Dining transition

[gillumhouse]

People really do like the 2 tops!

We use to have 1 large table, then decided to add 2 other tables so took out the leaves out of the big table to make room. We have 5 rooms, but can accommodate up to 13, so when we are at peak, we add the leaves to the 2 tops and plenty of space for all.

We serve from 8:30-9:30 and have space for everyone at one time so do not ask.
All our guest rooms are on the 2nd floor so it is a chore if we added room service but we have done so a few times and only when we have just the one in house. I have also teeder tottered around with making this an add on, but it would need to be worth my while to do so and may only offer it in our most expensive rooms..

We've had requests for room service but we're not set up for it. No trays large enough for all the dishes, no seating in the rooms, no time to organize it.
When someone says a spouse is sick we'll do a tray of toast and juice that they take up themselves.
But to try to make a regular deal of it? Don't see it happening.
Of course we've been scolded for being so rigid. Also scolded for not serving on the porch. Because it's all so damned easy, right? Just throw it together, what's the big deal? You're not doing anything else anyway. ;-)
Maybe I should buy small plates. We were going to the pottery place to replace some chipped dishes so I'll look for lunch size plates instead of dinner size. Have a few on hand.
.

Fiesta had a "tent sale" last week. I bought luncheon and bread & butter plates in 2 colors (they just "happen" to be our State colors). I had recently purchased a set in the dark blue (not Fiesta) and had bee using the salad plates (lunch size) as bread plates - too big.
The lunch size which I uses for the last 3 days look good on the chargers and make a minimal breakfast look sufficient. It will give you better portion control because it will look as if you are serving more. You will not regret it.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

We do only room delivery. The room must be set up with table and chairs. We also have put a glass top on the table. You will get more food crumbs, berry/coffee/chocolate stains on the robes so be prepared for that.
I can't give any helpful hints on how to incorporate delivery while also serving other guests in the dining room, but I would suggest if possible to schedule the delivery time with the guests and work your schedule around that. We leave the breakfast outside their door and knock. Don't be concerned if they don't pick up their breakfast right away. It's up to them to if they want to eat their breakfast hot or not so hot or even cold.

 

[Samster]

We have a very large dining room but not really conducive to multiple tables and this is now our home again. So, I didn't want to store my other furniture to offer multiple tables. We do have a table & 2 chairs in our living room that we could use in a pinch if there were folks that really didn't like the "communal table". No one ever went for that option.
I offered room service to the guests for $10 because of the communal table & because every room had a place for the guests to sit and eat. But I also have a large tray and collapsible stand that I used to deliver breakfast in one trip and did a really nice presentation. It was tough on days when my husband wasn't here to help.
We had a good number of takers & it added to the revenue.
You might want to give it a trial run before putting it on your website and see how it goes.

 

[user 26]

i had mostly tables for four - two that were really only able to be two-seaters. i had it set up so that some of the four's easily became tables for two or when i had groups they often wanted to push their tables together. that was fine, too.
we put down a wooden floor and put those foam things on the legs of all the tables and chairs so we could slide them around. it was a pain to attach them all but made life easier.
every day about mid afternoon i set out all the napkins and flatware for the following day on each table.
i wish i had the energy now that i had then!