Breakfast times - snooze, lose, or door number three.

[sgirouard]

Not sure if this is the best sub forum for this.
Had an interesting conversation with a lady at church yesterday. She & her DH stay "often" (her words, I don't know them well) at BnBs. She said at the last one they visited (she didn't say the name, I didn't ask), breakfast was served promptly at 9, which she didn't seem to have an issue with. But, another guest informed her that the day prior, the guest wasn't downstairs by 9 and the innkeeper was upstairs, knocking on the door and saying the the guest was late to breakfast and was holding everyone else up from having their breakast served. Needless to say, by church lady acquaintance and her DH were at breakfast on time.
Now, I know this is 3rd hand hearsay (who knows what the poor innkeeper actually said), and who knows how many times said guest was late prior...even told the innkeeper, Oh, come up and knock if we're not down.
Myself, I don't think I'd be comfortable knocking on the door unless there were some special circumstances - a guest who had repeatedly stated they needed to be on the road/at an event. I'd rather leave a plate of muffins and a pot of coffee for late comers. Or, have a seriosu chat at check in about late = no breakfast.
I woudl like to hear your opinions about this little tale.

 

[EmptyNest]

I know several innkeepers who will go up and knock on the door if guests are not down for breakfast. Personally I would not do it.
We tried to keep things flexible. when we had someone who showed up late...we served them. We planned most of our breakfasts so that they could be "held" just in case...we learned early on to do that and planned our breakfasts accordingly.
I think there are Lots of breakfast postings on here about this and similar situations.

 

[Morticia]

Like you said, not all the details are available. But, for me, unless a guest has specifically stated that they want me pounding on their door, I would not do that. Even if they wanted me to do that, I think I would decline. OTHER guests may want to sleep in and not listen to me knocking on the doors.
NOW, let's for a moment think the guest asked for this, etc. Those other guests in the dining room will STILL be waiting and that is wrong. Why are they being punished with 'held over' breakfast while waiting for the slug a beds to finally make an appearance? Late arrivers get leftovers if they get anything. Guests who are on time should get the hot breakfast hot.

 

[egoodell]

I would not bother them - they may have decided they didn't want to get up.
I like the idea that I got from someone else here on the forum. I'm going to start telling guests that
A hot breakfast is served at 8:30am
A held over warm breakfast is served at 9:00am
A continental will be left in the tasting room at 10:00am
RIki

 

[swirt]

I agree, don't punish the good guests by making them wait for the late guests. Plate them up and get them served.
Not everyone wants breakfast. As long as it was spelled out so that the guests knows it is not breakfast is served "whenever" then assume they are adults making their own decisions. I LOVE breakfast, it is the best meal of the day, but there are times if I am on vacation where I just want to sleep in (because I usually don't get to do it at home) and if I have an innkeeper knocking on my door, well that is going to pressure me in ways that would definitey leave me to not return.
I like Riki's phrasing... though I think I would change the last line to "Whatever is left will be in the tasting room at 10" (if I had a tasting room LOL) because I would not, for the way we run OUR B&B, want to encourage the thinking that we would be making a full breakfast and an additional continental for anyone not choosing the full breakfast.

 

[gillumhouse]

I have 3 rooms so the guests are asked to tell ME what time they want breakfast (I get horse people who need early, travelers, visit-the-area, etc - a variety) any time between 4 AM & 10 AM. And they are still late coming down sometimes! I do NOT go fetch them (here guests - fetch breakfast!). I try to time the entree to be done about 10 minures after the time given for breakfast. Egg bake has been known to be leather-like as it does not hold well. I do not get as upset when it is any other of my entrees because they DO hold OK - but NOT for an hour.

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

I have 3 rooms so the guests are asked to tell ME what time they want breakfast (I get horse people who need early, travelers, visit-the-area, etc - a variety) any time between 4 AM & 10 AM. And they are still late coming down sometimes! I do NOT go fetch them (here guests - fetch breakfast!). I try to time the entree to be done about 10 minures after the time given for breakfast. Egg bake has been known to be leather-like as it does not hold well. I do not get as upset when it is any other of my entrees because they DO hold OK - but NOT for an hour..

You are truly an amazing innkeeper to offer them a range between 4am and 10am. I am seriously impressed!!
Don't think I would ever, ever do that myself. But it is a very impressive example of innkeeper love all the same.

