Just stay-over, no breakfast?

[gillumhouse]

Do you leave out a bowl of fruit or something upon arrival?

I have small reed baskets that I made and I put 2 bananas, 3 or 4 apples, and a couple packages of snack crackers on the dresser or the mantle for guests arrival. Some eat or take all of it and some just leave it. I point it out saying "...in case you get a case of the munchies."

 

[GoodScout]

@PhineasSwann I just had someone call asking if they could have breakfast here. When I recommended the local breakfast joints they’d already been to them and weren’t impressed. Oh well. You booked on price. Now you can make up the difference.

With the boom in rental use during the pandemic, I've already had it happen twice. I've got my dialogue down:

THEM: "Do you serve breakfast?"
ME: "I'm sorry, we only serve breakfast to our guests who are staying with us. It's included. Are you looking for a a place to stay?"
THEM: "Oh, no. We're renting the AirBnB down the street."
ME: "Oh. That's too bad. I hope next time you'll get a chance to stay with us an enjoy one of our gourmet breakfasts while you're staying here. Um, the restaurant down the street serves breakfast.".

(But it's not a very good one)

 

[Como Depot]

I used to be on AirBnB, just a listing service makes no difference as to what you provide.

 

[Camge]

Hi, we have always served a three course breakfast. Fruit,yogurt,juice. Second course is a homemade baked good and finally a plated breakfast. One day sweet like waffles ,pancakes,waffles and the next savory, fritatas, omlets, avocado toast, all served with a side. Our big change in serving since Covid is using 2 separate indoor tables and 2 separate outdoor tables on a front porch. Breakfast is a big job, but that is what our guests remember.

 

[TinaC]

With the boom in rental use during the pandemic, I've already had it happen twice. I've got my dialogue down:

THEM: "Do you serve breakfast?"
ME: "I'm sorry, we only serve breakfast to our guests who are staying with us. It's included. Are you looking for a a place to stay?"
THEM: "Oh, no. We're renting the AirBnB down the street."
ME: "Oh. That's too bad. I hope next time you'll get a chance to stay with us an enjoy one of our gourmet breakfasts while you're staying here. Um, the restaurant down the street serves breakfast.".

(But it's not a very good one)

 

[TinaC]

Beautiful Swann, let me Angel's advocate: What an opportunity! If the non-guests look not to be headbangers or such, "Yes, for a breakfast charge, we will serve you our delicious home made etc. breakfast." Welcome them in, serve with pleasure. When they feel your warm hospitality, taste your scrumptious food, experience your friendly service and take in the decor' and ambiance of your warm, inviting dining room, chances are they'll tell their friends and book next trip, not at the air head B&B but with The Beautiful Swann. Cheers!

 

[gillumhouse]

Beautiful Swann, let me Angel's advocate: What an opportunity! If the non-guests look not to be headbangers or such, "Yes, for a breakfast charge, we will serve you our delicious home made etc. breakfast." Welcome them in, serve with pleasure. When they feel your warm hospitality, taste your scrumptious food, experience your friendly service and take in the decor' and ambiance of your warm, inviting dining room, chances are they'll tell their friends and book next trip, not at the air head B&B but with The Beautiful Swann. Cheers!

TinaC - that is nor permitted. IF I were to serve breakfast to a non-guest, I would be considered a restaurant with all the rules & regs of a restaurant including a commercial kitchen. No thank you. PLUS, I do not want to work that hard. Being a B & B is quite enough.

 

[TinaC]

TinaC - that is nor permitted. IF I were to serve breakfast to a non-guest, I would be considered a restaurant with all the rules & regs of a restaurant including a commercial kitchen. No thank you. PLUS, I do not want to work that hard. Being a B & B is quite enough.

I hear ya, Gillumhouse. Maybe I'd seen something that wasn't suppose to be or perhaps each state has different laws? I was at a B&B (actually, happened twice) where folks came off the street and were allowed to pay for and have breakfast. And then, the above is only for those who want to. A new B&B or struggling property trying to drum up biz, get name out.

 

[gillumhouse]

I hear ya, Gillumhouse. Maybe I'd seen something that wasn't suppose to be or perhaps each state has different laws? I was at a B&B (actually, happened twice) where folks came off the street and were allowed to pay for and have breakfast. And then, the above is only for those who want to. A new B&B or struggling property trying to drum up biz, get name out.

Depends on the State AND/OR the B & B had a restaurant license.

 

[GoodScout]

Also depends on how infested your town is with AirBnBs. For us, our breakfast is one of our key points of differentiation. Giving guests the chance to lowball a price and stay at a rental and still get the benefits our guests enjoy is an option we choose not to provide.

We offer overnight guests a gourmet breakfast, a free car-charging station, complimentary sodas and snacks, a hot tub. If we open those up to those who choose not to stay with us, then what value is there to book with us?

I understand your point, but in our market the rentals are so numerous that if we started allowing walk-ins to have breakfasts, we'd be a restaurant and not a B&B in no time.

 

[Anon Inn]

I have a restaurant license and can serve those not staying here. It does depend on local regs.

 

[Como Depot]

I used to be open to the general public, people kept telling me that Breakfast was easy and a good money maker, that was not my experience. I think you need volume, you need staff.

 

[KenW]

Depends on where you are and how you are set up. We are a lodge and we offer a full blown buffet which is definitely one of the deciding factors for our guests to stay with us.

 

[Arks]

...we offer a full blown buffet...

the idea of a buffet right now scares me to death! I think it will be a long time before most people are comfortable with the standard buffet, where for everything you add to your plate, you pick up a spoon or tongs everybody else in the place has handled, and pick up food everybody else has breathed on.

And then there are the people who reuse the same plate for seconds, and tap the serving spoon on their dirty plate when they go back for refills!

Here, the buffet places have all switched to cafeteria style. You tell them what you want and they put it on the plate. "Seconds" always go on a new plate.

 

[An Old Tavernkeeper]

We are still doing full sit down breakfast. Our dining room can easily host all guests socially distanced but if someone wants breakfast alone we are happy to do it at 7:30 or at 9:30 so they aren't there at the normal 8:30 sit down. Since we reopened on May 8th we have only had one couple not eat at the usual 8:30 seating.

Guests know that bnbs are cleaner than hotels and guests are seeking us out because they know they can get a full served breakfast.

 

[An Old Tavernkeeper]

"Seconds" always go on a new plate.

This has been the law in Virginia since the 1970's. We can't even refill a juice glass, if it leaves the table it must be replaced.

 

[Arks]

We are still doing full sit down breakfast. Our dining room can easily host all guests socially distanced...

Yes, if you have the room to keep them well apart, there's no strong reason to avoid a sit down breakfast. But if someone has C19, the longer you spend in the same room with them, the more likely you'll receive a large enough virus exposure to make you sick.

So I'm still avoiding dining in a restaurant. I'm not afraid to go in, well masked, to pick something up, but I don't want to stay in there 30 minutes or longer.

 

[Morticia]

Yes, if you have the room to keep them well apart, there's no strong reason to avoid a sit down breakfast. But if someone has C19, the longer you spend in the same room with them, the more likely you'll receive a large enough virus exposure to make you sick.

So I'm still avoiding dining in a restaurant. I'm not afraid to go in, well masked, to pick something up, but I don't want to stay in there 30 minutes or longer.

We’re lucky we can keep the windows open mostly all summer. We only seat two rooms in the dining room now. All other tables/chairs have been removed.

 

[TinaC]

Enjoying the conversation. I learn something every time. Thanks, gang!

 

[TinaC]

Thanks

Enjoying the conversation. I learn something every time. Thanks, gang!

Thanks, RD!