Extra guest

[Country Girl]

Maddie, if that happened to me and the 4th person arrived at the same time the others were being seated, AND if I had enough food already prepared, I would feed them. Otherwise I would explain that I only prepared enough food for the actual number of guests and offer them coffee and granola. And yes, I would charge the person who invited them.

 

[EmptyNest]

So what did you do?
I said.,..feed them. Of course you want to be gracious but an explanation is also needed. If you don't have enough of the planned meal, then he/she has to eat whatever else you have there..Cereal etc.
I too like Kathleens response about only being able to serve registered guests....health dept, insurance regs etc etc. should be told the the person who put you in this situation. Obviously they don't have a clue if they let the person just go down to breakfast.

 

[Tom]

Happens here -- college town and children sometimes stay with parents although not originally planned, but I usually know the night before since they need an extra bed.
None of my breakfast is so tight I can't easily accommodate another mouth. Individual table service anyway so .. pull up an extra chair.
BUT, we will usually charge the $25 extra person fee unless it is a repeat or multi-night customer -- that is just straightforward business.

 

[MtnKeeper]

i fed them. basically take 1/3 off each plate and make it for the fourth person.
as for charging - was it one room or two? most places say maximum occ for my room is two ... and though i'm alone, right or wrong as a guest i assume i can bring someone along at no extra charge.
i would say they are probably not thinking this causes a problem in the kitchen.

You would assume you could bring some one else around to stay in your room! WOW! If you charge the same price for a room with two people or one person . This does not make a difference as the second person in this case was not a registered guest at the time of booking. It is also a safety issue when you bring in an unregistered person. Would I feed them ? No! plain and simply.
.

see - this confuses me. i stayed at a red ro of inn in june for two nights - had a friend with me who also stayed. we both stood at the counter checking in, both had our own luggage, but only i was asked for my name and id. no question at all about who the second person was staying with me.
staying at a b&b, i never brought in an 'extra' person unplanned for.
when i had the b&b, i always wanted to know who was staying since it was also my home ... but never found out the rules or actual laws about it. would think it's needed in case there was a fire or whatever. but often was not told who else was staying and had to ask.
are hotels lax in this area?
if this is the norm with hotels, do you think it's because these guests were 'hotel' people and used to being much more anonymous ... or something?

You would assume you could bring some one else around to stay in your room! WOW! If you charge the same price for a room with two people or one person . This does not make a difference as the second person in this case was not a registered guest at the time of booking. It is also a safety issue when you bring in an unregistered person. Would I feed them ? No! plain and simply.

.

In a Hotel they do charge per person. Yes do people sneak other in, You bet they do! But if you are caught you are charged. In this case you mention above you were both present at check in and the hotel/ Inn was dealing with the person who was paying for the room. In the B&B they were not there at check in...... But only showed up at breakfast.
Why take from people that paid for breakfast and give some of their proportion of breakfast, to a person that did not pay to stay?
Maddie question was would you charge them ? Yes I would for sure. You pay you stay and enjoy our labour of love, our beautiful breakfast.
We are not S.. .Army and give food away to the needed.
.

Maddie question was would you charge them ? Yes I would for sure. You pay you stay and enjoy our labour of love, our beautiful breakfast.
We are not S.. .Army and give food away to the needed.

My question was NOT about charging them but that's the basic question everyone is answering!
My question was: do you feed them? Or say there isn't enough to go around?
I'm always trying to figure if it's best to be gracious or in the guest's face!
.

Maddie question was would you charge them ? Yes I would for sure. You pay you stay and enjoy our labour of love, our beautiful breakfast.
We are not S.. .Army and give food away to the needed.

My question was NOT about charging them but that's the basic question everyone is answering!
My question was: do you feed them? Or say there isn't enough to go around?
I'm always trying to figure if it's best to be gracious or in the guest's face!

That's because if I'm not charging them, I'm not feeding them! It's always best to be gracious, but gracious comes in many styles. Charging them does not mean you're not gracious.
.

Maddie question was would you charge them ? Yes I would for sure. You pay you stay and enjoy our labour of love, our beautiful breakfast.
We are not S.. .Army and give food away to the needed.

My question was NOT about charging them but that's the basic question everyone is answering!
My question was: do you feed them? Or say there isn't enough to go around?
I'm always trying to figure if it's best to be gracious or in the guest's face!

That's because if I'm not charging them, I'm not feeding them! It's always best to be gracious, but gracious comes in many styles. Charging them does not mean you're not gracious.

If I understand correctly, the extra guest was invited by a single person in a double room. So technically, they had already paid the rate for two breakfasts. The issue is that Maddie didn't have the stock to make two breakfasts because the guy checked in as a single. So the question of charging is moot.
The big question is, who the heck are you and what are you doing in my house????
Along with - I don't have any food for you, what should I do?
.

