We had a whole house rental for a 50th birthday party. All of the ladies brought a dish for the first night's dinner as they were going out the second night for a really expensive, fancy dinner and wanted to relax as they were all arriving at different times. They all brought their food in crock pots and set them on the dining tables they pushed against the wall to get to the plugs. I never touched any of the food and they were really great about not being messy. I did have a couple forget large serving spoons so I lent them mine. But I would not heat up anyone's food in my oven. Maybe you can suggest this if your comfortable with it so they don't need your kitchen.
Now that being said, I've had guests that I have used their own food. One guest brought along some quinoa and spinach that she made up and I heated that up for her in the morning and served her dish warmed up along with her husbands -- she was having problems digesting after a surgery. Guests have brought non-dairy milks or gluten free breads and have asked that I make their french toast with those. So it all depends on what you want to do.
For me, the worst was the guest who came to the door during breakfast and hands my husband her warm bottles of breast milk and says "can you please put these in your refrigerator, and I'll be needing you to do that all four days each time I pump." Well a quick trip to Walmart got me a mini fridge that I setup in her room and had waiting for her later that day with her bottles in it so she could do this all her own. I now use that fridge for any guests who arrive who are diabetic - I surprise them and have the fridge setup in their room and tell them that I know they'd feel more comfortable keeping their insulin close by. The $60 was so worth it..
We will cook up foods for breakfast that guests bring. But we're talking their special bread not a full meal for five.
I think it's really pushy of the guest to tell the innkeeper they are bringing a meal they expect her to heat up and serve and clean up after. Drinks? Will they expect her to provide coffee service, too?
And this doesn't even get into the other guests who are wondering why they have to go out for a meal when obviously dinner is included.
I'm just grumpy we are put into these situations.
Yes, some guests are very respectful but we've just had too many show up expecting to use the kitchen for all of their lunches and dinners.
One group refused to get out of my kitchen. I had to stand there until they gave up. They told dh they would clean up in the morning. He asked who was getting up at 5am so the kitchen was ready for him to start their breakfast?
They were so sarcastic with us it was unbelievable. When I repeatedly told them no access to the kitchen one stood just outside the kitchen and put her toe in the kitchen and smirked at me.
This is what I remember when another innkeeper gets this sort of demand.
Because I wouldn't let them use the kitchen they shoved all their food at me and said, "then YOU cook it for us!" It was a terrible situation for us to be put in.
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