Do you stay with guests all during breakfast?

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Alibi Ike

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What do you do while guests are eating breakfast?
  • Clean the kitchen
  • Talk with the guests
  • Do other chores
  • Keep an eye on the guests (coffee service, etc) from the kitchen
  • Other
Basically asking if you hang out chatting with the guests while they're eating or just sitting around with their coffee after breakfast is done. (Obviously, I am sitting here asking this question while the guests are still in the dining room! Just wondering if I should be out there with them.)
 
LIke you , we wandered in and out. If they were busy talking on their own..didn't really bother but usually one of us hung out with them after breakfast. We chatted, they asked us questions and then they were on their way. Usually I said something like Have a great day, we'll see you when you check out.
 
Depends. If they're talking amongst themselves, I don't sit down unless someone wants information from me or to hear the innkeeper stories (you know the ones). If it's quiet and it seems like they need help or an excuse to get up and go, I'll intervene. Or, if I find someone particularly interesting and they seem to want to talk I'll sit. Otherwise - I do all of the above.
 
Drink coffee and hang out near the tables, check to make sure everyone has all that they need. Besides individual check-ins, breakfast is definitely when our guests get the most "face time" with us, they ask for local stories, recommendations, etc. We like helping them get set for their day. Then we start clearing plates and cleaning the kitchen, etc.
 
Depends.
Case #1 if I overhear them talking erroneously about something, where something is or how to go about something...then I step in and give the correct information. (This happens quite often, esp guests who only stop overnight and think they have "been here" and have missed it entirely! But still give others at the table their so-called wisdom on the subject, incorrectly)
Case #2 if they are one couple on a romantic getaway, I am there if they need anything (tell them I cut the strawberries in the shapes of hearts just for them...ohhh ahhh)
Case #3 two couples, just intervene on ocassion with tidbits and humorous insights. I can do my best rat tat tat with two couples.
Case #4 full house = working hard, no time to chat and do song and dance
Case #5 throw 1 thru 4 out as every day is unique and I have no idea what tomorrow will bring
But overall breakfast is the time I give to the guests 100%. That is typically when I learn about them, and interact most.
As I say, end of the day at check in time, stepford guests, growl roar grrrr not happy, traveling, tired, hungry, irritable.
Good Day Sunshine...Morning - fresh, clean, a new day - happiness all round!
cheers.gif
I want to make them fat and happy in the AM's. Fill them up with good food and conversation and send them on their merry way.
PS - I do not other chores, always need to be available during breakfast to answer questions, check outs, etc etc. So nothing takes me away from them for long. If I am in here while they dine, I have my door open.
 
It all depends upon the guests-some guests want to talk during breakfast-its a "feel" thing-my DH is more talkative while they are eating than I am-he is getting better at taking the plates out and waiting a bit then checking on them to see if all is good-THEN we get the "feel" for if those guests want to talk-if they don't say much we don't say much.
Usually when we are clearing the plates is when we bring something up-and if some respond with much conversation we go from there. Now if the table is full of different guests and they are talking among themselves-we don't interrupt-thats the whole idea of a B & B-meeting new people and most of the time its at breakfast...
 
I bring them their breakfast, check on them after a few minutes to see if they need anything, and when they are pretty much finished go in to chat. While they are eating I am in the kitchen cleaning and also keeping my eye out for other guests coming or going. If there is a long conversation going among a group of guests that's lasting well over the typical breakfast time I might ask them if I can refresh their rooms while they are chatting. I don't really like to do that, though, but if time is running out and I am getting way behind I have no choice.
 
We have an open door kitchen so I can see them while I get on with tidying up. Our dishwasher takes exactly 1 hour so get it full and going asap as we only have a small kitchen. Then I wander about collecting next load of washing up and resetting tables then I clean the hob and usually by then the washer is done so unload it put away and then reload. Then they are usually done. While wandering about I check if anyone wants more coffee etc.
 
I never really cleaned the kitchen up while the guests were in the dining room because I felt that it might make too much noise with crashing about in there. I never did chores per se, but I could check emails on my laptop, write a note, maybe fold something in the laundry room, make sure all the check-out statements were ready, or straighten up the kitchen a bit. A myriad of small things that can be done quickly but always need to be done...
I never sat down with the guests while they were eating or sat in the dining room hovering (had that happen where the innkeeper sat apart from the guests just listening and it felt kind of weird to me as a guest). I might sit down when folks had basically finished up and wanted to have a cuppa with me.
I think the answer to this question can vary if you have one set breakfast seating time, an open seating time within a range, or staggered (pre-chosen) seating times and also how many rooms you're feeding every morning. Also, how much help (if any) that you have getting breakfast prepared and served to the guests!!
 
If there is one couple I try to guage if they want to chat - as in if they are asking questions or if they are stay-overs going somewhere for the day will chat a bit at the end of breakfast about the routing. I do not sit down. I will lean against the door frame to my room and chat (so no one has to crane around) as I sip my coffee. If they seem to want to converse with each other about the day, I go to the Library telling them if they need anything just let me know. I check e-mails, print routings or invoices, or read posts here.
If we have 2 or 3 couples and they seem to be conversing I boogie to the Library after putting breakfast on the table and telling them what is what. If English muffin bread is on the menu, as I bring in the bread I tell them, "We have been informed you can be trusted with sharp implements so there is a steak knife under your bread plate..." That often gets the conversation going.
I do very little in the kitchen because of the noise factor (and pray DH does not come in - there goes all hope of getting them out of here quickly!).
 
Drink coffee and hang out near the tables, check to make sure everyone has all that they need. Besides individual check-ins, breakfast is definitely when our guests get the most "face time" with us, they ask for local stories, recommendations, etc. We like helping them get set for their day. Then we start clearing plates and cleaning the kitchen, etc..
Don Draper said:
Drink coffee and hang out near the tables, check to make sure everyone has all that they need. Besides individual check-ins, breakfast is definitely when our guests get the most "face time" with us, they ask for local stories, recommendations, etc. We like helping them get set for their day. Then we start clearing plates and cleaning the kitchen, etc.
That's pretty much what we do as well. We're trying to pull back though. We serve breakfast at 8:30 at a common table. Guests feel so at home that they hang around the table talking until nearly checkout time at 11 a.m. We used to eat breakfast after our guest left, but now manage to wolf down something before everyone arrives.
 
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