elaborate menus,
but where a girl comes in and muir
murs over in the ear of the guest list
of three or four things that they have
selected for that day. Some of the
men who keep country hotels of this
kind objected strenuously. saying that
| it would cost them more to keep up a
check system and to look after their
mealers than it would profit them in
increased incomes. And there the mat
ter was allowed to drop, although as
it was stated by one of those who were
present, seed was sowed that will come
up in a good crop a little later.