Hmmm, that's not how I read it. I'm thinking that the 3 were in one of the rooms with 2 beds.
.

Hmmm, that's not how I read it. I'm thinking that the 3 were in one of the rooms with 2 beds.

Reservation made for 3 guests, 3 guests checked in. 4th guest showed up later. No one mentioned the 4th guest on check in.
4th guest sat down with them in the morning and they explained this person decided at the last minute to drive up.
No apology. No offer to pay for the person.
.

In that instance, I would say "Oh, since I wasn't aware that you'd be joining your friends last night, I didn't prepare the regular breakfast for you. However, I can gladly get you something, let me see what I have." This doesn't promise them anything specific like what everyone else is having, it shows that you were unaware and it could only be taken as a nice gesture by your other guests. You could give them fruit and toast or yogurt and toast or a scrambled egg, whatever worked for you. Then I would just add the extra person charge to their room for whatever nights he was staying. No discussion needed about the extra person charge, it's a policy and they can question on the way out if they want to.
We once had a guest ask right int he middle of serving if she could sit out on the deck. We do service in the dining room because it's too difficult for my husband with hands full to open the doors and close the doors and not let flies in so we don't serve out there. Therefore, the tables weren't clean or setup. He politely asked if they could sit inside as the tables were clean or setup. Another guest who gave us a 4 for their review said that they would have given us a 5 had my husband not said NO to a guest in front of them - that innkeepers should do whatever they need to do say YES to a guest. WHAT? Yes, they marked us down because we said no to another guest. So keep this in mind that what you say to one guest is being heard by all the rest.
.

Another guest who gave us a 4 for their review said that they would have given us a 5 had my husband not said NO to a guest in front of them - that innkeepers should do whatever they need to do say YES to a guest. WHAT? Yes, they marked us down because we said no to another guest. So keep this in mind that what you say to one guest is being heard by all the rest.

You have no idea how much arrogance like that sets my teeth on edge!
The reviewer's stay was impacted by hearing the word 'no' said to someone else? Poor them. Must be a magical little world they live in.
.

Yes I replied and explained in detail why we don't serve outside and that I'm sorry this guest didn't realize the impact to those sitting inside with the doors being left open, etc. How freaking clueless to think that an innkeeper has to always say yes to everyone no matter what the request. I can imagine we might have gotten a 3 had she had a fly or bee land on her breakfast because the door kept getting opened and ruined her breakfast. If I go some place and their outside area isn't open and everyone is inside sitting, I don't expect them to go out and clean up and set the tables just for me -- I'm just not that important.

 

[Anon Inn]

i fed them. basically take 1/3 off each plate and make it for the fourth person.
as for charging - was it one room or two? most places say maximum occ for my room is two ... and though i'm alone, right or wrong as a guest i assume i can bring someone along at no extra charge.
i would say they are probably not thinking this causes a problem in the kitchen.

You would assume you could bring some one else around to stay in your room! WOW! If you charge the same price for a room with two people or one person . This does not make a difference as the second person in this case was not a registered guest at the time of booking. It is also a safety issue when you bring in an unregistered person. Would I feed them ? No! plain and simply.
.

see - this confuses me. i stayed at a red ro of inn in june for two nights - had a friend with me who also stayed. we both stood at the counter checking in, both had our own luggage, but only i was asked for my name and id. no question at all about who the second person was staying with me.
staying at a b&b, i never brought in an 'extra' person unplanned for.
when i had the b&b, i always wanted to know who was staying since it was also my home ... but never found out the rules or actual laws about it. would think it's needed in case there was a fire or whatever. but often was not told who else was staying and had to ask.
are hotels lax in this area?
if this is the norm with hotels, do you think it's because these guests were 'hotel' people and used to being much more anonymous ... or something?

You would assume you could bring some one else around to stay in your room! WOW! If you charge the same price for a room with two people or one person . This does not make a difference as the second person in this case was not a registered guest at the time of booking. It is also a safety issue when you bring in an unregistered person. Would I feed them ? No! plain and simply.

.

In a Hotel they do charge per person. Yes do people sneak other in, You bet they do! But if you are caught you are charged. In this case you mention above you were both present at check in and the hotel/ Inn was dealing with the person who was paying for the room. In the B&B they were not there at check in...... But only showed up at breakfast.
Why take from people that paid for breakfast and give some of their proportion of breakfast, to a person that did not pay to stay?
Maddie question was would you charge them ? Yes I would for sure. You pay you stay and enjoy our labour of love, our beautiful breakfast.
We are not S.. .Army and give food away to the needed.
.

