Aside from hotels, one more lodging option that is gradually becoming popular for travelers is a bed-and-breakfast. This establishment runs around the concept of providing overnight accommodation and breakfast to guests using one’s home.
Often, bed-and-breakfasts – also referred to as “B&B” or “BnB” – are houses with four to eleven rooms or an average of six rooms. They cater to single occupants, couples, as well as bigger groups who are open to sleeping under the same roof with the owners of the B&B house.
If you’re operating this kind of business and wish to take it one step closer to hotel-like quality, you should probably consider taking inspiration from the foods they serve. To help you do this, here are three tips you can try to make your B&B standout from the rest:
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1. Create Signature Dishes
One thing that separates a certain hotel from its competitors is the unique taste it offers. So, why not bring this idea into your bed-and-breakfast by coming up with your own signature dish?
If you’re an unrecognized chef or have someone in the house who is, then you’re one step closer to making your small business into a hotel-level kind of lodging.
When creating a signature dish, it is wise to do some research about the local favorites. It can be a specific ingredient or a native dish. Starting with what’s readily available and popular in your area will help you add character to your B&B and use the charm of the locality to your advantage.
2. Be Smart with Your Ingredients
Compared to hotels, B&Bs charge significantly lower for a night’s stay, even with breakfast served warm in the morning. While you may not be making as much as hotels do, you mustn’t let this hinder you from delivering hotel-caliber foods through the smart selection and use of your ingredients.
When buying ingredients, there are times that you should splurge, especially when it comes to locally-sourced produced. However, a talented chef can also make cheaper cuts taste as good as – if not better than – the expensive ones.
Also, if you find that some of your food offerings are becoming guest favorites, you can also buy food ingredients in bulk. The order can be accomplished online and will be delivered to where you are, so you won’t have to worry about the logistics of it all.
3. Use Foods Trends as a Guide for Your Menu
Copying food trends in hotels and bigger lodging establishments can also help make your B&B much more appealing to guests. For 2020, there are several unique tastes that are expected to change the way hotels and restaurants manage their menus, as follows:
West African Cuisine
In 2020, more hotels and other hospitality establishments are expected to incorporate West African cuisine in their menus. Composed of 16 nations, this side of Africa offers food that capitalizes on the benefits of ancient grains, such as teff, millet, and fonio. They also use superfoods like tamarind and moringa in their dishes.
The New Kid-Friendly Menus
As parents, Millennials seem to be passing on a sophisticated sense of taste to their little ones. As a result, the number of young foodies is growing steadily, with an entire generation of little ones reaching for California Rolls rather than fried and breaded foods.
With this trend looming to change the way things are, hotels and restaurants are adjusting accordingly. Because of their parents’ influence, more kids want to eat healthier. This explains why hotel menus are now leaning more on organic chicken nuggets, pasta prepared using alternative flours, and fish sticks without the breading.
Cannabis-infused Ingredients
Although its legality is still on the grey area in most parts of the world, the use of cannabis-derived drug cannabidiol (CBD) in foods and drinks is becoming more prevalent. And not just in hotels – more cafes, coffee shops, and restaurants are adding CBD-infused ingredients to their offerings.
Unique Fruits for Juices
Today, you’ll find more than just the usual orange juice in hotel and restaurant menus. Many establishments have started adding unique fruit flavors to their beverage selections, including yuzu, dragon fruit, and prickly pear, among others.
Sparkling Water and Other ‘Zero-Proof’ Drinks
From sparkling water to mocktails, non-alcoholic drinks that are becoming a hit in the hospitality and food services industries. Also referred to as “zero-proof,” these spirit-free drinks include botanical-infused faux gin, hops-infused sparkling waters, and other alternatives to liquors.
A 2020 hospitality trend prediction from Benchmark, a hotel development, and management company, says that more and more are turning to sparkling water as a “happy hour” staple instead of beer.
Soy Alternatives
Soy is a plant-based ingredient that has been used as an alternative source of protein for a long time. However, more consumers are trying to find an alternative to the alternative, specifically because of soy allergies. Many food brands have been experimenting with mung bean, avocado, and even hempseed as some plant-based options that can be used in place of soy.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re just starting to create a brand or already established one with your bed-and-breakfast, you must remember to find ways to separate your business from the competition. But, in this case, it is probably better to join them rather than try to beat them.
Since the competition involves hotels, your BnB should offer guests what they crave for in those establishments for a fraction of the cost. Use this article as a guide in doing so, and share it with others.
AUTHOR BIO
Jad Asaad is the Marketing Manager at Bidfood UAE with more than eight years of experience in digital, online and offline marketing. He started his career in Beirut working in a creative agency and then moved to Dubai to further expand his career. He created and implemented award-winning high-impact digital and offline marketing campaigns that consistently generated revenue streams and improved performance in targeted segments.
Sources:
https://www.hotelmanagement.net/food-beverage/benchmark-outlines-10-f-b-trends-for-2020
https://eviivo.com/trade-secrets/food-drink/creating-signature-dishes-bb/