 

[egoodell]

I agree, don't punish the good guests by making them wait for the late guests. Plate them up and get them served.
Not everyone wants breakfast. As long as it was spelled out so that the guests knows it is not breakfast is served "whenever" then assume they are adults making their own decisions. I LOVE breakfast, it is the best meal of the day, but there are times if I am on vacation where I just want to sleep in (because I usually don't get to do it at home) and if I have an innkeeper knocking on my door, well that is going to pressure me in ways that would definitey leave me to not return.
I like Riki's phrasing... though I think I would change the last line to "Whatever is left will be in the tasting room at 10" (if I had a tasting room LOL) because I would not, for the way we run OUR B&B, want to encourage the thinking that we would be making a full breakfast and an additional continental for anyone not choosing the full breakfast..

I agree, don't punish the good guests by making them wait for the late guests. Plate them up and get them served.
I like Riki's phrasing... though I think I would change the last line to "Whatever is left will be in the tasting room at 10" (if I had a tasting room LOL) because I would not, for the way we run OUR B&B, want to encourage the thinking that we would be making a full breakfast and an additional continental for anyone not choosing the full breakfast.

Yes, we usually say the continental portion of the breakfast will be left out there- fruit can go in the little fridge or just be put out there, with the muffin and butter and coffee in the hot pot. We have to be getting ready often on Saturday for wine tours, so can't wait around for them.
Riki

 

[gillumhouse]

I have 3 rooms so the guests are asked to tell ME what time they want breakfast (I get horse people who need early, travelers, visit-the-area, etc - a variety) any time between 4 AM & 10 AM. And they are still late coming down sometimes! I do NOT go fetch them (here guests - fetch breakfast!). I try to time the entree to be done about 10 minures after the time given for breakfast. Egg bake has been known to be leather-like as it does not hold well. I do not get as upset when it is any other of my entrees because they DO hold OK - but NOT for an hour..

You are truly an amazing innkeeper to offer them a range between 4am and 10am. I am seriously impressed!!
Don't think I would ever, ever do that myself. But it is a very impressive example of innkeeper love all the same.
.

Fortunately the 4 AM is rare but horse people want on the road before the heat of the day. A significant portion of my business (especially this time of year) is with horses. The fact it is offered impresses guests. I like sleeping in with those 9 AM breakfsats but hate the late start it gives me on the day. I have had 3 different breakfast times - I just put the food in smaller dishes in the fridge until serving times and divide the entree up to bake at proper times.

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

I have 3 rooms so the guests are asked to tell ME what time they want breakfast (I get horse people who need early, travelers, visit-the-area, etc - a variety) any time between 4 AM & 10 AM. And they are still late coming down sometimes! I do NOT go fetch them (here guests - fetch breakfast!). I try to time the entree to be done about 10 minures after the time given for breakfast. Egg bake has been known to be leather-like as it does not hold well. I do not get as upset when it is any other of my entrees because they DO hold OK - but NOT for an hour..

You are truly an amazing innkeeper to offer them a range between 4am and 10am. I am seriously impressed!!
Don't think I would ever, ever do that myself. But it is a very impressive example of innkeeper love all the same.
.

Fortunately the 4 AM is rare but horse people want on the road before the heat of the day. A significant portion of my business (especially this time of year) is with horses. The fact it is offered impresses guests. I like sleeping in with those 9 AM breakfsats but hate the late start it gives me on the day. I have had 3 different breakfast times - I just put the food in smaller dishes in the fridge until serving times and divide the entree up to bake at proper times.
.

The fact that it's offered would impress anyone!

 

[Samster]

We get comments all the time from our guests about how they appreciate our flexible breakfast hours (between 7-9 am weekdays, 7:30-9:30 am weekends). They have a form that they fill out each evening for the next morning letting me know time for breakfast, hot beverage choice and how MANY will be there. I have only had one room not show for breakfast in almost 2 years of business! I have found that most guests do not want to be told when to eat breakfast and we have many people here for special events that need a flexible breakfast time.
I will do a continental "to-go" & leave it in the guest fridge for folks that need brekkie before the start times. I can't push breakfast any later...it's a push to get everything done by 3 PM check-in as it is.

 

[The Farmers Daughter]

We serve breakfast at 9. Usually we will wait about 10 minutes for stragglers to wander down. Past that, I won't inconvenience the other guests who were on time for the handful of those who weren't.

 

[Morticia]

We get comments all the time from our guests about how they appreciate our flexible breakfast hours (between 7-9 am weekdays, 7:30-9:30 am weekends). They have a form that they fill out each evening for the next morning letting me know time for breakfast, hot beverage choice and how MANY will be there. I have only had one room not show for breakfast in almost 2 years of business! I have found that most guests do not want to be told when to eat breakfast and we have many people here for special events that need a flexible breakfast time.
I will do a continental "to-go" & leave it in the guest fridge for folks that need brekkie before the start times. I can't push breakfast any later...it's a push to get everything done by 3 PM check-in as it is..