Maddie question was would you charge them ? Yes I would for sure. You pay you stay and enjoy our labour of love, our beautiful breakfast.
We are not S.. .Army and give food away to the needed.

My question was NOT about charging them but that's the basic question everyone is answering!
My question was: do you feed them? Or say there isn't enough to go around?
I'm always trying to figure if it's best to be gracious or in the guest's face!
.

Its always best to be gracious. it reflects well on you and your business. People will always remember the short, clipped, curt responses, even the happy and responsible guests will remember that, and it will put a pall on their experience. Here, there is always enough extra of something, just in case, well, the quiche ends up on the floor (yes that happened once, fortunately on that day, I had the time and the ingredients to make another), but we are running businesses, and it should be no surprise to the unannounced and extra guest that a charge will be involved, even just a couple of dollars for a cup of coffee or tea, if that is all you can provide. I keep a stash of restaurant style guest checks for extra breakfasts or other meals, but we are licensed to provide meals for folks not staying here, and I try to be at least somewhat prepared for the unexpected.
I love Gillum's response. Covers the situation, and can be delivered in a pleasant, business-like way.

 

[Samster]

i fed them. basically take 1/3 off each plate and make it for the fourth person.
as for charging - was it one room or two? most places say maximum occ for my room is two ... and though i'm alone, right or wrong as a guest i assume i can bring someone along at no extra charge.
i would say they are probably not thinking this causes a problem in the kitchen.

You would assume you could bring some one else around to stay in your room! WOW! If you charge the same price for a room with two people or one person . This does not make a difference as the second person in this case was not a registered guest at the time of booking. It is also a safety issue when you bring in an unregistered person. Would I feed them ? No! plain and simply.
.

see - this confuses me. i stayed at a red ro of inn in june for two nights - had a friend with me who also stayed. we both stood at the counter checking in, both had our own luggage, but only i was asked for my name and id. no question at all about who the second person was staying with me.
staying at a b&b, i never brought in an 'extra' person unplanned for.
when i had the b&b, i always wanted to know who was staying since it was also my home ... but never found out the rules or actual laws about it. would think it's needed in case there was a fire or whatever. but often was not told who else was staying and had to ask.
are hotels lax in this area?
if this is the norm with hotels, do you think it's because these guests were 'hotel' people and used to being much more anonymous ... or something?

You would assume you could bring some one else around to stay in your room! WOW! If you charge the same price for a room with two people or one person . This does not make a difference as the second person in this case was not a registered guest at the time of booking. It is also a safety issue when you bring in an unregistered person. Would I feed them ? No! plain and simply.

.

In a Hotel they do charge per person. Yes do people sneak other in, You bet they do! But if you are caught you are charged. In this case you mention above you were both present at check in and the hotel/ Inn was dealing with the person who was paying for the room. In the B&B they were not there at check in...... But only showed up at breakfast.
Why take from people that paid for breakfast and give some of their proportion of breakfast, to a person that did not pay to stay?
Maddie question was would you charge them ? Yes I would for sure. You pay you stay and enjoy our labour of love, our beautiful breakfast.
We are not S.. .Army and give food away to the needed.
.

Maddie question was would you charge them ? Yes I would for sure. You pay you stay and enjoy our labour of love, our beautiful breakfast.
We are not S.. .Army and give food away to the needed.

My question was NOT about charging them but that's the basic question everyone is answering!
My question was: do you feed them? Or say there isn't enough to go around?
I'm always trying to figure if it's best to be gracious or in the guest's face!
.

Maddie question was would you charge them ? Yes I would for sure. You pay you stay and enjoy our labour of love, our beautiful breakfast.
We are not S.. .Army and give food away to the needed.

My question was NOT about charging them but that's the basic question everyone is answering!
My question was: do you feed them? Or say there isn't enough to go around?
I'm always trying to figure if it's best to be gracious or in the guest's face!

That's because if I'm not charging them, I'm not feeding them! It's always best to be gracious, but gracious comes in many styles. Charging them does not mean you're not gracious.
.

Maddie question was would you charge them ? Yes I would for sure. You pay you stay and enjoy our labour of love, our beautiful breakfast.
We are not S.. .Army and give food away to the needed.

My question was NOT about charging them but that's the basic question everyone is answering!
My question was: do you feed them? Or say there isn't enough to go around?
I'm always trying to figure if it's best to be gracious or in the guest's face!

That's because if I'm not charging them, I'm not feeding them! It's always best to be gracious, but gracious comes in many styles. Charging them does not mean you're not gracious.

If I understand correctly, the extra guest was invited by a single person in a double room. So technically, they had already paid the rate for two breakfasts. The issue is that Maddie didn't have the stock to make two breakfasts because the guy checked in as a single. So the question of charging is moot.
The big question is, who the heck are you and what are you doing in my house????
Along with - I don't have any food for you, what should I do?
.

