I am not saying that anything shy of having a full restaurant would work 100% of the time, just saying to try something different to see if it works better. I have changed some of my ways because of this group to see if it works better.
I have had some lite eaters over the past 10 years but all in all most of the comments we get in our guests book or in reviews rave over the breakfast.
Lets look at another purspective. Ask yourself these questions: Could the guests have different expectations about your breakfast due to the way it is described on your website? Could I do a better job at describing what or how I serve? We have altered our website several times due to a guest stating that they read something differently than what we intended. (misinterpatation) Thankfully it has all been minor stuff.
Or another idea - (would require more planning but possibly could work) Provide the guests a order card that they complete and turn in by x time before bed. You then would have just what they want and how much they want (like the diabetic - toast guy). This may also limit the waste.
Or if your table seating is such you could serve 'family style'. Then what is left over could be for your breakfast since it was not plated.
I know you say you can't change so maybe I am beating a dead horse but I am just throwing out ideas and believe me I am not beating my head against the keyboard - just my fat little fingers that could use the excersise..
Copperhead said:
Lets look at another purspective. Ask yourself these questions: Could the guests have different expectations about your breakfast due to the way it is described on your website? Could I do a better job at describing what or how I serve? We have altered our website several times due to a guest stating that they read something differently than what we intended. (misinterpatation) Thankfully it has all been minor stuff.
Or another idea - (would require more planning but possibly could work) Provide the guests a order card that they complete and turn in by x time before bed. You then would have just what they want and how much they want (like the diabetic - toast guy). This may also limit the waste.
Or if your table seating is such you could serve 'family style'. Then what is left over could be for your breakfast since it was not plated.
I thought about the order cards but hubs needs to shop in the afternoon so he needs to have a breakfast in mind before he goes out. So, I make up the breakfast based on the dietary restrictions we've been told about. And lately I've been doing that a week in advance. He still shops everyday for the next day's breakfast, but he just needs to look at the sheet to know how many guests and what to make. And what restrictions there are, even tho the menu is made up already.
Our seating is individual tables that would not hold 'platters' and I wouldn't eat the leftovers anyway.
All of the breakfast pix show 'bread' type breakfasts (because meat does not photograph all that well without a bit of work). Breakfast as quoted on my website is below and this is the last change, made last year when all the same problems arose except that guests thought we would just serve them what they asked for if they couldn't eat what we planned. (NO idea why they thought THAT, we NEVER say we'll cook what you want unless you're a long time guest and we know well in advance. And that's limited to scrambled eggs.) The wife of the diabetic guest this morning specifically asked when she booked if we were the B&B that would work with dietary issues. I told her we do our best and what issue was there. When she said 'diabetic' I thought about what we usually serve, trying to avoid a lot of carbs, and that was quiche. What I should have done was ask HER if quiche would work. If not, then what does he eat and see if we could work that into something everyone would eat.
But, this same scenario has happened multiple times before. A vegan who went back to being a carnivore before arriving and never mentioned it. Guests who are delighted with whatever I say we can make (gluten-free pancakes as an example, so everyone is eating similar-looking food) who arrive and suddenly don't want that or decide they are no longer gluten intolerant when they see the 'real' pancakes.
Which is why hubs hates the whole 'dietary restrictions' thing. I'm with him in that 75% of the time it is not CANNOT eat it it is DON'T WANT to eat it.
I'd like to ask guests what they eat but I've heard horror stories of $5/pint goat's milk and other mondo bizarro things I just am not buying. I'm not quite 'take it or leave it' but I'm also not buying foods I can't use up before they go bad.
Anyway, what it says on my site about breakfast...
We serve a full, hot breakfast every morning. Breakfast is 'cook's choice' . To help us prepare a breakfast you will enjoy, please tell us when booking of ANY dietary restrictions you may have. Many of our breakfasts are casserole-style creations that cannot be changed in the morning, but can be adapted if we know before your arrival! Dietary restrictions include things like no sugar for diabetics, allergies to eggs or milk, religious restrictions on pork and shellfish, no meat for vegetarians, etc.
We do our best to prepare a delicious breakfast for all of our guests. There are times, however, when we cannot meet all dietary restrictions. For those times we have a variety of cereals, yogurt, granola and whole wheat toast.
