Most guests will eat breakfast during their stay in hotels, it constitutes the only meal period we can guarantee our guests interact in the F&B space. As this represents one of the only opportunities to interact with guests there is no question the old cliché “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is true! Not only to diet but it is also critical to our business, guest experience and our reputation to prioritize the breakfast experience & offers. To roam wildly into another Cliché-.
“First impressions are everything”
As breakfast represents to consumers the overarching F&B offering of a hotel, it sets the tone of what is to come. Guest expectations are made here, through and beyond their stay. Beyond product programming, planning & thought are required to execute visually appealing buffets and a la carte options, and let us not forget we eat with our eyes before anything else. Staying in line with our senses it is also vital to consider music styling and ambience into this early morning meal period as setting the atmosphere is an easy win for the experience. No one wants to hear Toxic by Britney spears with their 7 am flat white & smashed avocado.
Are consumer expectations changing?
Health and healthy eating have become more important to the modern traveler
and its true we need to be more sensitive to changing dietary habits. Whether its Keto, Fasting, flexitarians, or the abundance of new trends popping up. Only by staying informed can we anticipate our consumer's needs. To keep up with the constantly changing breakfast habits across EMEA we have now developed a comprehensive guidance deck and minimum standards for each brand currently operating in EMEA.
With this, we will put out to pasture and retire our covid interim decks and the old MEA & European guidance decks. Over recent times our guests have seen Covid restrictions, contactless ordering, no & Low buffets, hybrid models, and a la carte breakfast which for most was a new experience. Putting this chapter behind us and refocusing on the standard our loyal guests expect while anticipating the needs of our future travelers and loyalty members is the new direction we must set course on.
Our consumers are always looking to experience something new whether its trendy ingredients, twisted comfort food, local delicacies, all with the expectation of Instagrammable food offerings. For inspiration, visit our trends & consumer sections on the Wired F+D for inspiration.
Is breakfast a consumer opportunity?
A great breakfast experience can help establish trust with our consumers. Using breakfast as a spotlight to show off your culinary skill or service can act as a springboard to convert guests to other outlets and experiences within your hotel. In many cases breakfast will also be one of the last chances for our teams to personally connect before check out, creating an opportunity to create lasting experience memories.
We know our guest’s needs and desires have changed in the last 18 months and are constantly evolving especially their breakfast habits and expectations. We need to respect that for many of our hotel’s breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The ramifications of doing breakfast well are felt well beyond this meal period in our operations. Being informed is the first step to benefiting from this opportunity, the new EMEA wide breakfast guidance will be the one-stop shop for all information and guidance our operational team will need. Have a look yourself and indulge in our new breakfast experience.
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