Hotel buffet breakfasts. Your strategy...
Discussion
Thing is from their point of view the people going out all day won't be returning for lunch anyway and if they do help themselves for samdwiches it costs next to nothing anyway, so why not? The cost to the hotel for breakfast is heating and lighting the room and hiring the staff for the putting out, clearing away and washing up. If you take an additional bread roll or 4 and slices of cheese and meat, so what? There is no more labour involved. What must be soul destroying is seeing people mound up multiple plates and then waste it. That's just very poor behaviour. By all means fill your boots and take some pastries in your handbag, but do ensure you eat them.
KungFuPanda said:
Yep you're right. The stuff left over for breakfast that can be used for making sandwiches would probably get chucked out after service anyway so why the hell not.
You've never worked in catering have you?( that's not an insult btw- far from it)
It's no coincidence that most hotels have club sandwiches, sausage and mash and bread and butter pudding on their dinner menu.
talksthetorque said:
You've never worked in catering have you?( that's not an insult btw- far from it)
It's no coincidence that most hotels have club sandwiches, sausage and mash and bread and butter pudding on their dinner menu.
What used to be acceptable 20 yrs ago is very hard to negotiate these days.
battered said:
Watch out for the temperature regs,
That the regs that say the tongs must be left under the heat lamps to get third degree burns when you are after a sausage? It is like trial by fire at some places. Top tip. Take your own fork to the buffet bar...... (not so good for the beans, look a fool taking a spoon as well....)
A good strategy is to get there when it opens so that you get fresh food and now food which has been sitting for 2-3 hours. Then a simple strategy. Juice x 2 as the glasses are always tiny, toast through the toaster machine twice with butter and look at the bacon/sausages to see if they look like they have more than 7% meat...... and rounded off with a fruit salad but only freshly cut as they quite often used tins
I like to build sausage pyramids.
The one pictured was a poor example, cheap items, no black pudding, nothing potato-based. Several trips needed to ensure I didn't need to pay for lunch.
My favourite thing us to try and teach people that the toast conveyor can have two slices side by side, the bread is usually scaled to ensure this. 4 slices in the time it takes for them to have two, start the day with a win.
Buffet breakfast in Poland was odd.
The one pictured was a poor example, cheap items, no black pudding, nothing potato-based. Several trips needed to ensure I didn't need to pay for lunch.
My favourite thing us to try and teach people that the toast conveyor can have two slices side by side, the bread is usually scaled to ensure this. 4 slices in the time it takes for them to have two, start the day with a win.
Buffet breakfast in Poland was odd.
In this order:
Dependent upon hotel/star rating ....
Up early/brush teeth throw on sweats/shorts dependent upon establishment (vest not allowed/T-shirt to at least cover most of the bicep ...) Polo shirt preferable - take iPad/phone with you.
1. Establish camp/secure a table for double the number of your party (if on you Tod, a 2 seater, if 2 of you a 4 seater)
2. Fruit juice (consume 2 glasses, 3rd take back to table). Tea (order 2 pots of it to leave to stew as invariably they put 1 bag in when 2 is proper)/ coffee if that's your thing.
3. Toast 3 slices (whole meal/granary) - dominate the toaster/set it to your speed/desired colour. Take back to table to cool .... (stand up between salt/pepper pots so 1 side does not go soggy). If pats of butter, 2 per slice of toast plus and jam/marmalade (for 3rd slice only to be consumed at end of breakfast)
4. Return - review egg situation (if scrambled forget it/if fried see how fresh) preferably poached - order 3 (as squally 1 will be crap) or omelette if no poached/cooked to order.
5. Check fried bread situation - 1 slice as base/foundations.
6. Tinned tomatoes (topical I know - but I like them) - enough to make most of the fried slice to become a bit mushy.
7. Bacon/sausage/black pudding/white pudding (only if in Dublin/Northern Ireland)
8. Beans ... enough to wet/work with the dried/cooked meat above - good bean to juice ratio (Heinz only)
9. Collect eggs/omelette.
10. hash browns - bit topical - personally only eat American style (cubed potatoes with onions cooked on a hot plate). Those deep fried/triangles unless in a McDonald's Bacon roll - give a miss.
11. Return to table - apply condiments (HP/Daddies brown sauce ....). Consume, 1 slice of butter toast (which is now cold/chewie)/quaf your stewed/builders tea/coffee.
12. 2nd slice of toast - mop up plate.
13. Hide a small burp/maybe a bit of meat sweats as well.
14. 2nd pot of tea/papers - and then a bit more toast with butter/marmalade.
15. Retire to hotel lounge, people watch for a while.
16. Back to room/do not disturb - lie down as feeling fuller than a very full thing.
IIf staying for more than a 2 nighter - then only on the 1st and last day ....
