What do you do when....

[River Wren]

I am only starting to come out from behind the Innkeeping scene and being given more responsibility here.
What do you do when your 2 night guests in a luxury suite miss breakfast and come down an hour after the kitchen is closed and cleaned and want to eat?

 

[wendydk]

If your breakfast hours are well advertised, posted and explained at checkin...tell them the kitchen is closed unless you're willing to offer cereal or something similar. If you're not willing, then just tell them "I'm sorry, the kitchen closes at XXX, but there is a wonderful restaurant/cafe/bakery wherever".

 

[Morticia]

We have cereal that is out all day, 'Help yourselves!' You know we just had guests who were 5 minutes late and the kitchen was cleaned up and dark but hubs fed them anyway. An hour later we're not even around.

 

[Copperhead]

For the future (maybe it is done now?) make sure each guest is told at check in the time or time frame breakfast is served each morning, we also have this stated in our guest books in each room.
For me, a few minutes late I would serve them (usually hold off a little if I know guests have not shown), an hour late and I am busy cleanning, whether it is the kitchen, rooms or common areas.. At that time they are on their own. Some may take me up on cereal I offer or then I let them know of local eateries that may serve a later breakfast.

 

[user 26]

two questions ... is there a sign in the room saying when breakfast is?
is there a clock in the room (clock radio, alarm clock, whatever)?
i ask this because i stayed at a place with a restaurant in-house. i was not told and did not think to ask what time complimentary breakfast was served. (pre innkeeping days) at 9 am i went downstairs and the dining room was closed, all food was gone except for coffee and hard boiled eggs. restaurant aspect of dining room re-opened for dinner at 4.
turns out breakfast was over at 9 and too bad for me. i was really upset though i did not complain. i took an egg and went back upstairs to pack and found an alarm clock radio in one of the bureau drawers.
it's possible someone mentioned breakfast time to me when i checked in but i don't think so.
when i started running my place, this stuck out in my mind. so i made little tent cards using 'free' postcards from vista print and folded card stock to make the tent. had a cute picture of yummy food with the breakfast time printed on it. i put those RIGHT ON THE BEDS when the room was iced so that the guest would have to see the card and move it to climb into bed.
to answer your question ... if i could accommodate them, i would. but only if i could do it with a smile. it would be basic breakfast and i would be sure they knew what time complimentary breakfast was served.

 

[egoodell]

We offer them a "continental" - coffee, their muffin which was put out hot but still edible, and their fruit which is still in the fridge until we're sure they don't want anything to eat. This is done because we always confirm with them that breakfast is at 8:30 on check in. If they didn't come to the dining room, that means they didn't want to get up to eat.
Riki

 

[wendydk]

I will also comment that, on more than one occassion, guests did not make the normal breakfast time. In those cases, he sticks the plate in the oven on warm. Usually, the guest would straggle down 15-30 minutes and join guests at the table already eating or finshed and were always happy that we saved them a plate. But an hour?? Not likely...that's inconsiderate to the maximum unacceptable level....

 

[Proud Texan]

We also have a set time of 8:30. We only have two rooms and so can be somewhat flexible if we have only one couple or if both rooms agree on a different time.
When I show our guests to their room, I always tell them what time breakfast will be served. If they grimace at the stated time, then I will ask if another time is better and we will at least know to keep a plate warm for them.
Other times I discover that they don't want breakfast at all. I would not have known this if I hadn't asked. They would have left us with a fully cooked breakfast in the morning with no guests! I also ask who drinks coffee and who doesn't. That has also saved us a lot of waste.

 

[birdwatcher]

We always make sure that the guests know what time breakfast will be served and they have the choice of what time if its not before 7AM or after 9AM. If they arrive after the time we agreed to I will give them 15 minutes 30 at most and if they come after this sorry the kitchen is closed breakfast is over. You are not a restaurant.

 

[knerrsotb]

We always make sure that the guests know what time breakfast will be served and they have the choice of what time if its not before 7AM or after 9AM. If they arrive after the time we agreed to I will give them 15 minutes 30 at most and if they come after this sorry the kitchen is closed breakfast is over. You are not a restaurant..

