When your brain goes blank

Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum

Help Support Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Morticia

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2008
Messages
17,771
Reaction score
685
Today we had quiche with sausage and toast. I always ask if guests want the sausage and toast rather than plating it all up. Well, I asked a table of 4 and 2 wanted no sausage, but yes on the toast, one wanted no toast but 1 sausage, one wanted nothing at all.
Trouble is, when they say 'just toast' I assume they mean nothing but toast.
It took me about 2 minutes today to get that 'order' right. I had to ask them 3 times to go over it again.
Then I go to the next table of 4 and they want: 1 just toast and sausage, 1 quiche with just toast and 1 quiche with the works and 1 nothing. The poor woman at the table after watching me struggle with the other group says, 'Just bring me anything, it doesn't matter!' I laughed. She was just so sorry for me!
Maybe I have to get up earlier so I'm awake when the guests come to eat...
 
I just plate it all up. Then, I'll hear people say, "I wasn't going to eat this much but it's so good..." haha! I definitely wouldn't be able to handle all that ordering in the morning!!!
 
Dh woke me from my nap on Sunday to take a reservation... I didn't realize how dyslexic I become upon awakening. This poor guest... French last name, interesting spelling of all five persons in his party... By the end of the phone call I was good to go, but at the beginning, we had a lot of repeating going on.
Just how little before breakfast do you get up?
=)
Kk.
 
i write it down in a little notebook ... there is no way i can keep it straight ... and i have my own little notes so i remember who it is that asked for what especially when they go and change tables on me while i'm cooking.
it's important because there are guests who do not want their food to touch bacon or pork, etc.
 
Dh woke me from my nap on Sunday to take a reservation... I didn't realize how dyslexic I become upon awakening. This poor guest... French last name, interesting spelling of all five persons in his party... By the end of the phone call I was good to go, but at the beginning, we had a lot of repeating going on.
Just how little before breakfast do you get up?
=)
Kk..
I got woke up at 8 am on a day I could sleep in to take a reservation.
They asked for 2 rooms the following night. I told them all I had was one room, sorry.
Referred them to others.
After I hung up and looked again, I saw that I DID HAVE 2 ROOMS!!!! Argh!!!
cry_smile.gif

So I tried Caller ID and call them back...big company, no one knew who called.
Oh well, my loss.....GIMME ME COFFEE!!!!!
I did rent out both rooms tonight....
wink_smile.gif

 
Dh woke me from my nap on Sunday to take a reservation... I didn't realize how dyslexic I become upon awakening. This poor guest... French last name, interesting spelling of all five persons in his party... By the end of the phone call I was good to go, but at the beginning, we had a lot of repeating going on.
Just how little before breakfast do you get up?
=)
Kk..
YellowSocks said:
Just how little before breakfast do you get up?
=)
Kk.
Breakfast starts at 8 AM. If I have set the tables the night before I get up at 7:30; if not, 7:15.
Today the tables weren't even set before guests sat down. I was trying to put the silverware out and they had all their napkins in their laps just waiting. I was a little put off after I served the fruit and juice and took their 'order' for pancakes and sausage and I returned a bit later with the heated syrup and butters only to hear, 'Looking up, maybe we'll eat soon.' It was barely 8 and they'd already had their starters!
As it turned out, hubs didn't like the looks of the pancakes and threw the lot in the trash and started over. I'm surprised they didn't faint dead away!
 
i write it down in a little notebook ... there is no way i can keep it straight ... and i have my own little notes so i remember who it is that asked for what especially when they go and change tables on me while i'm cooking.
it's important because there are guests who do not want their food to touch bacon or pork, etc..
Everyone gets the entree and since I put the meat on the side I ask whether or not they want the meat. Of course if they are vegetarian I usually know beforehand.
 
