Selling Breakfast

at our lodge property we only do a continental buffet breakfast but feel we are struggling to sell it or perhaps have been a bit passive in selling it either way its got to stop.
I am currently paying a member of staff when I think its justified running a breakfast service £8 an hour or $10.51 to do about 3 breakfasts which is making a MASSIVE loss - breakfast is a bargain at £4.50 (round me its £2.80 for a coffee on its own!) so any suggestions on how to better upsell would be appreciated - in contrast have had 2 couples for 2 days only had continental and no cooked! mystery!
I am doing these steps but any other suggestions will be welcomed (1) every time someone books email to say do you want breakfast adding? (2) sign in reception saying what you get plus that you can just turn up for it and it will be added to your bill - (3) updated welcome letter with list of what is included on the back and price (4) new welcome folders with good pictures of the buffet in action
Emailing people who didn't have any to ask why and what would have tempted them?
Any other suggestions?

I guess my question to you would be if it's only 4.50, why don't you just add it into the room rate? Those who want to eat will and those who don't are a windfall. Are you thinking that 4.50 will actually make a difference in selling your rooms?

Agree. If breakfast is "free," it seems like a better deal.

What's the makeup of the guests at the lodge? Mostly tourists? Mostly convention goers?
They may be selecting the lower price room because they know they will have something at the convention.
They aren't interested in breakfast. I sometimes think guests sit down to eat because 'they paid for it' and not because they want the breakfast.
Can you have the few guests who opt to have breakfast come over to the main building to get it? Free up that person to help out on the full breakfast?

Morticia said:

What's the makeup of the guests at the lodge? Mostly tourists? Mostly convention goers?
They may be selecting the lower price room because they know they will have something at the convention.
They aren't interested in breakfast. I sometimes think guests sit down to eat because 'they paid for it' and not because they want the breakfast.
Can you have the few guests who opt to have breakfast come over to the main building to get it? Free up that person to help out on the full breakfast?.

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its a mix
(1) workmen who have to be out before breakfast - fair enough and we will do a pack up from 6.30am for them if they want it.
(2) holiday people - now they seem to be going out for breakfast - we have a cheap pub which does a full English plus various hot options till 12pm for about the same price - food only - coffee tea etc extra
(3) some conference people who do get coffee and a croissant there or bits and bobs of food if they are starting early.
We do accommodate a few extras here when we arn't too busy but its a space and capacity in the kitchen issue more than 18 and people have a 20 min wait and I don't feel its fair to squash in lodge people when they could have booked here if they wanted because they couldn't be bothered to read properly.

I should have gone over and looked at the Lodge - I think Cambs did not take me over because of the stairs, my knees were, by this time, not happy with stairs. There are a LOT of stairs in Europe and Scandinavia
Her current set-up would be hard-pressed to take any more guests for breakfast. Her B & B is lovely, but if they both were not so used to who does what when in that kitchen, it would be a disaster. It is a 1.5 butt kitchen. And if she was not doing a scrape, rinse, put in dishwasher as tables are bussed, it would be impossible - no place to put the dirties except the dishwasher.
Many in the UK (I have noticed it on the other Forums) are going with prices with NO breakfast. So, yes, it may make a difference. When she says she is across from theConference Center - I looked at it from my room with a crosswalk between the buildings.

I would include breakfast and raise your room rate enough to cover costs (including the paying of staff when need be). No question of of do you want breakfast or not. No discount for a non breakfast - all who stay are welcome to the breakfast included in room rate. See how it goes. But no way should serving breakfast cost you so it should not be a huge bargain. It should be a great breakfast and so convenient for your guests.
If it's a burden financially, why offer it? Maybe just sell wrapped muffins and to-go items?
I was shocked to learn the new owner of my old place no longer offers breakfast. It was such a HUGE part of staying there. ah well, different points of view.

seashanty said:

I would include breakfast and raise your room rate enough to cover costs (including the paying of staff when need be). No question of of do you want breakfast or not. No discount for a non breakfast - all who stay are welcome to the breakfast included in room rate. See how it goes. But no way should serving breakfast cost you so it should not be a huge bargain. It should be a great breakfast and so convenient for your guests.
If it's a burden financially, why offer it? Maybe just sell wrapped muffins and to-go items?
I was shocked to learn the new owner of my old place no longer offers breakfast. It was such a HUGE part of staying there. ah well, different points of view..

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trouble is its a can't please every one and you can't make them read
(1) we did pack up delivered to your room breakfast - they complained there was no where to eat it
(2) we completed half the breakfast room and did a cold buffet - they complain there is no hot option or don't come at all - we sold more pack up breakfasts than buffet breakfasts which is ironic as we provide a lot more!

During a recent girls getaway jaunt we stayed at a generic hotel (one of our party needed a pool) . The breakfast buffet was included - hard boiled eggs, lackluster cut fruit, coffee, tea and orange juice choices, toast and packet jam. We elected to skip it in favor of a hot breakfast elsewhere. Part of the motivation was that a restaurant would provide a more convivial atmosphere than the space provided by the generic hotel. It was mentioned in this post that a full English is provided close by. I might be tempted by that over cold choices at the inn.

