If you stay in a B&B, what breakfast options would you expect?

[BreakfastClubs]

Specifically a small B&B as opposed to a hotel.

Which/how many options would you expect?

Asking for a friend.

[Seeline]

What she is providing sounds great, and above what I would expect at a small B&B. I do expect good quality though.
She needs to put the menu in line making it clear that guests can choose anything from that menu.

[TeenDivided]

@BreakfastClubs

She offers a cooked breakfast and a mini continental. Cereal and various forms of eggs are available plus yoghurt and pastry. Fruit juice and various toppings for toast.

What she's being asked/demanded in some cases for are things like pancakes, waffles, Eggs benedict, smoked salmon etc which might be perfectly normal breakfast options but it's only her and a small B&B and she can't offer a selection to match Wetherspoon's as one guest told her that they have a better selection.

As a small B&B she can't do everything.
She needs to have a 'sample breakfast menu' available on her website so she can pushback on these requests.

If she really wanted to, she could say 'other items may be possible at a supplement if requested in advance'. But note, if requested they have to be paid for whether or not actually eaten in the end.

[mrsbyers]

She needs to specify clearly on booking what the breakfast offer is , for a small b&b what she is offering is perfectly normal

[BreakfastClubs]

She's been debating whether to send guests to the cafe opposite with a voucher instead because variety seems to be their main concern. Also complaints that the pastries are not fresh.(They're heat from frozen but good quality)

[BarbaraofSeville]

She offers a cooked breakfast and a mini continental. Cereal and various forms of eggs are available plus yoghurt and pastry. Fruit juice and various toppings for toast

That's perfectly reasonable for a small B&B.

'pancakes, waffles, Eggs benedict, smoked salmon' is not reasonable at all unless she goes down the nasty pre-made route like Wetherspoons do. Do people really expect her to be whipping up hollandaise fresh each morning?

Perhaps she could keep some smoked salmon in individual sized foil parcels in the freezer to go with scrambled eggs.

She should list her offering on her website or social media and refer the people demanding other things there if they say anything.

[Hairbrushhandle]

I have dairy free DC so an option of flora instead of butter would be useful and some oat milk.

[Toddlerteaplease]

I'd also expect it to be included in the price. I've been to a couple where it's extra and was a bit 🤔

[JustDanceAddict]

Cereal choices
juice
toast, jam, marmite, butter
cooked - regular or veggie
tea/coffee
That would be at a minimum!

but ideally I’d like to add pastries and yoghurt and latte/cappuccino type of coffee.
im not mega keen on cooked and if at a buffet generally just want the egg part.

[ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea]

In a standard B&B I would expect a choice of cereals and fruit juice .

Toast & jam, marmalade

Cooked breakfast with vegetarian option .

Anything else is a bonus - eg fruit, yogurt , pastries, smoked salmon & scrambled egg, avocado, kippers, porridge etc

[OutDamnedSpot]

A place I stayed recently had an order form you completed the night before and then meals were delivered to the room. I liked that.

[SwedishDeathClearance]

Lots just offers cold grab bags these days. Option to have left outside the door

[BreakfastClubs]

Thanks all. This is helpful. It's her first season so she's very much in the teething troubles stage.

[Apricotton]

If I can chip in… I always appreciate a selection of cereals that aren’t just stale dust.

I once visited an amazing B&B in Devon where the breakfast was outstanding and even the juice was Innocent brand. I don’t expect that though. Unless briefed otherwise on the website, I generally anticipate a small selection of cereal, toast and butter/jam/marmalade, juice, tea and coffee, yogurts/fruit and cooked breakfast. Anything else is a welcome bonus. I don’t drink tea and coffee, so having the option of more than a thimbleful of juice is always lovely.

Another B&B was interesting… my friend and I were offered cooked breakfast or continental. My friend chose cooked… her breakfast was a huge plateful of nicely cooked food. I chose continental and was given one small cold croissant.

