We ask at time of reservation both verbally and if they book online. It's a question that pops up on the form. We ask when they walk in the door. That doesn't stop us finding notes taped to the fridge saying they want this instead of that.
Started off with 2 GF guests this weekend. Increased to 4 GF guests at check in. Every single GF guest ate scones and biscuits. Then demanded we serve them eggs instead of pancakes. (2 of them were given GF gifts by family members as they sat chowing down wheat pancakes.)
I don't think it matters if you ask or not. You still get guests who make requests at the last minute..
Per the discussion a week or so ago, weaning out common triggers such as allergens, glutens, in combination with offering several choices should reduce the problem.
I read like 1% have a gluten issue, 6% have the nongluten issue with wheat, and some people are allergic to wheat. And some have no problems but still seem to want gluten free. So it seems like reducing the importance of wheat going forward is the easier choice.
Soda comes to mind. Some prefer uncaffeinated. Since there is caffeine free versions of Coke & Pepsi, it seems easier to just have that as the main cola.
But this topic is likely to keep arising ad nauseum. I m seeing that the combo of weeding out trigger foods and offering multiple choices needs to be a center element of what I do.
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You're discussing all of this with your wife, right? I think you said earlier that she will be the innkeeper while you keep your day job.
She's the one who needs to be prepared with the breakfast menu and ready to cook what the guests want.
If we had a short order cook on staff life would be so much easier.
And if guests with self-imposed restrictions didn't rub my nose in their obvious choice to eat what they damn well feel like it, when they feel like it, I'd be so much more open to fad diets.
As it is, I serve a typical breakfast for my location. Like happy serves the typical breakfast for his location. Like everyone serves the typical breakfast for their location.
I don't think serving an atypical breakfast would garner any brownie points. Too many of our guests have thanked us for not serving something they didn't recognize or was covered with sauce or spices they'd never heard of.
Someone else mentioned the 'don't like eggs' thing. Guests who won't eat eggs that look like eggs. But will happily eat eggs if they can't pick out their essential eggyness.
It's really too much to keep track of. ;-)
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