Anon Inn said:

During a recent girls getaway jaunt we stayed at a generic hotel (one of our party needed a pool) . The breakfast buffet was included - hard boiled eggs, lackluster cut fruit, coffee, tea and orange juice choices, toast and packet jam. We elected to skip it in favor of a hot breakfast elsewhere. Part of the motivation was that a restaurant would provide a more convivial atmosphere than the space provided by the generic hotel. It was mentioned in this post that a full English is provided close by. I might be tempted by that over cold choices at the inn..

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Believe me there are good hot choices all over near by I am not fooling myself over what is on offer - its more the week day people who are on a budget and don't want to pay £10 for breakfast and don't want cooked every day so they don't die of cholesterol!

Anon Inn said:

During a recent girls getaway jaunt we stayed at a generic hotel (one of our party needed a pool) . The breakfast buffet was included - hard boiled eggs, lackluster cut fruit, coffee, tea and orange juice choices, toast and packet jam. We elected to skip it in favor of a hot breakfast elsewhere. Part of the motivation was that a restaurant would provide a more convivial atmosphere than the space provided by the generic hotel. It was mentioned in this post that a full English is provided close by. I might be tempted by that over cold choices at the inn..

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Believe me there are good hot choices all over near by I am not fooling myself over what is on offer - its more the week day people who are on a budget and don't want to pay £10 for breakfast and don't want cooked every day so they don't die of cholesterol!

Why don't you just sell it as a delivered basket that's preordered and cut out the hourly cost...
Per person price.

• A small thermos of hot water or coffee
  (with tea bags or instant hot chocolate), small cream or milk, sugar.
• A small selection of pastries, American muffins and croissant and a few packets of jam, marmalade and/or butter
• Packet of oatmeal (small thermos of water to make it)
• Packet of cereal (small milk to go with it)

Delivered in the morning to their room.
Cleaned out later by housekeeping.
Let's your move the cost of maintaining and cleaning to the housekeeping budget and doesn't mean someone has to watch the whole time. If they want to leave with the pastries, they can. And if you want, you can make the thermos an optional purchase at GBP15 with free refills. If they do buy them, you add your logo, if they don't, they know the price of taking them on the road.

Generic said:

Why don't you just sell it as a delivered basket that's preordered and cut out the hourly cost...
Per person price.

• A small thermos of hot water or coffee
  (with tea bags or instant hot chocolate), small cream or milk, sugar.
• A small selection of pastries, American muffins and croissant and a few packets of jam, marmalade and/or butter
• Packet of oatmeal (small thermos of water to make it)
• Packet of cereal (small milk to go with it)

Delivered in the morning to their room.
Cleaned out later by housekeeping.
Let's your move the cost of maintaining and cleaning to the housekeeping budget and doesn't mean someone has to watch the whole time. If they want to leave with the pastries, they can. And if you want, you can make the thermos an optional purchase at GBP15 with free refills. If they do buy them, you add your logo, if they don't, they know the price of taking them on the road..

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they have tea and coffee making facilities in their rooms so that's not an issue - did pack up breakfasts 1 bacon sandwich (could be replaced with a danish) fruit, yogurt or porridge which you just add water to (ie kettle in the room) cereal bar and carton of juice - but they complained there was no where in the room to eat it - we don't have massive bedrooms and if one of a couple is eating at the desk the other one doesn't have anywhere else. The breakfast buffet was supposed to cut down work for us - which it does - just a mystery that we are selling less for basically the same thing but in a breakfast room setting!

Jcam said:

Generic said:

Why don't you just sell it as a delivered basket that's preordered and cut out the hourly cost...
Per person price.

• A small thermos of hot water or coffee
  (with tea bags or instant hot chocolate), small cream or milk, sugar.
• A small selection of pastries, American muffins and croissant and a few packets of jam, marmalade and/or butter
• Packet of oatmeal (small thermos of water to make it)
• Packet of cereal (small milk to go with it)

Delivered in the morning to their room.
Cleaned out later by housekeeping.
Let's your move the cost of maintaining and cleaning to the housekeeping budget and doesn't mean someone has to watch the whole time. If they want to leave with the pastries, they can. And if you want, you can make the thermos an optional purchase at GBP15 with free refills. If they do buy them, you add your logo, if they don't, they know the price of taking them on the road..

Click to expand...

they have tea and coffee making facilities in their rooms so that's not an issue - did pack up breakfasts 1 bacon sandwich (could be replaced with a danish) fruit, yogurt or porridge which you just add water to (ie kettle in the room) cereal bar and carton of juice - but they complained there was no where in the room to eat it - we don't have massive bedrooms and if one of a couple is eating at the desk the other one doesn't have anywhere else. The breakfast buffet was supposed to cut down work for us - which it does - just a mystery that we are selling less for basically the same thing but in a breakfast room setting!
.

Click to expand...

Okay, set it on it's ear and see where it goes...
Deliver to the room in a reusable bag with an invitation to come and enjoy with coffee/tea in the dining room. Set up tables, but no food, just coffee/tea in an airpot a small counter fridge with cream/milk.
So only those who preordered can get it, because it's in their room. A basket where they can leave the reusable bag (or a paper bag that's easily recycled)
So you provide a place they can eat, or they can eat in the room. But you don't have to have someone around other than maybe once an hour to check that there is coffee left. Or you drop by with a fresh airpot and take the other airpot back with you to use where you can watch it. Use packaged creamers. And clear the tables, if need be.
GBP10 if you want to take the lunch bag with you. A frozen pack if they needed milk.