Dependent upon hotel/star rating ....
Up early/brush teeth throw on sweats/shorts dependent upon establishment (vest not allowed/T-shirt to at least cover most of the bicep ...) Polo shirt preferable - take iPad/phone with you.
1. Establish camp/secure a table for double the number of your party (if on you Tod, a 2 seater, if 2 of you a 4 seater)
2. Fruit juice (consume 2 glasses, 3rd take back to table). Tea (order 2 pots of it to leave to stew as invariably they put 1 bag in when 2 is proper)/ coffee if that's your thing.
3. Toast 3 slices (whole meal/granary) - dominate the toaster/set it to your speed/desired colour. Take back to table to cool .... (stand up between salt/pepper pots so 1 side does not go soggy). If pats of butter, 2 per slice of toast plus and jam/marmalade (for 3rd slice only to be consumed at end of breakfast)
4. Return - review egg situation (if scrambled forget it/if fried see how fresh) preferably poached - order 3 (as squally 1 will be crap) or omelette if no poached/cooked to order.
5. Check fried bread situation - 1 slice as base/foundations.
6. Tinned tomatoes (topical I know - but I like them) - enough to make most of the fried slice to become a bit mushy.
7. Bacon/sausage/black pudding/white pudding (only if in Dublin/Northern Ireland)
8. Beans ... enough to wet/work with the dried/cooked meat above - good bean to juice ratio (Heinz only)
9. Collect eggs/omelette.
10. hash browns - bit topical - personally only eat American style (cubed potatoes with onions cooked on a hot plate). Those deep fried/triangles unless in a McDonald's Bacon roll - give a miss.
11. Return to table - apply condiments (HP/Daddies brown sauce ....). Consume, 1 slice of butter toast (which is now cold/chewie)/quaf your stewed/builders tea/coffee.
12. 2nd slice of toast - mop up plate.
13. Hide a small burp/maybe a bit of meat sweats as well.
14. 2nd pot of tea/papers - and then a bit more toast with butter/marmalade.
15. Retire to hotel lounge, people watch for a while.
16. Back to room/do not disturb - lie down as feeling fuller than a very full thing.
IIf staying for more than a 2 nighter - then only on the 1st and last day ....
Oakey said:
What is it about buffets that gets us blokes all excited?
I hate social events but if I'm told there's going to be a buffet I'm all "FREE FOOD?! WHAT TIME DO I NEED TO BE THERE?"
I'm glad it's not just me who feels like this. I've only recently been able to snap myself out of the mentality that, because it's on expenses, I must "get my money's worth" and have nineteen platefuls.I hate social events but if I'm told there's going to be a buffet I'm all "FREE FOOD?! WHAT TIME DO I NEED TO BE THERE?"
Cereal, yoghurt and fruit followed by scrambled egg and smoked salmon for me. Then sneak a pastry on the way out if I'm feeling weak-willed. Which I am, 90% of the time.
Hilton in Kuala Lumpur was the best I've ever experienced in terms of variety. The Kempi in Nairobbery provided free self-pour champagne, to distract the customer from the fact that they were in Nairobbery.
FredAstaire said:
best buffet breakfast i've seen was at the Fairmont Chateau in Whistler on an Easter Sunday. Good grief, the variety, quantity and quality of the offering was amazing.
Try the " short stack of blueberry pancakes"..... 3 of them, each the size of a dinner plate about 2-3cm thick - fluffy, with loads of whipped butter and a gallon of maple syrup .... 
that with a side order of thick cut Canadian bacon. A late breakfast/brunch put laid to about 2 hrs of skiing as felt too full.Would hate to have ordered the full stack .... would have been enough to feed a family of 4 !
TartanPaint said:
I
Orange juice next. Down 4-6 glasses (carefully calculated based on glass size and hangover intensity) before carrying another back to your table. Grab a yogurt on the way. Do not eat the yogurt.
extreme council.Orange juice next. Down 4-6 glasses (carefully calculated based on glass size and hangover intensity) before carrying another back to your table. Grab a yogurt on the way. Do not eat the yogurt.
Edited by TartanPaint on Friday 24th March 08:29
also, some upper crust hotels refuse to serve either baked beans and/or brown sauce; because council! it seems.
arfursleep said:
Off to Chicago on Saturday for a few days business.
Just checked the hotel I'm in and it offers a buffet style for continental but only a la carte for hot food.
Looks like it's going to be Eggs Benedict 5 days running then
No-one else to blame though, I booked it without checking
Try Sunny Side Up for a pleasant change. Just checked the hotel I'm in and it offers a buffet style for continental but only a la carte for hot food.
Looks like it's going to be Eggs Benedict 5 days running then
No-one else to blame though, I booked it without checking
Gassing Station | Food, Drink & Restaurants | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff