Worst Breakfast you've ever been served?

[user 26]

just had to ask ...
i know WE all pride ourselves on serving the very BEST of breakfasts....
but what is the worst you've been served? doesn't have to be at a b&b. and we can all forgive a mishap or a flub.
two breakfasts come to mind
grand prize for worst goes to an inn that served me COLD 'runny' fried eggs and hard bacon, and the eggs were congealed (i think that's the right term) in grey bacon grease that looks like what is in the grease can you pour off the pan that sets up. this was a cook's choice breakfast. i got up from the table, grabbed my bag and got out of there.
runner ups goes to a b&b that served dry cereal (in the box) but didn't put out milk; dry toast ... no butter, or jam ... and a tepid cup of tea ... you guessed it ... no sugar, 1/2 and 1/2, milk offered. she left it on the table (i was the only guest) and called to me as i headed down the stairs 'your breakfast is set out for you on the table' ... i had to go in search of her to ask for some milk for the cereal. and she was not happy about my hunting her up. and this place advertised a 'sumptuous breakfast .... with hot entree' still does.

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

My worst breakfast was not at a B&B in the states. I'll have to say that I have always had good meals at every B&B I have ever stayed at in America - and that's a lot of B&Bs. Sure, sometimes it was a continental spread midweek - but it was still a decent spread and nothing to complain about. Sure, sometimes the innkeeper may miss a few beats. But most of the time, it's lovely.
No my worst breakfast was at a B&B in Croatia. The breakfast was bread. Not toast, bread. Packages of sliced bread left on a table with one accompaniment: butter. No jam. No juice. Bad coffee. Really bad coffee.
But at the time, that was actually a much better breakfast than most people in Croatia could dream of having, so I gladly ate the bread, drank the bad coffee, and went about my day. I'm guessing that if that B&B is still there that they're doing a better spread. But that's really just a guess.

 

[Morticia]

Burnt. Don't remember what it was but it was a casserole and we were supposed to help ourselves. There was toast, bagels & English muffins, so I had the only whole bagel in the plastic bag. The next day the same English muffins and half a bagel were put out again. With the same jar of peanut butter with jelly smeared in it.
Cold. Both an innkeeper AND a cook and 5 feet to the kitchen and it was cold when it hit the table. I hate cold eggs.
Continental. But this was more the 'ambiance' than the food which was just cereal and muffins. It was in what can only be called an annex. The innkeeper's office was thru one door (phone ringing all thru breakfast, arguments on the phone) and the other door had the laundry so the housekeepers were going thru the whole time with laundry. Picnic tables. Sticky picnic tables.
I definitely knew what I didn't want my place to look like.

 

[JBloggs]

Hey I just had it two weeks ago. THE WORST. I would love to share where...but won't. I tried to TA it and they weren't even on there, and so I had to have them added, and btw they now are added with a link that no one has paid for? AND the name they have on the listing is a Corp, not the name of the restaurant, so I dropped it.
In Gloucester VA.

 

[Don Draper]

An apple dumpling with vanilla ice cream, that's IT. Good thing there was an excellent diner nearby. This after the woman had checked us in the day before in her bath robe, slippers and hair curlers. Great story though, we still laugh about it!

 

[wendydk]

We stayed at a B&B in a really old house on Market Street in Charleston, SC several years ago. Great location, really large great upstairs carriage house room with french doors all around and a wonderful magnolia tree outside. Never met the innkeepers, was a self check-in (unbeknownst to us beforehand). They are not allowed to serve hot breakfast, so our kitchenette had bagels, milk, juice, jam and such for the first morning when we checked in. Stayed three days, never saw anyone and breakfast items were never replenished, room was never cleaned. No answer on the main house door whenever we knocked.
That being said, still one of my favorite places because the room and location were so awesome....and being left completely to ourselves had a charm of it's own!

 

[Morticia]

We stayed at a B&B in a really old house on Market Street in Charleston, SC several years ago. Great location, really large great upstairs carriage house room with french doors all around and a wonderful magnolia tree outside. Never met the innkeepers, was a self check-in (unbeknownst to us beforehand). They are not allowed to serve hot breakfast, so our kitchenette had bagels, milk, juice, jam and such for the first morning when we checked in. Stayed three days, never saw anyone and breakfast items were never replenished, room was never cleaned. No answer on the main house door whenever we knocked.
That being said, still one of my favorite places because the room and location were so awesome....and being left completely to ourselves had a charm of it's own!.