One of the main reasons people come to our area is for the deep sea fishing. I'm guessing that we are going to be providing breakfast for many around 4:00am. My husband gets that shift~

 

[JBloggs]

We always make sure that the guests know what time breakfast will be served and they have the choice of what time if its not before 7AM or after 9AM. If they arrive after the time we agreed to I will give them 15 minutes 30 at most and if they come after this sorry the kitchen is closed breakfast is over. You are not a restaurant..

One of the main reasons people come to our area is for the deep sea fishing. I'm guessing that we are going to be providing breakfast for many around 4:00am. My husband gets that shift~

.

One of the main reasons people come to our area is for the deep sea fishing. I'm guessing that we are going to be providing breakfast for many around 4:00am. My husband gets that shift~

I sure hope you can do "you kill it we grill it" for them. Those I know who go to that area fishing look for that! AND appreciate that and TIP BIG for that. Catch of the day cooked right there. Can you make Ceviche? Another great way to use "their fish." I would promote all of that.

 

[egoodell]

We always make sure that the guests know what time breakfast will be served and they have the choice of what time if its not before 7AM or after 9AM. If they arrive after the time we agreed to I will give them 15 minutes 30 at most and if they come after this sorry the kitchen is closed breakfast is over. You are not a restaurant..

One of the main reasons people come to our area is for the deep sea fishing. I'm guessing that we are going to be providing breakfast for many around 4:00am. My husband gets that shift~

.

One of the main reasons people come to our area is for the deep sea fishing. I'm guessing that we are going to be providing breakfast for many around 4:00am. My husband gets that shift~

Wow I can't eat that early. If I were a guest I'd love a cool packed breakfast in a bag that I could grab and eat on the run like a great muffin and yogurt. And that could be left out the night before...
Riki

 

[Morticia]

Funny thing is, if you read up on what some B&B's are doing and what some guests are wanting, it is 'breakfast until check-out'. And there are innkeepers providing that because it gets the sleepy headed 20-somethings in the door.

 

[wendydk]

Funny thing is, if you read up on what some B&B's are doing and what some guests are wanting, it is 'breakfast until check-out'. And there are innkeepers providing that because it gets the sleepy headed 20-somethings in the door..

We get tons of sleepy headed 20-somethings, and they seem happy to have breakfast at 9am...haven't had but one or two skip breakfast in 6.5 years!

 

[user 26]

i also told guests during checkin what time breakfast was. but there was still the occasional guest who didn't hear me, was just yes-ing me or forgot. maybe i said too much at checkin and they were tired of listening. that's why the cards.
if they came late to breakfast, they missed my spectacular wit and charm and the ambiance of music and conversation with breakfast .... and had to sit alone at table after i served them. and would have to listen to the sounds of dishes being washed and laundry hauled to wherever. i'd put on the music but ... oh well. it wasn't a big deal. just an annoyance if they had an attitude.

 

[Morticia]

Funny thing is, if you read up on what some B&B's are doing and what some guests are wanting, it is 'breakfast until check-out'. And there are innkeepers providing that because it gets the sleepy headed 20-somethings in the door..

We get tons of sleepy headed 20-somethings, and they seem happy to have breakfast at 9am...haven't had but one or two skip breakfast in 6.5 years!
.

We get tons of sleepy headed 20-somethings, and they seem happy to have breakfast at 9am...haven't had but one or two skip breakfast in 6.5 years!

We joke around here that the day we plan to make quiche is the day everyone skips breakfast. And I mean everyone. From the 20-somethings to their grey-headed great grannies.
HOWEVER, the whole point of what I said was there are B&B's who are NOW offering breakfast 'when you get up.' And the reason they state they do that is for the younger crowd and to get the crowd that doesn't want to be held to a breakfast at 'the crack of dawn' but they still want to have brekkie.
I have quite a few long time guests who push the 9:30 limit pretty much to my breaking point. And a substantial number of guests who think 9:30 AM is the middle of the night. Not planning on changing the brekkie time anytime soon, so I do lose those guests who want to eat when they get up and not when I get up.
And yet, I found this weekend that because my guest room where I was staying was directly over the dining room EVERY loud, coughing, sneezing, screaming guest WAS up for brekkie at 8 AM and they all sat at the tables directly under my room! (I went back to sleep...brekkie went until 10 and most of the noise died down by 8:30.)

