Daily Consumables

[JBloggs]

If you know or care to guess, what is your daily consumable cost per guest per day? Or per guest room per day?
Not asking about heating, mortgage, garbage collection, linens, overhead etc.
Just consumables, ie flowers, chocolates, sodas, check in refreshments, breakfasts, things the guest can take or leave. Things that are not charged in the room rate as such, the per guest cost.

 

[Madeleine]

Once again, something we are not good at calculating, but should be. I may undertake this during the year when I do the menu planning.
Are you including amenities like soaps and toiletries that guests can take with them or just use while here? Want to be sure what all is included before trying to come up with a number.

 

[JBloggs]

Once again, something we are not good at calculating, but should be. I may undertake this during the year when I do the menu planning.
Are you including amenities like soaps and toiletries that guests can take with them or just use while here? Want to be sure what all is included before trying to come up with a number..

Just use while here, I say that because I know you have dispenser soap/shampoo, so there is no way to take those.
I am asking as this may be an area to cut back, or perhaps the opposite, give more bang for their buck in the way of VALUE.

 

[Madeleine]

Once again, something we are not good at calculating, but should be. I may undertake this during the year when I do the menu planning.
Are you including amenities like soaps and toiletries that guests can take with them or just use while here? Want to be sure what all is included before trying to come up with a number..

Just use while here, I say that because I know you have dispenser soap/shampoo, so there is no way to take those.
I am asking as this may be an area to cut back, or perhaps the opposite, give more bang for their buck in the way of VALUE.
.

Just the shampoo and a lot of guests do leave with all the packaged soaps and face wipes, that's why I was wondering. (We also give the soaps and face wipes away to anyone who asks about them.)

 

[Generic]

Let's see, other than breakfast what can they consume daily....
Shower gel (distributor)
Shampoo (distributor)
Conditioner (distributor)
Hand lotion (distributor)
Mouthwash (distributor)
Hand soap (distributor)
3oz paper cups (distributor)
Hand sanitizer (distributor)
Ear swabs, Cotton balls, Makeup pads (distributor)
Makeup wipes (distributor)
Gingerbread cookie $0.15 each (x2 per visit, not per day)
Swiss chocolate $0.15 each (x2 per visit, not per day)
In the summer we usually buy a set of flowers for the dining room.

 

[Copperhead]

Slightly confused here... I considered all these things when I set my room rates, they are included in my room rates - used or not. These are the things that make us need to raise our rates - consumables cost money.
This is what I am considering to increase this year, more bang for the buck. Early years, we had welcome refreshements which we found not to be of interest. Nothing we tried seemed to capture interest. This year we are considering a totally different concept may try it a month to see the % of takers. No increase in rates (we did that already) just value added.

 

[Highlands John]

Let's see, other than breakfast what can they consume daily....
Shower gel (distributor)
Shampoo (distributor)
Conditioner (distributor)
Hand lotion (distributor)
Mouthwash (distributor)
Hand soap (distributor)
3oz paper cups (distributor)
Hand sanitizer (distributor)
Ear swabs, Cotton balls, Makeup pads (distributor)
Makeup wipes (distributor)
Gingerbread cookie $0.15 each (x2 per visit, not per day)
Swiss chocolate $0.15 each (x2 per visit, not per day)
In the summer we usually buy a set of flowers for the dining room..

Mine currently stands at £4.81 pppn.
Why do I have this information so readily to hand? That's how my accountant likes it, I have a spreadsheet that breaks down all these items to a per person per night basis. Then at the end of each month the calculation is simple, 300 per/nights (or whatever it is) X £4.81 = Consumables for the month £1,483.

 

[JBloggs]

Let's see, other than breakfast what can they consume daily....
Shower gel (distributor)
Shampoo (distributor)
Conditioner (distributor)
Hand lotion (distributor)
Mouthwash (distributor)
Hand soap (distributor)
3oz paper cups (distributor)
Hand sanitizer (distributor)
Ear swabs, Cotton balls, Makeup pads (distributor)
Makeup wipes (distributor)
Gingerbread cookie $0.15 each (x2 per visit, not per day)
Swiss chocolate $0.15 each (x2 per visit, not per day)
In the summer we usually buy a set of flowers for the dining room..

Mine currently stands at £4.81 pppn.
Why do I have this information so readily to hand? That's how my accountant likes it, I have a spreadsheet that breaks down all these items to a per person per night basis. Then at the end of each month the calculation is simple, 300 per/nights (or whatever it is) X £4.81 = Consumables for the month £1,483.
.

Mine currently stands at £4.81 pppn.
Why do I have this information so readily to hand? That's how my accountant likes it, I have a spreadsheet that breaks down all these items to a per person per night basis. Then at the end of each month the calculation is simple, 300 per/nights (or whatever it is) X £4.81 = Consumables for the month £1,483.