It is one of the things I hate about staying in Charleston- the TOTAL lack of care for guests. They are full so often they really don't need to care about whether or not you are having an enjoyable stay. My 'continental' story was from Charleston.
We finally found a place we like there. We now understand the whole continental brekkie thing. Still don't get the 'no room cleaning' thing. Oh, not that someone didn't walk thru our room while we were out, but it was basically to pick up the dirty towels and hang them back up. Arrrrgh. The towels were DIRTY, that's why they were in the tub. Not because I'm a slob!
Then, the manager asked us if we wanted to switch rooms to a bigger one, so we did and to this day I still wonder if the next guests in the first room we had got a clean room or our dirty one!
Nope, customer service is not a priority. I guess it doesn't need to be.

 

[Samster]

Wow! I don't have a story that even comes close to some of those. The worst was probably a really dry, overcooked waffle which has happened a few times. Oh! I did have a stale Big Box Club muffin left with an overripe banana, bad coffee, and watered down OJ in a room fridge. That was an "expansive Continental". I forgot about that until I was typing this....

 

[gillumhouse]

I booked our friends and us in a B & B in Vermont. In 1987 we paid $68.00 PER ROOM about a month prior to arrival as it was to be prepaid. That evening the innkeeper stopped in and we sat talking B & B because I was planning to do one and was asking questions. She said she did her "chatting with guests" in the evening because she had a kennel and the mornings were very busy with the dogs. The kitchen was stocked and we were to just fix whatever we wanted for breakfast and just leave it for her to clean up. Disappointing (did not know this in advance) this was billed as a B & B not a guesthouse.
Next morning I go into the kitchen as designated fixer - only to discover coffee, enough OJ for maybe one person, and One - yes, that is ONE egg for 4 people! It was not as if we were walk-ins or she did not know how many would be in the party. She had our checks! We went looking for a diner.

 

[Copperhead]

Well LB - I think their sister B&B was in south GA at one time! The downstairs was set up as a cafe - lunch only. When we checked in we were pointed to the fridge and said that our breakfast would be in there - help ourselves! We had booked 2 nights, no cleaning what so ever in fact we had to search for our own towels. Then in the AM I went down to prepare our breakfast... NO coffee, enough OJ for each of us to have a small (juice size) glass and some donuts (yesterday's). And looking in the fridge, I could see that this was their restaurant fridge - lots of stuff. And yes, it did cross my mind to find the kitchen and cook... (This was when our innkeeper days were only a dream.) I think we hit mickey d's that morning and the second one we did not even bother looking in the fridge.

 

[One Day]

Some of these horror stories...
do you think it's burn out of the host?
Just don't care?
or perhaps squeezing every nickle of profit?
Don't like to cook?
From reading this forum over time.....I have gathered that you all have a passion for what you do.....and are truly a caring bunch..............so.......what is it that causes these breakfast nightmares?

 

[Copperhead]

Some of these horror stories...
do you think it's burn out of the host?
Just don't care?
or perhaps squeezing every nickle of profit?
Don't like to cook?
From reading this forum over time.....I have gathered that you all have a passion for what you do.....and are truly a caring bunch..............so.......what is it that causes these breakfast nightmares?.

Some of these horror stories...
do you think it's burn out of the host?
Just don't care?
or perhaps squeezing every nickle of profit?
Don't like to cook?
From reading this forum over time.....I have gathered that you all have a passion for what you do.....and are truly a caring bunch..............so.......what is it that causes these breakfast nightmares?
I think that for the one I mentioned it was that they plainly did not know what they were doing! REALLY, no clue! They did not last long at either business (cafe` or B&B without the 2nd B). I didn't tell the entire story of this place, that I will save for another time.

 

[user 26]

well, one of the places was for sale so could be burnout. the other ... i don't know.
that being said, i had a lovely breakfast at a place for sale in new hampshire. really nice egg baked in a crust like a popover. fresh fruit. very nice.

 

[Eleanor Brown]

Not at a B&B but worth a mention - it was on Japan Airlines, and it was a cold, savoury, completely flavourless rice pudding/semolina-y kind of thing with a lumpy meat sauce swirled in the middle of it. I didn't eat it, but I was more annoyed that they had woken me up to receive it.
Also at a guesthouse in Rome - coffee, dry crackers and chocolate Twinkies-type things.

