What is more annoying in the morning than having to wait being seated for breakfast or if the food items are not adequately replenished.
I have seen quite a few hotels from select, such as the photo above, to full service trying to better manager their breakfast flow and guest expectations by publishing “traffic lights” as a guide.
Here are my observations:
City Hotels:
Breakfasts tend to be busy first thing in the morning when business guests eat, and then again an hour to 30 minutes before it closes when others come.
Weekends tend to vary more. Then the mornings are quiet, and people tend to come just before the buffer/service ends.
Resorts:
The breakfast business schedule is roughly the same as weekends at city hotels. The last hour tends to be overrun with the guests.
Conclusion
The recipe for a guest satisfaction success is to manage the expectations wisely and try to over rather than under-deliver (under-promise – over-deliver).
It makes sense to ease the flow of guests in the morning and try to move those to eat earlier that prefer quieter space. Having something like these “traffic lights,” guiding guests is an excellent idea.
I don’t like noisy environments and usually tend not to eat breakfast even when one is included.