Thanks John, I have this at hand for taxes as well (which is what I am doing today). I was wondering how much we all diff in this area. I know room rates vary as well, just wondering.
I dropped the chilled bottled water for 2012. (Big dispenser not individ). Some love it, most never touch it. I loved it, but I offer ice for drinks anyway...
Another consumable I would consider is the per cup coffee machines as an amenity (not coffee service). I recall last year an innkeeper stating a guest had like 8 to 10 pods per day over a long weekend or something? That can really add up. Fortunately most guests are not this way.

 

[Madeleine]

Let's see, other than breakfast what can they consume daily....
Shower gel (distributor)
Shampoo (distributor)
Conditioner (distributor)
Hand lotion (distributor)
Mouthwash (distributor)
Hand soap (distributor)
3oz paper cups (distributor)
Hand sanitizer (distributor)
Ear swabs, Cotton balls, Makeup pads (distributor)
Makeup wipes (distributor)
Gingerbread cookie $0.15 each (x2 per visit, not per day)
Swiss chocolate $0.15 each (x2 per visit, not per day)
In the summer we usually buy a set of flowers for the dining room..

Mine currently stands at £4.81 pppn.
Why do I have this information so readily to hand? That's how my accountant likes it, I have a spreadsheet that breaks down all these items to a per person per night basis. Then at the end of each month the calculation is simple, 300 per/nights (or whatever it is) X £4.81 = Consumables for the month £1,483.
.

Mine currently stands at £4.81 pppn.
Why do I have this information so readily to hand? That's how my accountant likes it, I have a spreadsheet that breaks down all these items to a per person per night basis. Then at the end of each month the calculation is simple, 300 per/nights (or whatever it is) X £4.81 = Consumables for the month £1,483.

Thanks John, I have this at hand for taxes as well (which is what I am doing today). I was wondering how much we all diff in this area. I know room rates vary as well, just wondering.
I dropped the chilled bottled water for 2012. (Big dispenser not individ). Some love it, most never touch it. I loved it, but I offer ice for drinks anyway...
Another consumable I would consider is the per cup coffee machines as an amenity (not coffee service). I recall last year an innkeeper stating a guest had like 8 to 10 pods per day over a long weekend or something? That can really add up. Fortunately most guests are not this way.
.

I just bought 2 boxes of pods at $9.99/box for 18 (which is 6 fewer than I usually get in a box). Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, which owns Keurig, no longer makes the espresso pods and I need those in the summer. So, yes, these can be expensive if guests go thru them like water. But I usually pay $.38 each.

 

[gillumhouse]

Yikers! I do not do the snacks - cookies, etc have even stopped making the pretzels for the most part - but I do have baskets of apples & bananas in the rooms. That cost varies with the cost of apples - from 79 cents per lb for WV apples in season to $1.99 per lb and how big the only nice looking bananas are that day @ 59 cents per lb and 2 to a basket. I think my carnations are costing me $2.50 per room now. Sometimes they empty the fruit basket and sometimes do not touch it. Same for the dish of Hershey kisses that just occurred to me as being on the dresser. I buy them when on sale too.
Breakfasts are also variable. Eggs can go from $1 per doz on sale to $2.19 per doz for Large eggs. I use a minimum of a dozen per breakfast if doing the egg bake or 4 eggs for the baked oatmeal or bread pudding but these two also require yogurt on the side. Breakfast fruit also varies (I know I am not helping) for instance in season, if I have a run of guests, I will spend the $4 for a big papaya as I will use it for breakfasts before it spoils and use that instead of mangoes @ 50 cents to $1.50 each depending on sales and seasons. Off season would never dream of it.

 

[Generic]

Let's see, other than breakfast what can they consume daily....
Shower gel (distributor)
Shampoo (distributor)
Conditioner (distributor)
Hand lotion (distributor)
Mouthwash (distributor)
Hand soap (distributor)
3oz paper cups (distributor)
Hand sanitizer (distributor)
Ear swabs, Cotton balls, Makeup pads (distributor)
Makeup wipes (distributor)
Gingerbread cookie $0.15 each (x2 per visit, not per day)
Swiss chocolate $0.15 each (x2 per visit, not per day)
In the summer we usually buy a set of flowers for the dining room..

Mine currently stands at £4.81 pppn.
Why do I have this information so readily to hand? That's how my accountant likes it, I have a spreadsheet that breaks down all these items to a per person per night basis. Then at the end of each month the calculation is simple, 300 per/nights (or whatever it is) X £4.81 = Consumables for the month £1,483.
.

Mine currently stands at £4.81 pppn.
Why do I have this information so readily to hand? That's how my accountant likes it, I have a spreadsheet that breaks down all these items to a per person per night basis. Then at the end of each month the calculation is simple, 300 per/nights (or whatever it is) X £4.81 = Consumables for the month £1,483.

Thanks John, I have this at hand for taxes as well (which is what I am doing today). I was wondering how much we all diff in this area. I know room rates vary as well, just wondering.
I dropped the chilled bottled water for 2012. (Big dispenser not individ). Some love it, most never touch it. I loved it, but I offer ice for drinks anyway...
Another consumable I would consider is the per cup coffee machines as an amenity (not coffee service). I recall last year an innkeeper stating a guest had like 8 to 10 pods per day over a long weekend or something? That can really add up. Fortunately most guests are not this way.
.