 

[Morticia]

Some of these horror stories...
do you think it's burn out of the host?
Just don't care?
or perhaps squeezing every nickle of profit?
Don't like to cook?
From reading this forum over time.....I have gathered that you all have a passion for what you do.....and are truly a caring bunch..............so.......what is it that causes these breakfast nightmares?.

Some of these horror stories...
do you think it's burn out of the host?
Just don't care?
or perhaps squeezing every nickle of profit?
Don't like to cook?
From reading this forum over time.....I have gathered that you all have a passion for what you do.....and are truly a caring bunch..............so.......what is it that causes these breakfast nightmares?

In some cases, it's the nickel-squeezing and just not caring what we thought (not going to remake a burnt breakfast because we could just 'eat around it'). In other cases it's missing the point of what guests come for. Or, just not seeing anymore how this looks to a guest because it's been done that way so long. (Another reason we all need to travel & stay at other B&B's.)

 

[EmptyNest]

Greasy home fries, greasy fried pork chops and greasy eggs...can you guess where? TN.

 

[JBloggs]

Just because you run a B&B doesn't mean the second B is important. My worst B&B breakfast was in Bristol TN. Absolutely the worst. Why? CHEAP.
May I make a suggestion? Unless you have a gourmet hand, don't serve food segmented on a big plate, ie if you aren't going to garnish or throw some color onto the plate, serve bigger portions or use smaller plates. I am describing this breakfast where there was (picture this plate):

• One scambled egg. (who scrambles one egg per person? Skin flints!)
• One slice of bacon (again, who eats one slice of bacon?)
• 1/4 of a banana (divided between the 4 of us I believe, 2 of which were the innkeepers who sat down with us to eat - didn't ask, and monopolized our only breakfast alone and away in yonks)
• On a little side plate she had taken refrigerated crescent rolls and made them into "a" little cinnamon roll each. Disgusting. I have had these doctored up and good, these were not doctored up, nor were they good.
• Teensy glass of juice and FLAVORED COFFEE that gave us a gut ache, and ONLY powdered creamer (I don't use cream, but didn't appreciate powdered creamer, again, cheap!)

Day two was worse, DH believed the french toast was made from a hot dog bun. He still believes this. We joke about it in our kitchen. You know, "Wonder if the guests will notice this is a hot dog bun?" sort of thing.
Now having said all that, if the atmosphere was grand we might not have noticed how horrible the breakfast was, but having the innkeepers sit down, and here the story gets even better - reach out to take our hands to pray before the meal. Excuse me? Who are you? Didn't ask. (No they did not know we were innkeepers).
Oh yeah we were in Ma and Pa's HOUSE alright. So whenever innkeepers talk of HOMEY I envision this place, unfortunately, I do not wish to be in someone's home, I am PAYING to stay at an Inn. If I were in someone's home I better being paying homestay rates.
We need to keep guest areas guest areas, we need to respect guests privacy, they are not there to see us. I know we hear they are, but they aren't. They are paying to stay at a Bed and Breakfast, not our house. Sure we can enhance their stay and make it even more delightful...

 

[wendydk]

Just because you run a B&B doesn't mean the second B is important. My worst B&B breakfast was in Bristol TN. Absolutely the worst. Why? CHEAP.
May I make a suggestion? Unless you have a gourmet hand, don't serve food segmented on a big plate, ie if you aren't going to garnish or throw some color onto the plate, serve bigger portions or use smaller plates. I am describing this breakfast where there was (picture this plate):

• One scambled egg. (who scrambles one egg per person? Skin flints!)
• One slice of bacon (again, who eats one slice of bacon?)
• 1/4 of a banana (divided between the 4 of us I believe, 2 of which were the innkeepers who sat down with us to eat - didn't ask, and monopolized our only breakfast alone and away in yonks)
• On a little side plate she had taken refrigerated crescent rolls and made them into "a" little cinnamon roll each. Disgusting. I have had these doctored up and good, these were not doctored up, nor were they good.
• Teensy glass of juice and FLAVORED COFFEE that gave us a gut ache, and ONLY powdered creamer (I don't use cream, but didn't appreciate powdered creamer, again, cheap!)