Dh woke me from my nap on Sunday to take a reservation... I didn't realize how dyslexic I become upon awakening. This poor guest... French last name, interesting spelling of all five persons in his party... By the end of the phone call I was good to go, but at the beginning, we had a lot of repeating going on.
Just how little before breakfast do you get up?
=)
Kk..
YellowSocks said:
Just how little before breakfast do you get up?
=)
Kk.
Breakfast starts at 8 AM. If I have set the tables the night before I get up at 7:30; if not, 7:15.
Today the tables weren't even set before guests sat down. I was trying to put the silverware out and they had all their napkins in their laps just waiting. I was a little put off after I served the fruit and juice and took their 'order' for pancakes and sausage and I returned a bit later with the heated syrup and butters only to hear, 'Looking up, maybe we'll eat soon.' It was barely 8 and they'd already had their starters!
As it turned out, hubs didn't like the looks of the pancakes and threw the lot in the trash and started over. I'm surprised they didn't faint dead away!
.
Wow, that's cutting it close. I am usually up 1 1/2 hours before breakfast begins. Do you prepare everything the night before? It sounds like hub does the cooking and you serve. Is that correct?
 
Dh woke me from my nap on Sunday to take a reservation... I didn't realize how dyslexic I become upon awakening. This poor guest... French last name, interesting spelling of all five persons in his party... By the end of the phone call I was good to go, but at the beginning, we had a lot of repeating going on.
Just how little before breakfast do you get up?
=)
Kk..
YellowSocks said:
Just how little before breakfast do you get up?
=)
Kk.
Breakfast starts at 8 AM. If I have set the tables the night before I get up at 7:30; if not, 7:15.
Today the tables weren't even set before guests sat down. I was trying to put the silverware out and they had all their napkins in their laps just waiting. I was a little put off after I served the fruit and juice and took their 'order' for pancakes and sausage and I returned a bit later with the heated syrup and butters only to hear, 'Looking up, maybe we'll eat soon.' It was barely 8 and they'd already had their starters!
As it turned out, hubs didn't like the looks of the pancakes and threw the lot in the trash and started over. I'm surprised they didn't faint dead away!
.
Wow, that's cutting it close. I am usually up 1 1/2 hours before breakfast begins. Do you prepare everything the night before? It sounds like hub does the cooking and you serve. Is that correct?
.
I'm the server, hubs does the cooking. He gets everything ready the night before and in the morning gets the fruit bowls made up. I keep out of his kitchen!
 
I usually get up between 5:30 and 6am. Some things I prep the night before but people have access so I don't set the table.
Bake bread, quiche or coffee cake, etc.
Am small here, so most so far has been 5 for breakfast. When I have more, I bake. When I have 1 or 2 I do scrambled eggs or omlettes with meat as a side or if they like ham, will put it in the omlette.
Pancakes are made one at a time and they are large, so serve 1 each and put an extra on the table if they want, easy to do more.
 
Breakfast is at 8, I get up at 7. Set table the night before, prep as much as I can. In the AM I put main course in oven, meanwhile fix fruit cups, juices, etc....
So far I have not had problems with people being there early and grumpy. Early, tes, in my way, , yes, but I learned trough 3 kids and a hubby to get around obstacles...haha
Giving me lip? Gonna eat soon? I think I would give them a sarcastic reply....Sorry, this is still my house, even if you pay, I am not on your payroll.
 
I am always up by 6:30 at least - early coffee is on in the dining room at 7 AM. I set the table the night before & prep as much as I can. Depends on what is happening. I do not take any kind of breakfast "orders" - you get what is served unless you don't eat meat (then it's left off) or have a food allergy. I'm not going to get into that because then people will say, "Oh, I'll just have what he's having" or "that looks good, can I have extra of this". Too much for just me, especially when I'm the cook & server during the week!!
Tomorrow, I have 2 rooms - one will have breakfast served to their suite around 8 AM (one night getaway from home, so I offered) & the others need to be out of here by 8:15 or so, so it should work out. One of the two here is a vegan...fruit plate & some peanut butter with vegan bread (once I go get some this evening).
I would just plate the food & be done with it........
 
