You have numerous opportunities to set your inn apart from the competition, especially compared to chain hotels. Offering a unique and enticing bed and breakfast menu is one of them! Nobody wants to wake up to a bland array of pre-frozen foods with no effort involved. Guests look forward to breakfasts that beckon them forward with aromas and delight them with flavor. (You get bonus points for a beautiful presentation!) Read on to learn how you can craft a menu that your visitors — and their taste buds — will enjoy.
If you want to learn more about running your B&B effectively, join us at one of our Current Innkeeping Workshops! We have over 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry and would love to share our expertise with you.
Create a Mouthwatering Bed and Breakfast Menu
Learn From Others
One crucial step that we always highlight, whether you’re buying an inn or learning how to run an inn, is to learn from other innkeepers. This can be particularly helpful when you’re considering your B&B breakfast menu. Stay at similar inns, talk to the chefs and owners, and ask plenty of questions. Find out what guests have enjoyed as well as what they have not liked about certain dishes. Use this information to your advantage!
Incorporate Local Ingredients
This recommendation is especially useful for those of you who have inns in rural areas. Are there any local farms or companies that produce goods you can use in your bed and breakfast food? Seek them out and seek if you can create a partnership! It will benefit you, the farmers, and your guests to use locally sourced ingredients. People love to know that their food is fresh and that you support other local businesses! An example from our team’s past Inn ownership: we scheduled delivery of local, fresh eggs (by bicycle cart, of course) at guest check-in, which made our commitment to local ingredients clear as day!
Note: You can still incorporate local flavors if you own an inn that’s in an urban area. Consider examples such as offering Southern classics, like chicken and waffles, or using fresh seafood from the coastline, depending on your location. See what’s popular in your area and add a dash of your inn’s own flavor and character! One of our favorite examples of this is the Mill House Inn’s signature lobster frittata, which brings Montauk to the table at one of our favorite East Hampton Inns.
Consider Diets and Allergies
Do you have breakfast options for specific diets or allergies? If not, you might want to rethink your menu. Offer a variety of dishes for guests to choose from or take requests to customize meals. Don’t forget to highlight this personalized service on your website, too. It can make the difference between whether or not someone books a bed and breakfast!
Learn More With Inn Partners!
Are you craving more knowledge? We have all of the information you need to be successful as an innkeeper! Sign up for a Current Innkeeping Workshop with Inn Partners to learn everything you should know about breakfast menus, target markets, industry trends, and more. Or, if you’re looking to purchase your first B&B, take a look at our variety of inns for sale. You’re also welcome to join us for a Seminar for Future Innkeepers! We look forward to speaking with you and sharing the wealth of expertise our team has to offer.
