family style vs. plated??

[prince charming]

What do you charge for your rooms? I think this is key for people in their perception of service. This came up in someone else's reply. If I am paying well over $100/night, I expect to be served. I don't care if there is a bountiful amount of buffet or family style food available. I want to sit, relax, and be taken care of! And it's wonderful when it is all beautifully presented as well. If presented with a family style situation, I would tend to be quite careful in what I served myself...we used to call that FHB (Family Hold Back). lol!
That is one of the perks that I've found when I stay at B&Bs. Otherwise, I'll stay at the chain hotels and grab a banana and bagel..

What do you charge for your rooms?

All rooms, expect our suite, are under $75 per night.
With that being said, I still want to create something special. Just because my rooms are 'economically price' I still want people to feel special and taken care of...
Everyone makes a great point... I suppose I just need to 'pick one' and stick with it.. Just trying to take it all in before making that change.
.

You need to do what works best for you. You don't have to do it the way the old innkeepers did it. How long have you been running your inn. Is it a tourist destination, or do you cater to local business people, college??? Do you have a partner or someone to help you? Serve while you cook or vice versa? I assume everyone gathers at the same time. Does that work for you? If not, consider a change.
Personally, I don't like family style at the B & B's I have stayed at. I don't want to be that cozy with the other guests. I want to be served my breakfast. For us, serving plated gave us a chance to show off our presentation skills, clever garnishes, etc. We usually always had enough if someone wanted more, but usually they had plenty.
Economical..I'd say? How long since a rate increase?
.

I'm in a small town... used to be busy during the week with buiness (has died a bit from the slow economy) My busiest time is from june - october... people visiting family, reunions, weddings, autumn - leaf changing.
People seem to enjoy the family style. I've had many, many compliments on breakfast... even people in the small town where I am have commented to me that they heard my breakfast is great.
I am the only person at the B&B. I do it all. Breakfast is offered from 7-9am. I get a time when people check in. Sometimes everyone eats at the same time, sometimes people eat at 7, then 8, then 9. No matter what, it's always family style. Even for one person. They have an empty plate and add to it what they'd like.
When I took over the B&B a little over a year ago the rates were in the $60's I raised them $10. It was MUCH needed. The hotels in my town charge about $90 - $100 with cont'l breakfast.
I always serve fruit/parfait individual.. everyone has there own on the table when the arrive to breakfast, same with a baked good. Then I serve... pancakes, eggs and sausage on seperate plates for people to choose from...

 

[JBloggs]

What do you charge for your rooms? I think this is key for people in their perception of service. This came up in someone else's reply. If I am paying well over $100/night, I expect to be served. I don't care if there is a bountiful amount of buffet or family style food available. I want to sit, relax, and be taken care of! And it's wonderful when it is all beautifully presented as well. If presented with a family style situation, I would tend to be quite careful in what I served myself...we used to call that FHB (Family Hold Back). lol!
That is one of the perks that I've found when I stay at B&Bs. Otherwise, I'll stay at the chain hotels and grab a banana and bagel..

What do you charge for your rooms?

All rooms, expect our suite, are under $75 per night.
With that being said, I still want to create something special. Just because my rooms are 'economically price' I still want people to feel special and taken care of...
Everyone makes a great point... I suppose I just need to 'pick one' and stick with it.. Just trying to take it all in before making that change.
.

What do you charge for your rooms?

All rooms, expect our suite, are under $75 per night.
With that being said, I still want to create something special. Just because my rooms are 'economically price' I still want people to feel special and taken care of...
Everyone makes a great point... I suppose I just need to 'pick one' and stick with it.. Just trying to take it all in before making that change.

How often is the table full? If it is fully occupied every morning vs one or two couples at a seating, that would make a huge difference also.
Your orig question asked who did it one way and then changed...that would be me. I started out doing things different in many areas and learned which worked better for this B&B, these guests and how I operate.
This morning the guests asked why I was dressed up? It is my standard innkeeper apparel, I was not dressed up. They were wearing shorts and they were going to play golf. Then I have guests who arrive very dressy as it is their anniversary. So there is not one type of guest nor one type of breakfast that suits every BnB.

 

[user 26]

eight rooms, i served plated. i also had some things on the side buffet table as help yourself.
the coffee urns, tea setups were there. serve yourself juices in a big ice bucket.