I just bought 2 boxes of pods at $9.99/box for 18 (which is 6 fewer than I usually get in a box). Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, which owns Keurig, no longer makes the espresso pods and I need those in the summer. So, yes, these can be expensive if guests go thru them like water. But I usually pay $.38 each.
.

The two companies that produce reusable pods now produce them in colour. Solofill has red, green and black. Ecobrew comes in brown and lime green. You can use the black to put in a nice strong dark espresso blend and DIY cups. Green is nice for a swiss-water decaf. And brown and red for regular coffee.
Or you can buy some of the stainless covers on ebay and reuse some cups. When you refill cups like this, we found that turkish grind worked best and we could use a cup two or three times before we cycled it off with others that we were to reuse.

 

[Madeleine]

Let's see, other than breakfast what can they consume daily....
Shower gel (distributor)
Shampoo (distributor)
Conditioner (distributor)
Hand lotion (distributor)
Mouthwash (distributor)
Hand soap (distributor)
3oz paper cups (distributor)
Hand sanitizer (distributor)
Ear swabs, Cotton balls, Makeup pads (distributor)
Makeup wipes (distributor)
Gingerbread cookie $0.15 each (x2 per visit, not per day)
Swiss chocolate $0.15 each (x2 per visit, not per day)
In the summer we usually buy a set of flowers for the dining room..

Mine currently stands at £4.81 pppn.
Why do I have this information so readily to hand? That's how my accountant likes it, I have a spreadsheet that breaks down all these items to a per person per night basis. Then at the end of each month the calculation is simple, 300 per/nights (or whatever it is) X £4.81 = Consumables for the month £1,483.
.

Mine currently stands at £4.81 pppn.
Why do I have this information so readily to hand? That's how my accountant likes it, I have a spreadsheet that breaks down all these items to a per person per night basis. Then at the end of each month the calculation is simple, 300 per/nights (or whatever it is) X £4.81 = Consumables for the month £1,483.

Thanks John, I have this at hand for taxes as well (which is what I am doing today). I was wondering how much we all diff in this area. I know room rates vary as well, just wondering.
I dropped the chilled bottled water for 2012. (Big dispenser not individ). Some love it, most never touch it. I loved it, but I offer ice for drinks anyway...
Another consumable I would consider is the per cup coffee machines as an amenity (not coffee service). I recall last year an innkeeper stating a guest had like 8 to 10 pods per day over a long weekend or something? That can really add up. Fortunately most guests are not this way.
.

I just bought 2 boxes of pods at $9.99/box for 18 (which is 6 fewer than I usually get in a box). Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, which owns Keurig, no longer makes the espresso pods and I need those in the summer. So, yes, these can be expensive if guests go thru them like water. But I usually pay $.38 each.
.

The two companies that produce reusable pods now produce them in colour. Solofill has red, green and black. Ecobrew comes in brown and lime green. You can use the black to put in a nice strong dark espresso blend and DIY cups. Green is nice for a swiss-water decaf. And brown and red for regular coffee.
Or you can buy some of the stainless covers on ebay and reuse some cups. When you refill cups like this, we found that turkish grind worked best and we could use a cup two or three times before we cycled it off with others that we were to reuse.
.

I don't have the home model of machine. I have the commercial one. The reusable pods don't fit.

 

[Silverspoon]

Would this include cleaning supplies and laundry supplies? I always struggle to arrive at some realistic number for $supplies/room night. Would love to hear how others do it. Although all of our rates may differ, I bet the % of consumable supplies relative to rates would be comparable for all of us.

 

[Madeleine]

Would this include cleaning supplies and laundry supplies? I always struggle to arrive at some realistic number for $supplies/room night. Would love to hear how others do it. Although all of our rates may differ, I bet the % of consumable supplies relative to rates would be comparable for all of us..

I think (my opinion on the question) was that what was wanted was direct guest consumables, but not things like light bulbs and cleaning supplies.
Of course then it brings up tissues and tp and the like, doesn't it?
Then again, 'consumables' in the strict sense of something eaten might be a better way to look at it. And expirables like flowers.

 

[JBloggs]

Would this include cleaning supplies and laundry supplies? I always struggle to arrive at some realistic number for $supplies/room night. Would love to hear how others do it. Although all of our rates may differ, I bet the % of consumable supplies relative to rates would be comparable for all of us..

Would this include cleaning supplies and laundry supplies? I always struggle to arrive at some realistic number for $supplies/room night. Would love to hear how others do it. Although all of our rates may differ, I bet the % of consumable supplies relative to rates would be comparable for all of us.

No not asking for daily cost per room, feel free to start a thread on that, I will pitch in mine over there. I do like to see how much things cost. Do you pay someone to clean your rooms? Do you send out your linens? The overhead is growing by the minute on these items...so that would be "over there" on the new thread I hope you start!