Early Breakfasts...

[Raincliffe1]

It never ceases to amaze my husband how ridiculously early some people want breakfast. Last year we were asked if we would do cooked breakfast at 6.00 am for two people who were intending walking that particular day. Needless to say, the ended up with packed lunch as the alternative.

Today we started breakfasts at 7.00am and finished at 9.00am. Although it does not bother me that much, my husband insists that other hoteliers would not entertain it. So I am asking any other businesses what do you think is a reasonable early start for breakfast and under what circumstances? We do not mind the early start when it is a reasonable number of guests (e.g. 10+) but when it is only one or two my husband starts simmering...

8-[

Katherine

[_Sharpe]

We've had two to four rooms booked by one company since January who had breakfast at 6:30 every weekday morning and later on the weekends. As they pretty much carried us through the first quarter of 2009, we didn't mind a bit. Yesterday, the company announced 600 job losses and the closure of the plant which makes wind turbine blades. The last two clients will be leaving in the morning. In this economic climate, you may have to be more adaptable to customers needs.

[Raincliffe1]

I thoroughly agree Sharpe. When I run the hotel solely for 6 months of the year I do early breakfasts such as you describe. When my husband is here (from Easter onwards) and people ask for early breakfasts he always maintains that other hoteliers just simply would not be 'taken advantage of' in such a way by their customers, hence I asked this question because I'm sure most hoteliers would be flexible over this...

Katherine

[Manors]

The earliest we have been asked to provide breakfast - as in full English - is 7.15. Most of our other early risers are quite happy with a "pack-up" (fruit, cereal bars, yogurt, juice, to take away) or cereal and toast. Although that still means my husband actually looking the part early, at least I am not firing up the grill. That said, we are always awake early anyway, so its more a psychological thing - and I still moan about it, then do it anyway. I am sure you could say no, bearing in mind sometimes you don't get to bed until midnight - and suggest they stay in a 4 star hotel with room service and pay for the privilege - but we don't because, at the end of the day, we want people to be happy!

[Chris]

We have had 2 contractors with us since last September and they want breakfast every weekday morning at 7.30. As they have been a source of regular income through the winter, we have been quite happy to do it. We will also do breakfasts from 6.30 onwards, if we have any guests on fishing trips which are dictated by the tide. When bookings are down like last year you have to adapt or your guests may go elsewhere.
Chris

[Dartmoor B&B]

We also have had contractors working for the last 4 weeks here and having cooked breakfast at 7.30 - can't turn it down these days I'm afraid. Most times people are happy with continental before 7.30. We never do cooked before 7am - having stayed at lots of business class hotels over the years in my experience they don't start cooked till7am either. So really it's what you feel comfortable with and what your market will bear ..

[Joyce Taylor]

We keep a `shop` with all kinds of breakfast items in it all marked with the price and a pile of honesty slips. Guests choose how much or how little they want to buy for breakfast. We charge them for room only up front then collect the money for breakfast when we valet the room.This way no-one leaves us hungry even if they start walking at 5.30am (which is common as we are at the start of a 27 mile stage of the Pennine Way)

[Billie]

We also run a small Bed and Breakfast and we often do early breakfasts. In fact yesterday my husband ran guests to the Bus Station at 4.15 am. We believe the more you put in the better the word of mouth advertising and thats the best kind.
Billie

[Ryan1489]

What I particularly begrudge regarding this issue are guests whom having already been told about breakfast procedure before booking, read it in on all online booking engines and recieve confirmation with breakfast service times ( a very reasonable 7.30 - 9am) still find it upsetting enough that they cannot have breakfast earlier and feel the need to complain on review sites when poilitely told that is not possible.

I quite agree with customer service being paramount and going the "extra mile" but a mile is only so long, having worked in michelin starred restaurants in my previous career I also belive in professionalism and being firm with guests. We are not there for them to treat us as they see fit. We are hard working family run for the most part and work every other hour gods sends.

We like to think our award status and general excellenrt feedback and reward we get from our guests counteracts these gripes but they still get right on my tonsils, unlike americans may think the customer is not always right.

[imported_Mulders]

I totally agree that 6am is an unreasonable time, I know we are here to keep our guests "happy" but I think there are limits. I am sure that a lot of you agree when you have not had a day off or a sleep in ( which is every human`s occasional right) for 90 days on the trot after a long and hard summer season of not closing the bar until 11pm because to keep our guests "happy" they want a night cap at 10.55pm you have to draw the line.
We operate a small guest house with just myself and my husband and as one member pointed out if they want breakfast at 6 pay for a 4* hotel and get room service which will cost a fortune.
The trouble is the market is hard but the propreitors having no sleep will not keep the guests "happy" as we are still human wether we run guest house`s or not.
Let them have continental or go without thats what I say!