I get up 2 hours before the earliest breakafst time. That gives me time to wake up and get dressed and hit the kitchen. I set the table last thing before I go to bed (if guests are in the Harris, I get the dishes out early because the built in dish cupboard is in line with their closet and I am not sure it the dishes clinking noise would travel or not - cannot check it because I have not figured out how to be there and in the dining room att he same time).
I mix up muffins and put them in to bake as I wash the bowl and mix up the bread if doing eggs. Put the jelly & apple butter and butter on the table. Then mix up the eggs and start coffee. I do the fruit while the eggs and bread are in the oven. and then put the juices and water in pitchers and on the table.
 
For us it is an hour to 2 hours before as it depends on the breakfast. Can't set the table the night before as it is on an outdoor terrace ... our guests eat outside off our living room.
Dishes are put out on the counter the night before, we do not offer early coffee unless a guest wanders in or the dogs tell us someone is up and outside (as soon as they go out their door they are on the terrace) and they ask for a cup
"We'll take it over by the pool over there" - (lol first they are taking from my pot of coffee not always a good thing to do) - of course I say, (not like I am doing anything any way ... like cooking your breakfast) I'll be right out with it.
regular_smile.gif

My partner in crime does the fruit prep and clean-up and I do the pan dulce of the day (no longer make sweet bread) and the egg dish. I make home made bread the day before as I do not like getting up at 5:30 to make bread. Sorry.
We are one day going to take a picture of our table setting(s) and I would love to share them with you ... we are fortunate enough to serve from Talavera pottery and Mexican style glass wear so the table is usually colourful.
Cathy
 
We get up 1 1/2 - 2 hrs before serving. coffee is available from about 6:30 am and guests can take a to-go cup with lid back to their rooms (to prevent spills) or in the parlor or front porch if the weather is nice. We set the table before bed and prep anything we can the night before, too. I cut the fruit fresh or warm up the baked fruit dishes for serving once guests are seated. We have ice water on the tables and any other items, like butter, jelly, salt and pepper, as needed. We serve the juice as the guests are seated while they help themselves to the coffee or tea - we often will serve that just to get them started. Then we serve the fruit course. When they have completed that we clear the table and then we serve the entree making adjustments to food allergies/special diets. Sometimes the guests want to visit with us and other times just visit among themselves... we try to be available to talk as we're refilling waters, juice, removing plates, etc. Having 2 courses seems to work for us - fruit course and main course... sometimes the plate just doesn't seem to be full enough, but no one leaves the table hungry!
We like to have just one sitting... we can seat up to 12 and are licensed for that many... it can get a little hairy with more than 8 at one time, so if there are guests who want to eat at a second seating, we're all for that!!! Any time before 7:00 is cook's choice of full breakfast or continental... we have on our website that full breakfast is between 7 & 9 but we have bent the rules for our Fort Pickett guests.
 
For us it is an hour to 2 hours before as it depends on the breakfast. Can't set the table the night before as it is on an outdoor terrace ... our guests eat outside off our living room.
Dishes are put out on the counter the night before, we do not offer early coffee unless a guest wanders in or the dogs tell us someone is up and outside (as soon as they go out their door they are on the terrace) and they ask for a cup
"We'll take it over by the pool over there" - (lol first they are taking from my pot of coffee not always a good thing to do) - of course I say, (not like I am doing anything any way ... like cooking your breakfast) I'll be right out with it.
regular_smile.gif

My partner in crime does the fruit prep and clean-up and I do the pan dulce of the day (no longer make sweet bread) and the egg dish. I make home made bread the day before as I do not like getting up at 5:30 to make bread. Sorry.
We are one day going to take a picture of our table setting(s) and I would love to share them with you ... we are fortunate enough to serve from Talavera pottery and Mexican style glass wear so the table is usually colourful.
Cathy.
I would LOVE to see your table setting....sounds wonderful to eat out on a terrace :)
Tomorrow is a little tricky since it's just me on a weekday without dh to serve. I have one room eating at 8 AM & then have an en suite breakfast delivery in our other house at 8:30 AM, so I will probably plate everything on one plate tomorrow for the 8 AM folks (one is a vegan, too so it's a little different). The earlier breakfast has to be out of here by 8:30, so they won't be lingering.
 
