Breakfasts in hotels

You need to ask yourself do you eat all this food for breakfast at home, I doubt it. I think it’s rude taking food away, people tend to stuff their faces while at hotels at breakfast time, plates piled high no wonder there are a lot of obese people.

So it's ok to waste food then? Hmm...

Breakfast is breakfast. Eat what you want for breakfast. Just don't expect to take lunch away with you.

Aveline

Larger scale but same problem. Big places have to cover costs too.

I understand that, but I don't see the difference between someone helping themselves to a huge plateful from the buffet - maybe even one from the continental section and another from the cooked section - and then leaving half or more on the plate. Surely that's even more wasteful than someone taking the odd banana or pastry?

I used to go away a lot with a friend who always did this. I felt embarrassed and didn't do it myself. I think that perhaps hotels are getting wise to it now.

Larger scale but same problem. Big places have to cover costs too.

Lyndie

Having owned a B and B . You don't pay to eat everything but there needs to be choice. Every extra rolls you take, eats into a small profit. Staff don't say no because they are worried about bad reviews.

I would say there's a big difference between a B&B and a large hotel chain with a buffet.

Having owned a B and B . You don't pay to eat everything but there needs to be choice. Every extra rolls you take, eats into a small profit. Staff don't say no because they are worried about bad reviews.

Well Jane, you hit a nerve, 9 pages of replies so far! Your post took me back to a lovely holiday we had in Italy, years ago, when at the 2nd location (Merano) of two centres we were in a rather posh hotel. A couple of ancient German ladies used to do exactly what you describe, they brought huge handbags to b'fast, and smuggled away as much extra bounty as they could, mostly fruit. After they'd gone, the waiting staff were clearly having a chuckle about them, as were other guests.

You could actually check with the head waiter, but I expect they see that kind of thing all the time, if the buffet is really big enough to satisfy Americans on a cruise ship?!

Especially someone else's handbag!

Doesn’t appeal to me at all. I’d far rather treat myself to something nice for lunch ( even though I’ve usually had a very hearty breakfast, so will want very little), than to retrieve something which has been transported in a handbag or similar.

As a celiac I would struggle to fine something for lunch so a yogurt or apple from the breakfast selection would keep me going when on foreign trip...discretely done of course.

So, if people are made to put things back, do they go on the next persona plate??

Morning two at the mid price chain hotel. Chatting to a waitress mentioned Mr C was staying in the hotel while I went and caught up with a friend. She was concerned he’d be bored. Not at all we explained, would read and maybe have a nap. Why not take some mini muffins for elevenses she said - so he did, two. I asked what happened to the ones on the buffet not eaten. She said often thrown out as not sold separately. Surely not? The different opinions here are fascinating. If it’s something that would make your day easier why not just chat to the staff and find our what the hotel policy is. No need to hide anything.

My husband's Aunty was stopped as she was leaving the dining room at breakfast in Austria, the manager was waiting for her he said madam either you pay for the 2 rolls you've put in your bag or you put them back,she was mortified.

Aha! *calli!!!
So, you'd admit that bananas make your plums go soggy, would you?
Hmmm... I'll just out on my deerstalker and pop a pipe in my mouth, then I shall need a statement from you.

As for income tax problems, you’re havin a larf. If the food is put out and the waste counted, who would know how much was eaten and how much popped in to bag.

Ffs, talk about over reaction. Jane didn’t intend to load up her plate and make a run for it, nor did she say she was loading her empty suitcase.
All she thought of doing was taking a pastry and a piece of fruit each for her and her husband rather than have to stop somewhere for lunch. She explained that they would eat a cooked breakfast and later return to the hotel for their evening meal. A large meal at the start and end of the day. Therefore just thought about a light snack saved from breakfast.
Not theft, not meanness. The great train robbers didn’t get this much holier than thou criticism.
It was just a question as she was curious as to how people might feel.
Jane seems to me to be a kind and thoughtful person with a good sense of humour and doesn’t deserve some of the sneering posts made on here.

I watched a couple regularly bring a large plate of pastries to the table.. Only ever ate 1 or 2 from the selection. So possibly 6 pastries left each day, for the bin? This is why hotel prices can be high! This was in Gran Canaria ,a 5 star hotel. What a waste!!

Of course it is wrong, otherwise you would not be asking our opinion, would you?

Ask whoever is on duty in the breakfast room if you may take a little food for your lunch. They will propably be happy to give you a packed lunch at no extra charge, but having worked in my young days as a waitress serving breakfast, I can assure you, we disliked and dispised those who wrapped food in napkins and took it with them!

And it causes problems with Income tax for the hotel, as the food has neither been eaten at breakfast, thrown out after the meal, or can safely be kept for the following day. All food served must be accounted for.

I always think it's an either or.
Continental or cooked. I would take an occasional piece of fruit but otherwise no.you have paid for breakfast.
Not breakfast and lunch.

I wouldn’t do it, I tend to fill up at breakfast and then not need much during the day.
I remember being on holiday in Austria many years ago and my mother-in-law doing this. Several days later there was an awful smell coming from her bag, she investigated and found a squashed hard boiled egg!

MissAdventure

So, just a banana is ok, it seems.
How about two plums for those who don't like bananas?

No, they go squishy in your handbag.

I wouldn’t do it. If everyone took their lunch as well as what they want for breakfast the hotel would spend a lot more.

The food on offer is to provide what all the guests want for breakfast, not what they want for two meals. So I don’t think it’s fair.

I have the continental breakfast offered at a hotel and then take a tray with a few items up to my room..... no problem. I can eat them later in my room as lunch or take it with me when I check out.