[Janet]

Hi there,

We do early breakfast cooked from 6.30.am which is OK if everyone has had breakfast by 8.00.am but this week I have guests who want 6.30am because they are at work and visitors who want their breakfast at 9.00.am this is when I find it difficult because I am unable to get on with doing something else but needs must as they say, but I do have a laptop in my breakfast room and after replying to any emails I play Spider Solitaire until the next guest arrives. Janet

[joyful]

I once stayed in a B&B near an airport and for the v.v. early departures of which they must have had many, they had a fridge and kettle in the dining room so people could take fruit/juice/milk/yogs out of the fridge, make their toast, boil a kettle and push off. Otherwise, although I have done a full english at 6am on quite a few occasions, I wince when asked as it can disturb the other guests to have the kitchen in action and people roaming around. For utterly bonkers early leavers (4am!!) I just put boxes of cereals in room and milk, yogs and juice in room fridge with fruit which they are more than pleased about.

[Briarscourt]

Hi there,

We do early breakfast cooked from 6.30.am which is OK if everyone has had breakfast by 8.00.am but this week I have guests who want 6.30am because they are at work and visitors who want their breakfast at 9.00.am this is when I find it difficult because I am unable to get on with doing something else but needs must as they say, but I do have a laptop in my breakfast room and after replying to any emails I play Spider Solitaire until the next guest arrives. Janet

I am a bit late with this reply due to a holiday in North Cornwall - for once fantastic weather!! But I agree with Janet that it's the late breakfasts which can cause more problems. We are a 4-bedroom/6 person B&B, and offer cooked pre-ordered breakfast between 07:00 and 08:30 (hoping they'll all be on time). We occasionally delay for a guest who wants to eat at 09:00 after a late night. That way we can get on with the morning's work and have a bit of ordinary life. But we live in an area where 70% of guests are on business or training visits, so they want to get away quickly.

If a guest wants to go earlier than 07:00, they are usually pleased to make a hot drink in their room, then self-serve cereal, fruit salad, juice and toast in the dining room. Better than leaving with an empty tum. Valerie

http://www.briarscourt.co.uk

[joyful]

Note one B&B above mentioned "running someone to the bus station". It is illegal and dangerous to drive any B&B customers about (free or otherwise). Insurance doesn't cover. Even free lifts is illegal as it is a "favour". Many people think if they drive them "just to the train station" they are being nice. They could be sued out of oblivion were there to be an accident as it is classed as a "favour" and is in relation to your business. Taxi drivers pay several thousands a year and have to take test to be one. Anyone giving free rides in their car is doing the taxis out of a job and risking everything they have - were there to be an accident.

[Angela Lakin-Ward]

It never ceases to amaze my husband how ridiculously early some people want breakfast. Last year we were asked if we would do cooked breakfast at 6.00 am for two people who were intending walking that particular day. Needless to say, the ended up with packed lunch as the alternative.

Today we started breakfasts at 7.00am and finished at 9.00am. Although it does not bother me that much, my husband insists that other hoteliers would not entertain it. So I am asking any other businesses what do you think is a reasonable early start for breakfast and under what circumstances? We do not mind the early start when it is a reasonable number of guests (e.g. 10+) but when it is only one or two my husband starts simmering...

8-[

Katherine

I always say it is your business and you should run it your way, if you are a very large place then early breakfast etc should be avail , if you dont want to offer breakfast early then dont, but i dont see any point in offering and then moaning about it , either do it or not ....

[Der Alte Fritz]

Ok you can you tell your husband that I am a hotelier and that it is perfectly reasonable to order a cooked breakfast during the published hours that breakfast is served whatever they are. Outside that is an extra and hence at your discretion. I would not call 7am unreasonable especially for business travellers or workmen who are often required to be on the road by 7.30am and are often tracked by satelite to make sure they do. Cereal and a continental are perfectly acceptable alternative at earlier times than 7am. But it does not matter how many guests you have. It is not their fault that you only have one room booked out and the level of service should not alter because of that. Two hours in the kitchen for breakfast..... luxury! I can be in the kitchen from 7am till 11am fiddling about with a slow service. But on the other hand I do not have to commute to work for two hours every morning, so I am not complaining.

[joyful]

We also run a small Bed and Breakfast and we often do early breakfasts. In fact yesterday my husband ran guests to the Bus Station at 4.15 am. We believe the more you put in the better the word of mouth advertising and thats the best kind.
Billie

Billie, read the bit about driving guests in your car and the info bit that this web site has put up regarding the legal side to it. I wouldn't drive a guest in my car for £1m.

[Erik_Hamburger]

I have had regular single guest one who liked his breakfast at 6am, while it was advertised from 7.30am. You can imagine how surprised I was to find out he was still in his room and hadn't checked out yet by 10am! When I asked why he mentioned "he just liked an early breakfast". I told him politely that I didn't intend to repeat the service next time, in particular because I also had a bar to run and a hotel to lock up at 2am the previous morning. Well, actually that same morning. ;). He never returned...
Another regular experience was of people ordering an early breakfast and then not turning up. Overslept....resulting in a hurried and hungry check-out, grabbing a banana from the buffet, and two cooked breakfast wasted and my night sleep spoiled.

