One motel had two bottles of water left “for your convenience” , but in the small print, there was a $5 charge- we drank one, but the motel reversed it.
And yes, I know- not quite a mini-bar.
A buddy was comped a hotel room in Vegas, and cleared the mini-bar out of everything, then got hit with a huge charge- since THAT wasnt comped- Since he wasnt a drinker, he gave back the booze, and they came to a deal.
Not in like, at least 15 years, maybe even longer – A period of high frequency of trips on government contract, which made it a PITA to do the bill-splitting for eligible and non-eligible expenses, got me in the habit of only grabbing extra food/drink at the bar downstairs where I could pay separately on the spot. Then as prices began spiraling into absurdity it just blew the cost/convenience ratio so it became a no-brainer.
There’s been a few times that we arrived some place late at night and didn’t have the energy to go out and get something, so we’d buy the nuts or m&m’s to tide us over until morning. Also sometimes after a concert we might get something from the minibar.
The last hotel we stayed in had water and a few snacks in the fridge which were complimentary. And there was also an honor bar downstairs. It was a business hotel, a bit outside of city center, so the clientele is maybe a bit different. Actually the room was a studio, so the fridge was full-size, according to European standards.
When we visited Vegas about 15 years ago, the hotel had the pricey minibar that also included chargers, etc. And had warning signs which were something like “you touch it, you buy it”. We were very careful. Didn’t buy anything there.
So crazy that the Palmer House came up in this thread. That’s literally the ONLY MINI-BAR I’ve ever patronized. We were in chicago on a business trip pitching the company I worked for for sale to a private equity firm. As the “finance guy” I would never spend on this. My CEO on the other hand never had any issue with any kind of spend. So after the meeting one night we celebrated by splurging on all of the liquor and snacks in the damn thing! I felt so decadent! LOL
In 2000 or 2001 I was in Washington DC staying not in a hotel but a club. (I was there for a meeting and one of our DC people was a member, so the out-of-town attendees could stay as his guest). The club room I got was hotel-like anyhow, including a minifridge. I knew I’d want a snack in the evening but didn’t want to buy anything from the minibar. So I bought a 20 oz. soda and a chocolate bar on the way from the Metro.
When I was checking out, they added $8.86 to the bill! (Can you tell it bothered me, that I remember the sum to this day?)
One, I didn’t have booze, just a candy bar and a soda. Two, I opened the minifridge but did not move anything! The staff must’ve seen the bottle and candy wrapper in the garbage and ASSumed they were from the minibar. 
I did once or twice on business travel; it was late at night, I was thirsty; the tap water was not drinkable and it was on expenses.
I don’t remember seeing a minibar in any of the Hilton brands I’ve stayed at over the past two or so decades, but I could be forgetting some. I have seen them occasionally at other hotels but it’s been awhile.
What I see more often these days is bottled water set out outside of a minibar, by itself on top of a shelf. That is less frustrating than inside a refrigerator that could just as easily be used for your own stuff. With Hilton brands, it is sometimes labeled as free for certain reward members, but $4 or so for others, and I’ve only taken those once or twice even though I met the criteria, as I don’t usually need bottled water and am afraid they’d charge me anyway.
Last time at a non-Hilton hotel, they did try to charge me for the water even though I never open them, and I specifically remember not opening the ones at the resort. Thankfully they gladly reversed the charges, but it makes me wonder if they don’t just try to charge everyone for the water and see who complains.
No loss to them if you catch it, and a bit of gain if you don’t.
Last one I stayed at was a fairly posh Kensington / Paddington hotel in London. I don’t recall if it had sensors yet if it did there was enough room to pop a couple cokes an a few beers in. Almost every hotel/motel provides a hot water maker thing and some sample tea and coffees.
And in the finest USA motels the ice machine provided free ice and then up to your imagination how to keep stuff cold.
Yet besides a $5 milkshake (hah!) there is no snickers bar worth more than a pound.
Why didn’t you just drink the tap water?
I grew up drinking water from the tap. Our current well water is filtered and reverse osmosis purified. But I know younger folks who shudder at the idea of drinking tap water.
My wife doesn’t drink our well water on advise of her doc. Iron content is too high. Doesn’t seem to affect me.
But the OP was okay with someone else doing that. Just bizarre behavior to me.