 

[Copperhead]

We always make sure that the guests know what time breakfast will be served and they have the choice of what time if its not before 7AM or after 9AM. If they arrive after the time we agreed to I will give them 15 minutes 30 at most and if they come after this sorry the kitchen is closed breakfast is over. You are not a restaurant..

One of the main reasons people come to our area is for the deep sea fishing. I'm guessing that we are going to be providing breakfast for many around 4:00am. My husband gets that shift~

.

I get some sports fishermen here and they are VERY happy with a bagged breakfast and hot coffee (which I set on a timer just for them), the wives will sleep in and come down for a full breakfast.
If this is going to be your main draw, I would do as suggested and make dinner from the catch and include dinner in your packaged rate. That sure beat waking for a 4 AM breakfast that most likely would not be eaten.

 

[Copperhead]

Funny thing is, if you read up on what some B&B's are doing and what some guests are wanting, it is 'breakfast until check-out'. And there are innkeepers providing that because it gets the sleepy headed 20-somethings in the door..

We get tons of sleepy headed 20-somethings, and they seem happy to have breakfast at 9am...haven't had but one or two skip breakfast in 6.5 years!
.

We get tons of sleepy headed 20-somethings, and they seem happy to have breakfast at 9am...haven't had but one or two skip breakfast in 6.5 years!

We joke around here that the day we plan to make quiche is the day everyone skips breakfast. And I mean everyone. From the 20-somethings to their grey-headed great grannies.
HOWEVER, the whole point of what I said was there are B&B's who are NOW offering breakfast 'when you get up.' And the reason they state they do that is for the younger crowd and to get the crowd that doesn't want to be held to a breakfast at 'the crack of dawn' but they still want to have brekkie.
I have quite a few long time guests who push the 9:30 limit pretty much to my breaking point. And a substantial number of guests who think 9:30 AM is the middle of the night. Not planning on changing the brekkie time anytime soon, so I do lose those guests who want to eat when they get up and not when I get up.
And yet, I found this weekend that because my guest room where I was staying was directly over the dining room EVERY loud, coughing, sneezing, screaming guest WAS up for brekkie at 8 AM and they all sat at the tables directly under my room! (I went back to sleep...brekkie went until 10 and most of the noise died down by 8:30.)
.

Bree, this is new to me..can't say I will change either.
I think that would cause a stretch the check out time by the late crowd and the younger set are already the last to check out (at least here), wanting to take in each and every second. Guess for those who have help, that would be easier than for me. Late (well last second) check outs cause more of a scramble for me to get all my work done before check-in, add clearing the dining table and kitchen to the mix and I would need a clone.

 

[gillumhouse]

We always make sure that the guests know what time breakfast will be served and they have the choice of what time if its not before 7AM or after 9AM. If they arrive after the time we agreed to I will give them 15 minutes 30 at most and if they come after this sorry the kitchen is closed breakfast is over. You are not a restaurant..

One of the main reasons people come to our area is for the deep sea fishing. I'm guessing that we are going to be providing breakfast for many around 4:00am. My husband gets that shift~

.

I get some sports fishermen here and they are VERY happy with a bagged breakfast and hot coffee (which I set on a timer just for them), the wives will sleep in and come down for a full breakfast.
If this is going to be your main draw, I would do as suggested and make dinner from the catch and include dinner in your packaged rate. That sure beat waking for a 4 AM breakfast that most likely would not be eaten.
.

I found that my last few EARLY horse owners told me they did not want early brekkie so I did a to-go that morning. I find they really do like the cornbread with the egg bake on it like a sandwich and it is sooo easy to do. I have some of those Glad containers (small ones) that I put the fruit in, give them some napkins, plastic spoon, muffins, and coffee to go and they are happy. I wrap the to-go in waxed paper so they can nuke it at one of their stops along the way if they want it warmed up.