 

[JBloggs]

We all need to do what we feel comfortable and capable of doing. I think we never need to do it the way someone else did, and we should all give it a couple different shots and see what works best for us. We can do it many ways depending on how many at the table, there is no rule which is better than the other.
Of course the best method is to be a guest yourself and see how you like breakfast.

I had breakfast out yesterday, fyi, and had the greasiest rotten breakfast. Not cheap either, was no good no how! YUK! All of us in the group had a deep fried meal, it was disgusting.

 

[YellowSocks]

Well, I'm going to continue my current method... works for us!
(And I'm having breakfast out on Wednesday (can't wait!) and whatever it is I'll like it since I didn't make it!)
=)
Kk.

 

[rrh]

9 rooms, we have served up to 22 plated. We have the fruit, muffins and juice on before the guests sit, then clear as they finish that course and bring in the main. We are almost into our 9th month of operation and have a pretty good serving system developed. We served buffet style for the Pikes Peak Marathon, as we had runners and support folks wanting to eat differently and at different times. We will do this more often for these kinds of events. We have not done family style.
Sometimes we throw a lot of food away, other times we have requests for seconds and thirds, we just never know or can predict how the guests will eat.
I think the first time B&Bers or the couple who tends to face each other and put their backs to everyone else would be reluctant to ask for the biscuits to be passed....
r

 

[JBloggs]

Well, I'm going to continue my current method... works for us!
(And I'm having breakfast out on Wednesday (can't wait!) and whatever it is I'll like it since I didn't make it!)
=)
Kk..

Well, I'm going to continue my current method... works for us!
(And I'm having breakfast out on Wednesday (can't wait!) and whatever it is I'll like it since I didn't make it!)
=)
Kk.

Restaurant or?
Let us know how it goes. Seriousely, the meal I had...maybe I am wrong all along and fruit does not belong on the breakfast menu...it seems if it is on a restaurant menu it is from a can and with whipped cream only.
Enjoy!

 

[Samster]

We all need to do what we feel comfortable and capable of doing. I think we never need to do it the way someone else did, and we should all give it a couple different shots and see what works best for us. We can do it many ways depending on how many at the table, there is no rule which is better than the other.
Of course the best method is to be a guest yourself and see how you like breakfast.

I had breakfast out yesterday, fyi, and had the greasiest rotten breakfast. Not cheap either, was no good no how! YUK! All of us in the group had a deep fried meal, it was disgusting..

Excellent advice, Joe! We need to do what is comfortable for us in our setting, niche, town, whatever. And, how we can provide that to our guests without coming apart at the seams. lol!
I get a kick out of plating the breakfast and garnishing it and all of that and then serving it to the guests. They're not used to having that at home or most places where they eat out so it's a treat for them. I know that it's a really nice experience for me when I'm at a B&B too

 

[hawley]

We all need to do what we feel comfortable and capable of doing. I think we never need to do it the way someone else did, and we should all give it a couple different shots and see what works best for us. We can do it many ways depending on how many at the table, there is no rule which is better than the other.
Of course the best method is to be a guest yourself and see how you like breakfast.

I had breakfast out yesterday, fyi, and had the greasiest rotten breakfast. Not cheap either, was no good no how! YUK! All of us in the group had a deep fried meal, it was disgusting..

I am with you. My husband likes to take me out for breakfast after I have made alot. But the reality is that there are few places that serve a breakfast as nice as I serve. And if they do, they are in the $15- $20 range.

 

[user 26]

if you can, it's great to 'see' what other places do ... i ike to try new things. if it ain't broke don't fix it is fine, but sometimes there's another or less expensive or less wasteful or less stressful (for you) way you haven't thought of. visiting another b&b, even if just in the forum, can give you a new perspective.
if you're doing something one way, just because the former owners did it that way, it's a good idea to experiment. see what works best for you. and have fun!

