Jackson Reed
Breakfast is an important offering for hotels, with around 90% of overnight guests partaking in the morning meal. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered how hotels provide this service. The traditional breakfast buffet, a staple of the hotel experience, has been largely replaced with pre-packaged breakfast items, grab-and-go options, and à la carte menus. While some guests appreciate the convenience and safety of these new offerings, others miss the variety and value of the traditional buffet. As the pandemic continues to evolve, hotels are adapting their breakfast services to meet the changing expectations and needs of their guests.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Breakfast offerings | Pre-packaged items, grab-and-go options, a la carte menus, takeaway food |
| Buffet breakfasts | Removed in most hotels, replaced by attendants building plates of food for guests |
| Breakfast items | Granola bars, fruit, yogurt, prepackaged foods, to-go bags |
| Breakfast service | Social distancing measures, masks and gloves for employees |
| Changes in breakfast procedures | Varied across different hotel brands and locations |
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What You'll Learn
Hotels are offering grab-and-go breakfasts
Hotels have traditionally offered breakfast buffets, which have been a staple for decades due to their menu variety and perceived value. However, the coronavirus pandemic has significantly altered hotel breakfast services. Many hotels have discontinued their breakfast buffets and shifted to grab-and-go breakfast options to ensure the safety of their guests during the pandemic.
This change in breakfast service has been observed across various hotel chains, including Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Marriott, and Hyatt. For example, TownePlace Suites Louisville Airport offers guests a grab-and-go breakfast with cereal, yogurt, fruit, and juice, already conveniently packed in a bag. Similarly, Hyatt House Chicago / West Loop-Fulton Market provides guests with a pre-packaged breakfast bag containing water, a muffin, and an orange.
The grab-and-go breakfasts offered by hotels vary in their specific contents. Some hotels provide a simple assortment of a granola bar, a piece of fruit, and a container of yogurt. Others may include additional items such as a bottle of water, a muffin, or a prepackaged breakfast sandwich. These options allow guests to conveniently take their breakfast with them as they start their day.
While some guests may miss the traditional breakfast buffet, the grab-and-go option has its advantages. It eliminates the potential health risks associated with self-service buffets during the pandemic. Additionally, guests can now avoid the temptation of overeating, as they can select their portions or choose healthier alternatives from the available options.
As the pandemic evolves and restrictions ease, it remains to be seen whether hotels will revert to their pre-pandemic breakfast buffets or continue to innovate and build upon their current grab-and-go offerings. Some hotels may opt for a hybrid approach, combining the convenience of grab-and-go options with the variety of a la carte menus or made-to-order choices. Ultimately, guest preferences and safety will shape the future of hotel breakfast services in the post-pandemic era.
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Buffet breakfasts have been replaced with pre-packaged items
Breakfast buffets have long been a staple of the hotel experience, with 90% of overnight guests partaking in the morning meal. However, the coronavirus pandemic has significantly altered hotel breakfast offerings, with many properties discontinuing their popular buffets.
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and adhere to health and safety guidelines, hotels have replaced their breakfast buffets with pre-packaged items. Guests at properties that once featured lavish spreads of pancakes, omelettes, and cereal dispensers now find grab-and-go breakfasts or individually packaged items. This shift has been observed across various hotel brands, including Choice Hotels, Hilton, Hyatt, and Hampton Inn.
The new breakfast offerings vary by hotel, but typically include some combination of granola bars, fruit, yogurt, and prepackaged sandwiches. Some hotels, like Hyatt, offer curated individual buffet-style meals for each dining table, while others provide made-to-order options or streamlined à la carte menus. While these changes are intended to prioritize guest safety, they have also been met with mixed reactions. Some guests appreciate the convenience and reduced waste of pre-packaged offerings, while others express disappointment over the absence of the traditional buffet and the perceived decline in food quality.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, hotels are adapting their breakfast services accordingly. While some hotels have indicated that changes to breakfast offerings will remain in place through the end of the year, others are reassessing their approaches and considering when to resume full food and beverage services. The future of hotel breakfast remains uncertain, and it is yet to be determined if guests will return to pre-COVID self-service buffets or embrace the new normal of à la carte and to-go options.
