Serving time

[bluedragonflyinn]

Hello all! It's getting close to opening time and I have a question: What time do you normally serve breakfast?

 

[Morticia]

8-9:30

 

[gillumhouse]

Now 6 AM to 10 AM - at the time they tell me. It used to be 4 AM to 10 AM but thanks to some b$^%^&y women, the farmer will not stable horses any longer so I get to sleep in.

 

[Jcam]

we do 7.30- 9.30 on a weekday or 8am to 10am on a weekend

 

[2cat_lady]

8-9 is the norm, but for business people I will serve earlier if pre arranged and for those that need to catch very early flights, I'll give them a breakfast to get because even they don't want to eat at an ungodly hour. For late risers, I usually will keep breakfast warm until about 9:20 and then I close down the kitchen. They usually end up showing at check out time to say that they enjoyed the comfort of the bed so much that they decided to skip the breakfast and stay under the covers longer. No big deal, but you kind of wish you knew ahead of time

 

[Silverspoon]

8-9:30.

8:30-9:30 or a bit earlier for those who request because of a whale watch tour or seminar. Normally we let guests know that we serve the hot entree between 8:30-9:00 and have granola, yogurt, fruit and baked goods available until 9:30.

 

[Jcam]

think it depends on your market as well - mine are in the main business travelers on a weekday so need earlier - tourists/wedding stuff on a weekend so later.

 

[Baygirl]

We serve 8-9 coffee/tea out by 7.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

8 - 10 with the fruit and coffee cake out by 7:30.
We do self serve buffet.

 

[Highlands John]

We do 8.30 - 9.30, with a note in the rooms that if they want earlier just ask. We'll do 7.30, before that and it's help yourself from toast/juice/cereals/yogs left out the night before. That suits most people, we're a holiday location so most don't want to be up early and a later time suits us.
We still get people saying it's too late, it's too early, the time isn't long enough......blah blah blah, you're going to get that whatever. If you take it up to their room, sit on the side of the bed and feed them by hand someone is going to complain it wasn't brought on a golden platter.

 

[Morticia]

We do 8.30 - 9.30, with a note in the rooms that if they want earlier just ask. We'll do 7.30, before that and it's help yourself from toast/juice/cereals/yogs left out the night before. That suits most people, we're a holiday location so most don't want to be up early and a later time suits us.
We still get people saying it's too late, it's too early, the time isn't long enough......blah blah blah, you're going to get that whatever. If you take it up to their room, sit on the side of the bed and feed them by hand someone is going to complain it wasn't brought on a golden platter..

And then there are the guests who trash your kitchen at 4 AM because you wouldn't get up at that time to feed them.
We're very clear about breakfast times. It's repeated over and over at check in. It's on the same info sheet as the WiFi pw.
Yes, we'll fluctuate by a half hour to 7:30, but not to 10. But, no, we aren't getting up at 2 AM to get your breakfast started for a 4AM feeding.

 

[Highlands John]

We do 8.30 - 9.30, with a note in the rooms that if they want earlier just ask. We'll do 7.30, before that and it's help yourself from toast/juice/cereals/yogs left out the night before. That suits most people, we're a holiday location so most don't want to be up early and a later time suits us.
We still get people saying it's too late, it's too early, the time isn't long enough......blah blah blah, you're going to get that whatever. If you take it up to their room, sit on the side of the bed and feed them by hand someone is going to complain it wasn't brought on a golden platter..

And then there are the guests who trash your kitchen at 4 AM because you wouldn't get up at that time to feed them.
We're very clear about breakfast times. It's repeated over and over at check in. It's on the same info sheet as the WiFi pw.
Yes, we'll fluctuate by a half hour to 7:30, but not to 10. But, no, we aren't getting up at 2 AM to get your breakfast started for a 4AM feeding.
.

I did get caught out recently, there was a cycle race with 2/3 rooms taking part, they asked for 5:15 breakfast and I agreed because looking at the diary there was no-one else for breakfast that day so I thought I'll get up, sort them out and then go back to bed for a lay in.
It wasn't until the day before that I realized the race was Sunday morning, I'd been looking at Sunday evening bookings and the 3rd room was booked Saturday night. I did go back to bed for an hour though.

 

[Anon Inn]

think it depends on your market as well - mine are in the main business travelers on a weekday so need earlier - tourists/wedding stuff on a weekend so later..