Day two was worse, DH believed the french toast was made from a hot dog bun. He still believes this. We joke about it in our kitchen. You know, "Wonder if the guests will notice this is a hot dog bun?" sort of thing.
Now having said all that, if the atmosphere was grand we might not have noticed how horrible the breakfast was, but having the innkeepers sit down, and here the story gets even better - reach out to take our hands to pray before the meal. Excuse me? Who are you? Didn't ask. (No they did not know we were innkeepers).
Oh yeah we were in Ma and Pa's HOUSE alright. So whenever innkeepers talk of HOMEY I envision this place, unfortunately, I do not wish to be in someone's home, I am PAYING to stay at an Inn. If I were in someone's home I better being paying homestay rates.
We need to keep guest areas guest areas, we need to respect guests privacy, they are not there to see us. I know we hear they are, but they aren't. They are paying to stay at a Bed and Breakfast, not our house. Sure we can enhance their stay and make it even more delightful....

I do not wish to be in someone's home, I am PAYING to stay at an Inn. If I were in someone's home I better being paying homestay rates.

Aren't we all taking guests into our homes? But I hear what you're saying....it's all about boundaries! The Innkeepers who do it best do both; we welcome guests into our homes, and then give them just the right blend of privacy and attention.

 

[JBloggs]

Respectfully, no. We are not, we live separately, it is not our home, it is the inn. We advertise an Inn, not a private home stay. We didn't open our home up to guests, we bought an inn.
I just saw this and wanted to share from here:
Your business is a mechanism to do good things for people.
By doing an excellent job for your customers, you improve their lives in a way that they want.
Are you improving lives today?

 

[Morticia]

Just because you run a B&B doesn't mean the second B is important. My worst B&B breakfast was in Bristol TN. Absolutely the worst. Why? CHEAP.
May I make a suggestion? Unless you have a gourmet hand, don't serve food segmented on a big plate, ie if you aren't going to garnish or throw some color onto the plate, serve bigger portions or use smaller plates. I am describing this breakfast where there was (picture this plate):

• One scambled egg. (who scrambles one egg per person? Skin flints!)
• One slice of bacon (again, who eats one slice of bacon?)
• 1/4 of a banana (divided between the 4 of us I believe, 2 of which were the innkeepers who sat down with us to eat - didn't ask, and monopolized our only breakfast alone and away in yonks)
• On a little side plate she had taken refrigerated crescent rolls and made them into "a" little cinnamon roll each. Disgusting. I have had these doctored up and good, these were not doctored up, nor were they good.
• Teensy glass of juice and FLAVORED COFFEE that gave us a gut ache, and ONLY powdered creamer (I don't use cream, but didn't appreciate powdered creamer, again, cheap!)

Day two was worse, DH believed the french toast was made from a hot dog bun. He still believes this. We joke about it in our kitchen. You know, "Wonder if the guests will notice this is a hot dog bun?" sort of thing.
Now having said all that, if the atmosphere was grand we might not have noticed how horrible the breakfast was, but having the innkeepers sit down, and here the story gets even better - reach out to take our hands to pray before the meal. Excuse me? Who are you? Didn't ask. (No they did not know we were innkeepers).
Oh yeah we were in Ma and Pa's HOUSE alright. So whenever innkeepers talk of HOMEY I envision this place, unfortunately, I do not wish to be in someone's home, I am PAYING to stay at an Inn. If I were in someone's home I better being paying homestay rates.
We need to keep guest areas guest areas, we need to respect guests privacy, they are not there to see us. I know we hear they are, but they aren't. They are paying to stay at a Bed and Breakfast, not our house. Sure we can enhance their stay and make it even more delightful....

Oh yeah we were in Ma and Pa's HOUSE alright. So whenever innkeepers talk of HOMEY I envision this place, unfortunately, I do not wish to be in someone's home, I am PAYING to stay at an Inn. If I were in someone's home I better being paying homestay rates.

We probably hear the one word more often than any other...'homey'. I know what you mean, tho, I don't want to be in someone's home, either. I want my own space. I want to be able to sit down in the living room or on the porch and not feel like I'm interrupting someone's family time, TV program or whatever.
Odd how I was just thinking of starting a thread on how visible are you, the innkeeper, during the guests' stay. I'll do that now.