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Some hotels are offering a la carte breakfasts
Breakfast is an important offering for hotels, with around 90% of overnight guests partaking in the morning meal. However, COVID-19 has significantly altered how hotels present breakfast to their guests. While some hotels have discontinued breakfast service altogether, others have shifted to grab-and-go options or prepackaged items.
A la carte breakfasts provide guests with a more personalized dining experience, allowing them to choose from a variety of options to suit their individual preferences and dietary needs. This approach also ensures that food is prepared fresh and served hot, addressing concerns about the quality and healthiness of prepackaged grab-and-go meals.
Guests who prefer a more relaxed and interactive breakfast experience may appreciate the a la carte format, as it encourages guests to socialize and engage with the dining process. This can be particularly appealing for those seeking a more luxurious or indulgent breakfast experience during their hotel stay.
While a la carte breakfasts may be preferable for some guests, others may miss the convenience and variety typically associated with breakfast buffets. It is worth noting that the shift to a la carte or grab-and-go options may not be a permanent change for all hotels. Some hotels plan to reassess their offerings and may resume full breakfast services, including buffets, as the COVID-19 situation evolves and guidelines change.
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Breakfast staff are required to wear masks and gloves
For example, at the Omni Hotel, which previously offered a breakfast buffet, guests now have the option of ordering from a streamlined à la carte menu or getting takeaway food. Similarly, Hyatt hotels have shifted to à la carte menus and made-to-order options, while some of their locations are offering improved room service or individual buffet-style meals curated for each dining table. Choice Hotels have also replaced their buffets with pre-packaged breakfast items.
Some hotels, like the Holiday Inn Express Murfreesboro Central, continue to offer a full hot breakfast, but instead of a buffet, the food is made for guests individually. At Hampton Inns, one location offered a "to-go bag" with pre-packaged items, while another served breakfast with staff behind a table, dishing out eggs, turkey sausage, and potatoes into a "go-to" styrofoam container.
While the future of hotel breakfast offerings remains uncertain, it is clear that the traditional breakfast buffet may be a thing of the past, at least for now. Hotels are adapting to meet the challenges posed by COVID-19 and are finding creative ways to provide breakfast to their guests while prioritizing safety.
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Breakfast offerings vary within hotel brands
Breakfast is an important offering for hotels, with around 90% of overnight guests partaking in the morning meal. However, the traditional breakfast buffet, a staple for hotels, has had to change since the coronavirus pandemic. Hotels have had to adapt their breakfast services to ensure guest safety, and this has resulted in a variety of offerings.
Some hotels have chosen to close their buffets altogether, opting for pre-packaged breakfast items, grab-and-go bags, or takeaway food. Others have replaced the self-service style with attendants building plates of food for guests. Some hotels are offering a combination of these options, with pre-packaged items and a limited buffet, where guests can choose from a selection of items curated for each table.
Hotel brands are also offering a la carte breakfasts, with some providing made-to-order hot food, while others offer cold items such as fruit, yoghurt, and pastries. Some hotels are also improving their room service offerings, allowing guests to dine in their rooms.
The changes in breakfast offerings vary within hotel brands, with guests experiencing different breakfast services at hotels within the same chain. For example, within the Marriott brand, TownePlace Suites Louisville Airport offers a grab-and-go option, while Fairfield Inn & Suites Murfreesboro provides granola bars and Pop-Tarts. Similarly, within the Hyatt brand, the Hyatt House Chicago/West Loop-Fulton Market location offers a grab-and-go bag with a water, muffin, and an orange, while the Hyatt Place Cincinnati/Sharonville location has a variety of grab-and-go options, including fruit, juice, and pre-packaged items.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, hotels are serving breakfast during COVID, but the breakfast offerings have changed. Hotels that previously offered complimentary breakfast buffets have now shifted to serving grab-and-go breakfasts or prepackaged items.
Hotel breakfasts during COVID vary across different hotels. Some hotels offer a combination of granola bars, fruit, yogurt, and water. Others offer hot breakfast options such as waffles, bacon, and eggs.
Hotel breakfast buffets have been largely discontinued during COVID. However, some hotels have modified their buffets by having attendants build plates of food for guests.
It is unclear if and when hotel breakfast buffets will return to their pre-COVID format. Some hotels plan to reassess their breakfast offerings as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves.