Agree with Jcam it depends on your market and your service style. Our breakfast cut off is 10a, but they can have it as early as they want. Earliest so far: 3a for fishermen who wanted to be out on the river early. I usually get one or two 5a requests during the year. Most choose 8 or 9a. A benefit of guests choosing breakfast time is they most always show up in the dining room right on time - making it easier for cooking timing.
Just some thoughts. One size does not fit all.
Best wishes.

 

[Generic]

8AM or 9AM.

 

[Lee2014]

Eight to ten. We serve buffet style but are in and out. We usually close the door between ten thirty and eleven.

 

[InnDebt]

We are a 5 room Inn, typically have 10-12 for breakfast and we have one seaeting time at 8:30, (coffee/tea goes out at 7:00). We get one or two that grumble about the time, but we have far more guests requesting an earlier or 'to go' breakfast. This is where knowing your market/guest is invaluable! There is so much to do in the area that our guests want to get up and go in the morning. Local attractions (National Parks/trails etc) open at 9am and by July/August people want to be out before the afternoon heat wave.
This time also works best for us, which I think is very important to consider! Guests are here for a few days, you are doing this 365, so find a time that fits your schedule too. Besides, you can always adjust/increase/decrease your serving time if after a few weeks you find that it's not working.
Good Luck!

 

[Jcam]

We are a 5 room Inn, typically have 10-12 for breakfast and we have one seaeting time at 8:30, (coffee/tea goes out at 7:00). We get one or two that grumble about the time, but we have far more guests requesting an earlier or 'to go' breakfast. This is where knowing your market/guest is invaluable! There is so much to do in the area that our guests want to get up and go in the morning. Local attractions (National Parks/trails etc) open at 9am and by July/August people want to be out before the afternoon heat wave.
This time also works best for us, which I think is very important to consider! Guests are here for a few days, you are doing this 365, so find a time that fits your schedule too. Besides, you can always adjust/increase/decrease your serving time if after a few weeks you find that it's not working.
Good Luck!.

We do a pack up breakfast from 6.30 which is very popular and dead easy for us so works both ways!

 

[TheBeachHouse]

We are a 5 room Inn, typically have 10-12 for breakfast and we have one seaeting time at 8:30, (coffee/tea goes out at 7:00). We get one or two that grumble about the time, but we have far more guests requesting an earlier or 'to go' breakfast. This is where knowing your market/guest is invaluable! There is so much to do in the area that our guests want to get up and go in the morning. Local attractions (National Parks/trails etc) open at 9am and by July/August people want to be out before the afternoon heat wave.
This time also works best for us, which I think is very important to consider! Guests are here for a few days, you are doing this 365, so find a time that fits your schedule too. Besides, you can always adjust/increase/decrease your serving time if after a few weeks you find that it's not working.
Good Luck!.

We do a pack up breakfast from 6.30 which is very popular and dead easy for us so works both ways!
.

what is a pack up breakfast?

 

[Jcam]

We are a 5 room Inn, typically have 10-12 for breakfast and we have one seaeting time at 8:30, (coffee/tea goes out at 7:00). We get one or two that grumble about the time, but we have far more guests requesting an earlier or 'to go' breakfast. This is where knowing your market/guest is invaluable! There is so much to do in the area that our guests want to get up and go in the morning. Local attractions (National Parks/trails etc) open at 9am and by July/August people want to be out before the afternoon heat wave.
This time also works best for us, which I think is very important to consider! Guests are here for a few days, you are doing this 365, so find a time that fits your schedule too. Besides, you can always adjust/increase/decrease your serving time if after a few weeks you find that it's not working.
Good Luck!.

We do a pack up breakfast from 6.30 which is very popular and dead easy for us so works both ways!
.

what is a pack up breakfast?
.

its a small paper bag with handle - inside is a cereal bar, yogurt or Porridge pot (just add boiling water), fruit, orange juice and a bacon sandwich and disposable spoon - all pre-prepared and handed over to guest at allotted time or outside their room depending on what I'm doing. Cheap and easy way to do breakfast in bed also. Very popular with our early risers and most of it is preprepared and set up in advance so we can send them out in a rush.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

For 12 years we served a hot breakfast buffet from 8:30-10. Recently we noticed that travelers get here, they chill out and wake up later then they thought. Now we say we serve a breakfast buffet between 9am-10, and not a peep - yet. Its only May! We do provide an "early bird" or "on the go" breakfast in the Guest Kitchen refrigerator for guests to access when they like.