And that's the thing...it ALL has to get done in a short time! There's a bit of fudge if guests want to talk, but after 11 AM, nope, gotta go, we're on a schedule here! There's no way we could still be cooking brekkie at 10 and get everything done!

 

[Samster]

We get comments all the time from our guests about how they appreciate our flexible breakfast hours (between 7-9 am weekdays, 7:30-9:30 am weekends). They have a form that they fill out each evening for the next morning letting me know time for breakfast, hot beverage choice and how MANY will be there. I have only had one room not show for breakfast in almost 2 years of business! I have found that most guests do not want to be told when to eat breakfast and we have many people here for special events that need a flexible breakfast time.
I will do a continental "to-go" & leave it in the guest fridge for folks that need brekkie before the start times. I can't push breakfast any later...it's a push to get everything done by 3 PM check-in as it is..

And that's the thing...it ALL has to get done in a short time! There's a bit of fudge if guests want to talk, but after 11 AM, nope, gotta go, we're on a schedule here! There's no way we could still be cooking brekkie at 10 and get everything done!
.

Yep, and most of the time it is just ME!!! ACK!!

 

[JBloggs]

No offense K, but if I serve someone breakfast at 4am, it had better be "their last meal"

I like the innkeepers to tell ME when breakfsat is served and I will be there with bells on!

 

[gillumhouse]

No offense K, but if I serve someone breakfast at 4am, it had better be "their last meal"

I like the innkeepers to tell ME when breakfsat is served and I will be there with bells on!.

But you like to sleep in - so you tell me 10 AM. If you had a significant amount of business needing a 4 AM breakfast you would serve it and go back to bed! As i said, it is rare, but has been requested. The horses get me through the winter believe it or not. My only rez - at this point in time - for Dec is horses.

 

[Copperhead]

No offense K, but if I serve someone breakfast at 4am, it had better be "their last meal"

I like the innkeepers to tell ME when breakfsat is served and I will be there with bells on!.

I like the innkeepers to tell ME when breakfsat is served and I will be there with bells on!

Well then you would like one place where I stayed.. not only did he tell us breakfast was at 8:30, he started his player piano (full blast) at 8AM for a wake up call. There was not a room in the place that did not hear that piano - most likely was heard in the homes on either side as well. DH thought it charming, I on the otherhand really would have preferred to sleep. If I had known, I would not have booked that B&B. Now I love breakfast but I was overly tired, and would have prefered having an option to eat or not.

 

[Morticia]

No offense K, but if I serve someone breakfast at 4am, it had better be "their last meal"

I like the innkeepers to tell ME when breakfsat is served and I will be there with bells on!.

I like the innkeepers to tell ME when breakfsat is served and I will be there with bells on!

Well then you would like one place where I stayed.. not only did he tell us breakfast was at 8:30, he started his player piano (full blast) at 8AM for a wake up call. There was not a room in the place that did not hear that piano - most likely was heard in the homes on either side as well. DH thought it charming, I on the otherhand really would have preferred to sleep. If I had known, I would not have booked that B&B. Now I love breakfast but I was overly tired, and would have prefered having an option to eat or not.
.

Someone else mentioned that sort of 'wake up call' elsewhere as well. The innkeepers turned on a whole house music system in the morning that couldn't be missed.
Me, I like to ease into my day. No music, no TV, no talking until I've showered. I don't even like it when Gomez turns the TV on in the hotel room while I'm getting ready.

 

[Hangfive]

Innkeepers knocking of guestroom doors in the morning...
Innkeepers with whole house wake up calls...
No wonder B&B's get a bad rap!

 

[bbinnsitters]

No offense K, but if I serve someone breakfast at 4am, it had better be "their last meal"

I like the innkeepers to tell ME when breakfsat is served and I will be there with bells on!.

I like the innkeepers to tell ME when breakfsat is served and I will be there with bells on!

Well then you would like one place where I stayed.. not only did he tell us breakfast was at 8:30, he started his player piano (full blast) at 8AM for a wake up call. There was not a room in the place that did not hear that piano - most likely was heard in the homes on either side as well. DH thought it charming, I on the otherhand really would have preferred to sleep. If I had known, I would not have booked that B&B. Now I love breakfast but I was overly tired, and would have prefered having an option to eat or not.
.

Did you let the Innkeeper know the night b4 that you wouldn't be joining them for breakfast? If you let him know the night b4 did you feel obligated in going down becos of the player piano?
My pet peeve is people that don't come down for breakfast - I don't mind if they let me know the night b4, but don't just not show up!