A complimentary breakfast buffet may be a favorite perk at many hotel chains nationwide — but these days, not everyone in the buffet line may be a paying guest.

Viral videos making the rounds show buffet crashers strolling into hotel dining rooms, piling up plates with food and heading out — no payment in sight.

The buffet configurations can make it difficult for hotels to monitor who belongs in the breakfast area, according to Kenneth Free, Connecticut-based hospitality expert and president of Straightline Hospitality.

**TRAVELERS SLAM HOTELS FOR ELIMINATING BATHROOM DOORS: ‘I’D LIKE SOME PRIVACY'**

"Because most complimentary breakfasts are in smaller, limited-service properties, they usually don’t have the personnel resources to aggressively police whether breakfast patrons are truly guests of the hotel," Free told Fox News Digital.

Complimentary breakfast is a common offering at many hotel chains, including brands like Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Residence Inn, where self-service buffets…