To have assumed this about breakfast?

[YouWhatLove]

Staying in a country pub with rooms for a couple of nights away with my dc. We went down for breakfast this morning and the waitress asked if we wanted the continental breakfast for £7.95 or the cooked breakfast for £10.95 (slightly cheaper for dc but can’t remember the price). We all had the cooked breakfast, she took our orders and went off.

I then went to the continental buffet bit and got juice for dc, a cup of tea for myself and 2 slices of toast to go with our cooked breakfast. She delivered the cooked breakfast, it was all very nice and then she presented us with the bill that charged us for 3 x continental breakfast and 3 x cooked breakfast. I said she’d charged us twice and she said that she’d seen me go to the buffet so had to charge me. After a bit of a fuss she agreed to only charge for the cooked breakfast but said to not do it tomorrow and that if I wanted tea/ juice/ toast I had to order it with my breakfast.

I haven’t stayed in that many places that offered a continental and cooked breakfast at a separate price but was I being cheeky to assume the cost of a cooked breakfast included juice and toast from the buffet bit? I’m sure when I’ve stayed in Premier Inn or similar that’s been the case or maybe I’ve just been nicking stuff without realising it 😬

Of course the more expensive option includes drinks, toast etc! But you don’t go and help yourself.

Except that very often this is exactly what you do. I think it was an easy mistake for the OP to make.

In this case the OP was asked which breakfast she wanted, continental or cooked. She chose cooked. It really then goes without saying that they don't expect you to help yourself also to the continental buffet.

It really doesn't. And I could probably challenge you to a travelled the world from dingy hostels to mulptiple starred hotel locations competition.

Otherwise what would be the bloody point in asking everyone whether they wanted cooked or continental

Because if they only have the continental, it costs less, So they need to know how to bill it.

YANBU
This is bonkers. Does that mean drinks are included for the buffet breakfast and not the cooked option?

If toast came with the meal, I could see if they, perhaps separated the two. However, it is pretty normal to have both on offer when you pay for the most expensive breakfast.

The OP isn't in a hotel though, she's staying in a pub. A pub that obviously has very limited options. Agree that the waitress should have been clearer re drinks etc though.

Anyway, OP. You did nothing wrong. And if I were you, I'd check with reception tomorrow, because I can't help but think that this woman had it wrong. Adding the cost of drinks and toast to that price woould make the cooked breakfast astronomical. So ask at the desk what's included.

It was way over the top to charge you for a whole continental breakfast, but a bit cheeky for you to start helping yourself to additional items.

And by the way, I stayed in a pub type hotel just last week. Had the cooked breakfast and helped myself to the buffet. As did the other eight people in my family party, and as did those on other tables.

I would expect toast and juice, tea/ coffee with a cooked breakfast as well so prob would have done the same as you seeing as she didn’t offer them.

Continental breakfast usually means more than just cereal or toast, so muffins and pastries, even ham and cheeses depending on place and cost so unless you had plates laden with everything and then a hot breakfast it seems mean to charge for both.

I wouldn’t expect to have a full continental with pastries, ham and cheeses included with a cooked breakfast for 10.95. That would seem to good to be true! And I would wonder about the quality of the food.

She needs to explain better.

Absolutely cannot get my head around all the bootlickers on here saying you were cheeky!!! You took toast and a drink not the full meal. The woman you dealt with sounds like the worst kind of jobs worth. If anything she could have added a small charge for the drinks but to try and charge you the full amount for the meals is beyond pathetic. I’d go out of my way not to eat there in the morning and I’d leave a review on trip adviser and google recounting how ridiculous the member of staff was. This country needs to sort itself out.

Yes, deeply odd if drinks are only available with a continental breakfast. Bacon definitely makes me thirstier than cereal with milk! I love a Premier Inn and would’ve behaved like you, OP

I would have done exactly what you did! And I am well travelled.

Tea coffee and juice are fair game and included in all breakfasts. I would assume your are paying extra for the cooked food on top of the general spread.

I doubt you are the first who has done this - did they not feel foolish charging you that much for breakfast!!

It sounds like too mixed a portfolio of offerings. If I have waitress service, I expect waitress service for all of it. Teas brought in a pot, toast in a rack and I don't expect to get up for it.

Buffet breakfast, hot or cold, no problem getting up and sorting myself out. Nothing better than a Holiday Inn Express bacon and/or sausage self made butty (dodge the awful scrambled eggs). However when I see people take bacon, egg, sausage, egg, beans, toast and then go back for pastries, Yoghurt, cereal, etc, do I judge - oh yes I silently judge and think what Percy piglets they are. It is just so unnecessary because it's all included in the price.

This. A cooked breakfast is normally an upgrade on a cold buffet so it’s an add on. Please write them a scathing review.

But did they tell you what was in the cooked breakfast, and did they give you a choice? If it listed things like tea, coffee, different juices and toast under the cooked breakfast heading as well as a choice out of stuff like eggs, sausages, bacon, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, hash browns etc, then that would suggest you had to order it all from the waitress. Mind you, if you hadn't ordered tea, coffee and toast I would have expected her to ask if you wanted them.

Whatever about the buffet, the idea of a cooked breakfast that doesn't include juice, tea, and coffee is astounding.

Please report back in the morning - I’m far too invested in this!

In most hotels it would be, but if it’s a small place they will be watching the costs.

it’s vaguely their fault for not putting a line in the menu explaining, you could drop an email to the owners.

other than that, forget it

It sounds like too mixed a portfolio of offerings. If I have waitress service, I expect waitress service for all of it. Teas brought in a pot, toast in a rack and I don't expect to get up for it

That would be true if there's no buffet option at all, but if there's a continental buffet out on the side, including juices/coffees etc, I would almost certainly assume that I was supposed to get these myself, even if the waitress was bringing me my hot breakfast. Especially if she hadn't mentioned or offered these items when taking my order.

I'd have asked tbh.

Just assuming you can go get stuff without knowing for sure is a bit cheeky, I'm not sure if have charged you though if I was the waitress, unless my boss really made me do so.

You want a fry up AND orange juice?? You absolute glutton! You're the reason hotels are closing down, I bet you expect soap in the bathroom too 😡

I can't get over the fact you stayed somewhere that wasn't bed and breakfast but was just bed.

The charges for breakfast are normally for non residents.

I don't drink tea or coffee, I always help myself to juice and generally ask for a bigger glass too or take the jug back to the table if there are a few of us.

At a Premier Inn you can pay the extra for the cooked breakfast and it includes anything from the continental buffet as well. It's not unreasonable to assume the same is true everywhere, but I would have checked first. Of course toast and tea/coffee should be included in the price of a cooked breakfast.

Sorry, but it was a cheeky and unreasonable assumption to make!

I’m very well travelled too and I think OP was naive (not cheeky) to make that assumption.

I'd have assumed the same as you, OP, that the cooked breakfast was an extension of the continental, and that it included tea, toast, etc.