I usually don't need a note pad now .... if I find things getting too complicated I'll just tell them to hold their horses while I go and grab a pen and paper. The first summer I wrote everything down. My classic first mistake was writing WHT for all the toast orders and then realizing I had now idea whether they wanted white or wheat.
 
Dh woke me from my nap on Sunday to take a reservation... I didn't realize how dyslexic I become upon awakening. This poor guest... French last name, interesting spelling of all five persons in his party... By the end of the phone call I was good to go, but at the beginning, we had a lot of repeating going on.
Just how little before breakfast do you get up?
=)
Kk..
YellowSocks said:
Just how little before breakfast do you get up?
=)
Kk.
Breakfast starts at 8 AM. If I have set the tables the night before I get up at 7:30; if not, 7:15.
Today the tables weren't even set before guests sat down. I was trying to put the silverware out and they had all their napkins in their laps just waiting. I was a little put off after I served the fruit and juice and took their 'order' for pancakes and sausage and I returned a bit later with the heated syrup and butters only to hear, 'Looking up, maybe we'll eat soon.' It was barely 8 and they'd already had their starters!
As it turned out, hubs didn't like the looks of the pancakes and threw the lot in the trash and started over. I'm surprised they didn't faint dead away!
.
Wow, that's cutting it close. I am usually up 1 1/2 hours before breakfast begins. Do you prepare everything the night before? It sounds like hub does the cooking and you serve. Is that correct?
.
I'm the server, hubs does the cooking. He gets everything ready the night before and in the morning gets the fruit bowls made up. I keep out of his kitchen!
.
I do the cooking and serving. One of my pet peeves is when dh decides to prepare his breakfast while I am rushing around in the kitchen cooking guests breakfasts but I am learning over the years to pick my battles. This may be one that I address in the future.
He does help serve if I've got a big crowd and everyone is eating at once. I actually prefer that guests are spaced about half an hour apart.
 
Just to realy get me all wound up, I set the tables last night so I'd be ready today. I arrived in the dining room at 7:50. 3 tables already seated and patiently waiting for me to serve. At least that generally means they also check-out early.
 
Dh woke me from my nap on Sunday to take a reservation... I didn't realize how dyslexic I become upon awakening. This poor guest... French last name, interesting spelling of all five persons in his party... By the end of the phone call I was good to go, but at the beginning, we had a lot of repeating going on.
Just how little before breakfast do you get up?
=)
Kk..
YellowSocks said:
Just how little before breakfast do you get up?
=)
Kk.
Breakfast starts at 8 AM. If I have set the tables the night before I get up at 7:30; if not, 7:15.
Today the tables weren't even set before guests sat down. I was trying to put the silverware out and they had all their napkins in their laps just waiting. I was a little put off after I served the fruit and juice and took their 'order' for pancakes and sausage and I returned a bit later with the heated syrup and butters only to hear, 'Looking up, maybe we'll eat soon.' It was barely 8 and they'd already had their starters!
As it turned out, hubs didn't like the looks of the pancakes and threw the lot in the trash and started over. I'm surprised they didn't faint dead away!
.
Wow, that's cutting it close. I am usually up 1 1/2 hours before breakfast begins. Do you prepare everything the night before? It sounds like hub does the cooking and you serve. Is that correct?
.
I'm the server, hubs does the cooking. He gets everything ready the night before and in the morning gets the fruit bowls made up. I keep out of his kitchen!
.
I do the cooking and serving. One of my pet peeves is when dh decides to prepare his breakfast while I am rushing around in the kitchen cooking guests breakfasts but I am learning over the years to pick my battles. This may be one that I address in the future.
He does help serve if I've got a big crowd and everyone is eating at once. I actually prefer that guests are spaced about half an hour apart.
.
I hear you on that one! My dh is always getting in the middle of things during the week with his bagel & juice while I'm going a mile a minute. It is what it is :) He's a BIG help on the weekend, so that is his saving grace
teeth_smile.gif

 
Back
Top