[MenoRageisReal]

@BreakfastClubs

She offers a cooked breakfast and a mini continental. Cereal and various forms of eggs are available plus yoghurt and pastry. Fruit juice and various toppings for toast.

What she's being asked/demanded in some cases for are things like pancakes, waffles, Eggs benedict, smoked salmon etc which might be perfectly normal breakfast options but it's only her and a small B&B and she can't offer a selection to match Wetherspoon's as one guest told her that they have a better selection.

What she's offering sounds perfectly fine for a standard B&B. I'd be happy with that.

Her guests sound ignorant. Yes of course Wetherspoons will have a larger selection - if you like your food cheap, bought in bulk and frozen for weeks before it reached the pub.

[LilacRos]

I think it's the continental options that are often lacking, simple bread rolls, butter and jam.
These seem to be missing at every B&B or hotel I've stayed in recently. I don't want a big fry up and just toast isn't much fun on holiday.

[AitkenDrum1970]

Vegetarian option that isn’t ‘fake meat’ and tea made in a teapot!!

[Anamechangeisnotjustforchristmas]

Wetherspoons use hollandaise sauce from the packet, boil in the bag poached eggs, frozen muffins, etc etc. plus they are catering to at least a hundred people a day for breakfast. It’s ludicrous that guests are expecting a small b&b to offer a similar selection.

I would only expect juice, coffee, toast, cereal and a full breakfast from a small place. But I would expect to be able to customise the full breakfast, e.g. just get eggs, tomatoes and bacon.

If she really wants to offer more she will have to freeze it and offer a preorder sheet.

[BlackeyedSusan]

Fruit juice. (Apple and orange)
Cooked breakfast (egg ( minimum two types), bacon, sausage, hash browns, mushroom, tomatoes and beans, veggie option) with elements of this available on toast. Toast, (brown and white) butter, spread, jam and marmalade. (Little individual portions)

[Candleabra]

Well those guests should eat at Wetherspoons then!
I think she can offer any option she likes, as long as it’s clear when booking. A sample menu is a good idea.
I would rather have fewer, nicer options, freshly cooked. I have stayed in places where you have to order the night before and I’d be fine with that.
As a small business owner you have to trust your instincts and understand that you can’t please everyone. She can’t compete with cheap Wetherspoons/large hotel buffet style option, but she can offer something different, and nicer quality.

[BlackeyedSusan]

Her breakfast is more than I would expect. She's doing fine.

[NowZeusHasLainWithLeda]

@Hbh17

I would expect whatever options had been specified on the website before I booked. So, usually, a full English, but I know that some small places aren't able to do that (quite justifiably & priced accordingly). So, if they say up front that they just leave a tray of coffee & pasties outside the bedroom door, then that is what I expect.
If I had particular food allergies etc, I would also have checked before booking.

This.
Whatever I'd been told when I booked, but basically cereal, juice, fruit, toast and a full English as a given unless I'd specified I didn't want it. At breakfast I'd expect to choose how I wanted my eggs.

[NowZeusHasLainWithLeda]

I think it also depends on how much she's charging. My SIL has a B&B and charges more than a Premier Inn would.

[ActDottie]

Definitely a cooked breakfast so:

• full english
• veggie full english
• vegan full english
• then a couple of smaller options like eggs on toast etc

Then a cold breakfast of at least cereal and orange juice. Croissants and pastries etc. I think would be nice but not expected.
Also maybe a bowl of fresh fruit.

[BreakfastClubs]

Thanks all. So it seems that most people(so far) are happy with her selection. Would anyone prefer to be given a voucher for the cafe opposite and have breakfast there so that they have a wider selection of items?

[BreakfastClubs]

I think it also depends on how much she's charging. My SIL has a B&B and charges more than a Premier Inn would.

She's cheaper than the local Premier Inn.

Speaking of those, I recently booked a B&B in the Lake District. I looked at the price of a Premier Inn and was amazed at how expensive it was. I got 3 nights in a B&B(Very nice one judging by the very positive reviews) for 3 nights and it was £100 cheaper than the cost of a Premier Inn for 2 nights!