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B and B Wannabee

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I am an Aspiring Innkeeper and have been contemplating how I want to do breakfast at my Inn.
The current Innkeeper offers 3 different choices for breakfast.
1- Full Breakfast in the Main House
2 - Continental Breakfast delivered to the cottage
3 - No breakfast option
The situation that I am facing is that the current Innkeeper does not live in the house full-time so it is not an issue that she serves breakfast in the main house. I would be living in the main house and would prefer not to serve breakfast in the main house where I will be living. This property has 5 separate cottages and another building that is currently a very small wedding chapel but could be turned into a small meeting / breakfast room. In this breakfast room I would serve the breakfast buffet style.
What is your opinion on serving breakfast buffet style and do you think it would affect repeat guests who have stayed there under the current Innkeeper?
If you serve breakfast buffet style is there more waste because you might be cooking more than you would if you did personalized breakfasts?
Any ideas are welcome. Thanks!
 
Buffet Style = Much more waste and higher food costs.
If you don't want to serve breakfast in your main house, fine, but you're missing out on part of the fun of innkeeping: The interaction with guests and helping them find the fun things to do in the area.
Here's a suggestion from a boutique hotel I stay at often in Quebec City:
Guests fill out a form at check-in letting host know what they'd like for breakfast (continental items, coffee, juice, baked goods, etc). Also what time they'd like it between 7am and 9am. When you wake up, you open your door and there's a wonderful basket filled with all your breakfast goodies for you!
 
I think we need more information.
What is the set up of the main house? Is there any separation between kitchen and the buffet serving area?
Does the current innkeeper serve a plated breakfast or a buffet?
You are making and serving breakfast anyway, so how is it an imposition on your privacy to serve it in the main house?
Are you a good cook? Do you like to cook? What is your buffet plan?
We have a locked door between the kitchen and the serving area. We do a buffet because it's easier for us. When we only have one or two rooms, we may switch it up and do a plated breakfast. Up to us.
 
We are a tiny motel and don't serve breakfast so please consider that when you read my comments, but here goes:
General: in all things you need to do what fits you and makes you happy, I think otherwise burnout comes quickly.
I just eat, I'm not the cook, but I love the connection with the guests. We did a breakfast with some groups in years past, was a lot of fun, but for everyday guests it would of put us in a different category and we really didn't have a proper space.
Does the chapel/meeting hall have a kitchen? If not will it get old fast carrying food to a different building?
My B & B experience was limited to a place that served all at one time at one table, family style, more food cooked and served as needed, country cooking, but that fits me, I loved it.
 
I think your repeats are going to feel dissed. Can you rearrange where in the main house you feed guests? Get them out of your personal space?
I like Phin's idea of everyone getting breakfast delivered.
Jim brings up a good point about food getting cold and the whole thing getting old if you are schlepping food across a wide space.
Having a morning gathering, tho, is a big part of staying at a B&B.
 
BTW, what is the breakdown now of the 3 different breakfast options?
If you're already skewing towards no breakfast or delivered breakfast that could be your answer.
 
Hmmm, methinks Poppa & I stayed in that exact same Quebec City place as Phinn!
 
Buffet Style = Much more waste and higher food costs.
If you don't want to serve breakfast in your main house, fine, but you're missing out on part of the fun of innkeeping: The interaction with guests and helping them find the fun things to do in the area.
Here's a suggestion from a boutique hotel I stay at often in Quebec City:
Guests fill out a form at check-in letting host know what they'd like for breakfast (continental items, coffee, juice, baked goods, etc). Also what time they'd like it between 7am and 9am. When you wake up, you open your door and there's a wonderful basket filled with all your breakfast goodies for you!.
I tried a continental also. I had a large basket filled with a long french loaf a small block of cheese ,cold cuts , boil egg, small jam ,Butter paddies, juice ,coffee or tea depending what they wished from the list.
Of a bunch of small muffins, fresh fruit, Yogurt if they wanted it. Or they had a choice of dry cereals. all they had to do was circle what they wanted.
YOU could number or set it up with 3 or 4 different breakfasts giving them a change for each day they stay. There are some lovely baskets out there that will help make your breakfast look like opening the basket to see what is in it!
I also put a note in the last breakfast thanking them for staying with us.
In" some" I put question in it to see if I meet the needs of the guest.
.I put it in a plastic bag with a fish cracker asking for there in put.
 
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