On a trip to Vegas, the hotel charged $25 for breakfast. But is dodging that cost really such a big deal? I bought a sad, expensive croissant from a shop and still spent like $10. The buffet is right there, no hunting around town. Saving a few dollars feels like more hassle than it's worth. It's not that deep, people act like it's a major finance win.
Yeah that whole hunting around town thing @singh.cole mentioned is the worst part. My fix was to find one good bakery or deli close to the hotel on the first day. In Chicago last fall, I found a spot two blocks over that did a great coffee and a massive muffin for like six bucks total. Just became my morning routine, in and out in five minutes. Beats the hotel price and the sad croissant search.