Hmmm, that's not how I read it. I'm thinking that the 3 were in one of the rooms with 2 beds.
.

Hmmm, that's not how I read it. I'm thinking that the 3 were in one of the rooms with 2 beds.

Reservation made for 3 guests, 3 guests checked in. 4th guest showed up later. No one mentioned the 4th guest on check in.
4th guest sat down with them in the morning and they explained this person decided at the last minute to drive up.
No apology. No offer to pay for the person.
.

I would feed the guest, but I would also be honest about how you could not accommodate them with the full complement of the meal because you were not informed that they would be there.
Then, I would speak to them later aside from other guests about how you would have to do the extra person charge. You know that you can always also say nicely that knowing in advance (or as soon as possible) that there was a 4th guest would have been appreciated since you're a small lodging property, not a hotel.
Geez, people never cease to amaze me....

 

[Innkeep]

My extra guest came at midnight and left at 5am. First night he drove a sports car, second night a motor cycle. I believe my guest didn't think I was aware of what was going on. Not sure if it was a hook up or a hooker.

So I finally have someone on my DNB list.

 

[CafeMae]

i fed them. basically take 1/3 off each plate and make it for the fourth person.
as for charging - was it one room or two? most places say maximum occ for my room is two ... and though i'm alone, right or wrong as a guest i assume i can bring someone along at no extra charge.
i would say they are probably not thinking this causes a problem in the kitchen.

You would assume you could bring some one else around to stay in your room! WOW! If you charge the same price for a room with two people or one person . This does not make a difference as the second person in this case was not a registered guest at the time of booking. It is also a safety issue when you bring in an unregistered person. Would I feed them ? No! plain and simply.
.

see - this confuses me. i stayed at a red ro of inn in june for two nights - had a friend with me who also stayed. we both stood at the counter checking in, both had our own luggage, but only i was asked for my name and id. no question at all about who the second person was staying with me.
staying at a b&b, i never brought in an 'extra' person unplanned for.
when i had the b&b, i always wanted to know who was staying since it was also my home ... but never found out the rules or actual laws about it. would think it's needed in case there was a fire or whatever. but often was not told who else was staying and had to ask.
are hotels lax in this area?
if this is the norm with hotels, do you think it's because these guests were 'hotel' people and used to being much more anonymous ... or something?

You would assume you could bring some one else around to stay in your room! WOW! If you charge the same price for a room with two people or one person . This does not make a difference as the second person in this case was not a registered guest at the time of booking. It is also a safety issue when you bring in an unregistered person. Would I feed them ? No! plain and simply.

.

In a Hotel they do charge per person. Yes do people sneak other in, You bet they do! But if you are caught you are charged. In this case you mention above you were both present at check in and the hotel/ Inn was dealing with the person who was paying for the room. In the B&B they were not there at check in...... But only showed up at breakfast.
Why take from people that paid for breakfast and give some of their proportion of breakfast, to a person that did not pay to stay?
Maddie question was would you charge them ? Yes I would for sure. You pay you stay and enjoy our labour of love, our beautiful breakfast.
We are not S.. .Army and give food away to the needed.
.

Maddie question was would you charge them ? Yes I would for sure. You pay you stay and enjoy our labour of love, our beautiful breakfast.
We are not S.. .Army and give food away to the needed.

My question was NOT about charging them but that's the basic question everyone is answering!
My question was: do you feed them? Or say there isn't enough to go around?
I'm always trying to figure if it's best to be gracious or in the guest's face!
.

I think that's a good question. I have the tendency to get too offended sometimes - extra guest! snuck in! And acting in the offended/in your face mode doesn't work well. (We just had a case like this a couple weeks ago. ...and yeah, I got very "rules mode" and was perhaps a wee bit too inflexible (read in guest shouting at me how we're doing something illegal by not allowing the unregistered visitor in, and boy, I was not backing down after he started shouting at me that he was a lawyer and so on and so on...sigh), and yeah, I'm ashamed of not acting with more grace, and handling the situation better in the first place. So, well, don't act like me. It doesn't end up with happy guests.
In my do-over world, I would pull aside the person who made the reservation-let them know we prep breakfast the night before, and since their reservation was for x many people I have breakfast cooked for x many. And I would offer a suggestion of how I think we should handle it, extra round of oatmeal? toast? extra scrambled eggs for person in the group? - that would be easy for me. OR I would just do it, letting the person who made the reservation know as I served the food that we noticed the extra guest and hey, wasn't the cook great being able to accommodate the last minute guest (so as to prep them for the extra person charge).