[_Judith]

Do you know you are breaking the law running guests to the bus station if you do not have a taxi licence? Billie? you are not allowed to do it any more.

[_Judith]

Has anyone heard that the rules are changing and that the small B & B's 3 rooms and under are now going to have to wear a uniform to cook breakfast in, it will no longer be accepteble to wear clean nornal clothes? A uniform which you change out of when finished cooking?
Is this true or is someone just making up more rules and regs to spend out hard earnt cash on!

[Sue: White Horse Walking Holidays]

Has anyone heard that the rules are changing and that the small B & B's 3 rooms and under are now going to have to wear a uniform to cook breakfast in, it will no longer be accepteble to wear clean nornal clothes? A uniform which you change out of when finished cooking?
Is this true or is someone just making up more rules and regs to spend out hard earnt cash on!

It's not April 1st is it?

[Kim234]

We have a mini fridge so they get that with milk and yogurt in and their choice of fruit and cerial. It is easy to plug in in the room and then they can sort themselves out.

[Caz2000]

Well we have just had another long meeting with our new Environmental Health "practicioner" (don't you love the new title) - our local guy really is super keen (in our old house in a neighbouring Council's district the lady there was a bit more relaxed although that was just raw foods we were handling).

Anyway the upshot is if you get a copy of Safer Foods Better Business (for catering) and go through that it has the gold standards but if you can prove why your (less stringent) menthod works you can work under relaxed conditions (to an extent). So for example it suggests you change into a special uniform for cooking and change out when you finish in the kitchen as it is aimed at restuarants too however our "practicioner" was happy for me to wear a clean apron over my normal clothes as he agreed it would look a bit daft serving breakfast in uniform in a B&B.

So if our guy who is very pedantic says normal clothes are fine then I don't know where you heard this new "rule" as we are just about to open and he is making sure we follow all the most up to date guidelines.

Caz

P.S. My husband gets up at 4am every morning to get to London - he sympathises with those who need an early breakfast for an early start and I told him he can do them then ;) however a guest who requests an early breakfast and then sits in their room till 10am would wind me up too!

[Jacquie]

Today I had a couple who, upon arriving yesterday, asked for a 7am breakfast. Great! I thought...breakfast at 7am must mean they plan to get out early... I can then do their room early and have an easy day! Oh no! They were still in the dining room at 9am and left after the couple who opted for the 8.30am breakfast !!! Guests.... don't ya just luv 'em!

[Erik_Hamburger]

Just ask yourself who is going to enforce that rule - as the EHO has to give a small B&B at least 24 hours notice of a visit. Tell the paper pushers to go and waste someone else's time!

[Longinthetooth]

Just ask yourself who is going to enforce that rule - as the EHO has to give a small B&B at least 24 hours notice of a visit. Tell the paper pushers to go and waste someone else's time!

The EHO from the council just turns up unexpectedly here to check - never heard of the 24 hour notice thing. Safer Food Better Business is the book the EHO dish out and has to be meticulously maintained as mine was checked when they did their "spot check".

[Der Alte Fritz]

Today I had a couple who, upon arriving yesterday, asked for a 7am breakfast. Great! I thought...breakfast at 7am must mean they plan to get out early... I can then do their room early and have an easy day! Oh no! They were still in the dining room at 9am and left after the couple who opted for the 8.30am breakfast !!! Guests.... don't ya just luv 'em!

Yes, there is none so strange as folk. These people are on holiday and they want to relax and this is their way of doing it!

The way round this is to stick to your rules. Breakfast is between Xam and Yam. Outside that time, we will make other arrangements such as a continental breakfast left on the side/in the fridge/in your room, etc. Tea and coffee making facilities on the side, etc etc.

There is even a boutique B&B in Brighton which makes of virtue out of this sort of approach and runs a self service cafeteria style breakfast which you can have whenever you want. People appreciate this because it is what is advertised and it is convenient for them (and because their clientelle are trendy Londoners.)

Being near the Channel ports we have lots of Europeans leaving at ungodly hours - even they do not want to eat breakfast at the time they leave, so we do them a 'breakfast picnic' in a bag which they can take with them and eat on the boat/train/car. Bottle juice, continental type breakfast, a yoghurt in a pot and some fruit and they are very appreciative.

How about a voucher for the local greasy spoon down the street for your really early riser? With a bit of imagination you can stay in bed yourself!

[Sue: White Horse Walking Holidays]

I guess they're early risers and like to linger over breakfast - not very convenient though. I'm getting a lot of workmen staying here lately and their employers don't want pay for their breakfast - plus they leave here soon after 7am and don't want to eat that early. I reduce the rates accordingly. If someone wants breakfast at an ungodly hour there's always the option to offer them a discount and give them 'room only'.