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

Ours is plated and with plenty ample portions that nobody in their right mind would feel underfed. The most frequent comment we get is that folks "didn't need to stop having fun for lunch"
We place the baked goodie on a small plate with homemade jam and butter on the individual tables just as folks are seating themselves.
I never realized how such a simple to make thing that actually uses up leftover berries and fruits could garner so much awe and appreciation.
The fruit course is served in nice little clear glass bowls and the much better half has a real eye for presentation even with the simplest of ingredients.
We offer real 100% orange or apple juice to each guest and that one evens out in the takers and non-takers department. You'll get the ones who don't care for juice at all and then you'll get the ones who want three glasses. By the third refill, I fill it halfway to send a little signal. I'm sorry but 24 oz. of orange juice is pushing it considering all of our breakfasts are "complimentary".
At a "real" restaurant, 8 oz. of real 100% orange juice would cost $2.50 to $3.00.
Coffee and teas are self-served from the buffet the first round, but refills are served by me unless somebody gets up themselves and helps themselves while I'm bussing tables or getting entrees out.
Our food waste is minimal, but then again she has over 30 years of restaurant management/ownership under her belt, so she knows her stuff.
I garnish the plates as she is cooking the entrees and that will usually consist of a rolled orange slice with either a half strawberry or kiwi slice on it.
We do different stuff everyday to keep things interesting and so the longer stay guests don't think we're sleepwalking through this stuff.
We like variety and options when we travel so thats the way we structured our place.

 

[YellowSocks]

Well, I'm going to continue my current method... works for us!
(And I'm having breakfast out on Wednesday (can't wait!) and whatever it is I'll like it since I didn't make it!)
=)
Kk..

Well, I'm going to continue my current method... works for us!
(And I'm having breakfast out on Wednesday (can't wait!) and whatever it is I'll like it since I didn't make it!)
=)
Kk.

Restaurant or?
Let us know how it goes. Seriousely, the meal I had...maybe I am wrong all along and fruit does not belong on the breakfast menu...it seems if it is on a restaurant menu it is from a can and with whipped cream only.
Enjoy!
.

Well, I'm going to continue my current method... works for us!
(And I'm having breakfast out on Wednesday (can't wait!) and whatever it is I'll like it since I didn't make it!)
=)
Kk.

Restaurant or?
Let us know how it goes. Seriousely, the meal I had...maybe I am wrong all along and fruit does not belong on the breakfast menu...it seems if it is on a restaurant menu it is from a can and with whipped cream only.
Enjoy!

Restaurant... out to breakfast with another innkeeper! No husbands! YAY!!!!
And we're both "yappers" (to use a term I picked up from penelope!), so the food will be secondary anyway.
=)
Kk.

 

[Dee C.]

We just bought an established b and b and will open in 3 weeks. We have 4 rooms. Until our breakfast porch is ready (where I will have 4 small tables) our guests will eat at our dining room table. I plan on serving each person individually. However, my daughter and her husband visited a b and b and since they were the only 2 guests they were served a platter of french toast, scrambled eggs, and bacon to share between them, after their individual fruit cups. I like the idea and will give it a try.

 

[Mary at Bridgewater Inn and Cottage]

Room service family style as I have two accmodations. One Cottage and one two bedroom apartment.Both have kitchens,and dinning tables,etc..Mary in Bridgewater..

BEST OF LUCK TO THE NEWBEES....

 

[egoodell]

We just bought an established b and b and will open in 3 weeks. We have 4 rooms. Until our breakfast porch is ready (where I will have 4 small tables) our guests will eat at our dining room table. I plan on serving each person individually. However, my daughter and her husband visited a b and b and since they were the only 2 guests they were served a platter of french toast, scrambled eggs, and bacon to share between them, after their individual fruit cups. I like the idea and will give it a try..

We just bought an established b and b and will open in 3 weeks. We have 4 rooms. Until our breakfast porch is ready (where I will have 4 small tables) our guests will eat at our dining room table. I plan on serving each person individually. However, my daughter and her husband visited a b and b and since they were the only 2 guests they were served a platter of french toast, scrambled eggs, and bacon to share between them, after their individual fruit cups. I like the idea and will give it a try.

Wow that sounds wonderful but I'd be worried about keeping the french toast hot while scrambling the eggs,...but I'm not the expert you all are!
We serve a fruit course - then serve a muffin/bread and then the main entree. I use my mom's Rosenthal china and silver, with a flower(s) on the table and it's really pretty. I think it makes folks feel pampered.
But I personally also like family style. When we get up to 5 rooms instead of 2 I'll put out on the buffet the breads and still serve the fruit (can be done ahead and put out before they get there). I will serve the fruit to control costs.
Since we are only allowed 5 rooms I figure we'll always serve the entree.
RIki