Breakfast Best Practices

1. Consider the movements of the crowd.

• Consider the movements of guests prior to arranging all five stations.
• Create a flow that is easy and obvious to the guest.
• The waffle station and coffee station generate heavy traffic. (TIP: To minimize congestion, separate these
stations.)

2. Separate the placement of food and beverage.

• With the numerous condiment and disposable packaging, the coffee and tea station commonly require
additional monitoring.
• Guests often return for refills of juice and water. (TIP: Create a path for beverage refills separate from the
food buffet line.)
• Consider positioning the beverage stations near the kitchen entrance for restocking ease, as liquids are heavy
and more prone to spillage.

3. Provide an appropriate supply of tableware, napkins and utensils.

• Stack a plentiful amount of the appropriate/required disposables for all five stations.
• Position trash cans beside the stations where waste is produced. (i.e. The Batter Up station may require a
trash can for the used waffle batter cups, and the Wake Up station may require a trash can for the used
condiment packaging.)

4. Replenish the serving platters often.

• It is very important for the buffet to be and appear fresh.
• Changing out serving pans, platters and displays often (i.e. once an hour) presents guests with a better
perception of the breakfast.
• Changing out serving pans, platters and displays also presents an opportunity for the breakfast
ambassador(s) to re-stock menu items.

5. Routinely review and use the daily forecast.

• Running out of food or beverages will leave a poor impression with guests.
• Utilize the daily forecast to ensure there are:
o Adequate amounts of food available and thawed for the day’s demand.
o Adequate amounts of food & beverage prepared and ready to display if and when necessary.
o Time schedule plans to reheat menu times. (i.e. if sausage takes 15 minutes to prepare, plan to prepare
and display the sausage before the current sausage pan is empty.)
• Properly communicate any breakfast challenges with the General Manager directly, or by filling out the ‘Daily
Communication” section of the Daily Forecast document.
• If there was an issue during breakfast today, work with your team to do whatever can be done to avoid it
tomorrow.

© 2017 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved. 888.550.6345 | ChoiceU@choicehotels.com
 Breakfast Best Practices
6. Be prepared for everything and anything.
• Someone may spill a beverage, drop a set of tongs or knock all the utensils on the floor. These examples of
minor inconveniences can instantly halt the continuous flow of the breakfast buffet.
• Set yourself up for success to minimize issues and prevent backups:
o Keep mops, brooms and wet floor signs readily accessible (in a nearby storage closet).
o Keep a clean, wet rag accessible to quickly clean-up a spill.
o Stock extra tableware, napkins, utensils (and other disposables), as well as hand serving pieces (i.e. tongs,
ladles, spoons, etc) within proximity to the buffet. Therefore, if an item drops or runs low, it may be
quickly replaced or replenished.

7. Schedule bi-weekly deep cleaning of entire kitchen and breakfast area.

(Always consult your local health department to ensure proper compliance with health codes)
• To maximize the longevity of the breakfast equipment and the overall cleanliness of the breakfast area, a bi-
weekly deep clean should be conducted. This includes, but is not limited to:
o All breakfast equipment and serving pieces (chaffing dishes, bulk cereal holders, refrigerators, utensil
holders, beverage machines, etc.)
o All trash receptacles
o All ice machines, ovens, hoods and microwaves
o All floors, walls, windows, vents, tables, chairs, lighting, counters and cabinets.

8. Food Safety
(Always consult your local health department to ensure proper compliance with health codes)
• Bare-Hand Contact:
o Ready-to-eat foods, which do not require further cooking/heating before being served, should be
prepared and served with the use of utensil, gloves, or appropriate alternative.
• Employee Hygiene:
o Wash hands/arms thoroughly with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after
handling raw food and after using the bathroom, taking out the trash, touching skin/hair/clothing, eating
or drinking, sneezing or coughing, clearing tables, touching chemicals or after leaving and returning to
the kitchen.
o Gloves should be worn over hands with bandages, cuts, burns or sores.
• Rinse Produce:
o Under running tap water, rinse fruits and vegetables, including those with skins and rinds that are not
consumed.
o Scrub firm-skin fruits and vegetables under running tap water, or use a clean vegetable brush while
rinsing under running tap water.
• Prepare:
o Never defrost/thaw food products at room temperature. There are only four safe ways to defrost food: in
the refrigerator, under cool running water, in the microwave (must be cooked immediately afterward) or
as a part of the cooking process.

© 2017 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved. 888.550.6345 | ChoiceU@choicehotels.com
 Breakfast Best Practices
• Prevent Cross-Contamination:
o Wash, rinse and sanitize cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counter tops with hot soapy water and
sanitizer after preparing each food item and before preparing another food item.
o Store food on shelving from bottom to top based on highest to lowest/no minimum cooking
temperature. (i.e Food requiring cooking temperature of 165°F would be on lower shelf then food
requiring cooking temperature of 145°F)
o Label and use cutting boards for fresh produce (and ready-to-eat foods). Label and use separate cutting
boards for non-ready-to-eat foods (i.e. meat products). Wooden cutting board should not be utilized.
o Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs.
• Food Temperature:
o Use a clean, calibrated, food safe thermometer to measure the internal temperature of cooked meat,
poultry and eggs to ensure the food product is cooked to a safe internal temperature. (These food
products must be cooked to a safe minimum internal temperature to destroy any harmful bacteria.)
• Storage:
o Store all food and beverage 6 inches above the floor in all walk-in refrigerators, freezers or storage areas.
o Never keep food or beverage products past the expiration date.
o Follow the ‘First In, First Out’ method to ensure a proper rotation of food and beverage products.
o Use a calibrated appliance thermometer to ensure refrigerators (40°F or below) and freezers (0°F or
below) always maintain appropriate temperatures.
• Serving Food on the Buffet:
o Keep food products covered (when possible).
o Maintain the minimum temperature (140°F or higher) for all hot foods. Maintain the minimum
temperature (40°F or below) for all cold foods.
o Never allow meat, poultry, eggs, cooked food, or fresh cut fruits or vegetables to sit at room temperature
for more than two hours before taking corrective action. (This is limited to one hour when the room
temperature is above 90°F.)

9. Problem Resolutions
• Remain calm. Maintain control of yourself, even if the guest is upsetting.
• Listen. Listening patiently can defuse a situation, as long as the guest feels acknowledged in their complaint.
• Sympathize. Express understanding and sympathy for the guest’s unpleasant experience.
• Apologize. “I’m sorry you feel this way and are not happy with our product. May I suggest a solution?”
• Find a solution. Offer a fair and realistic solution to the guest’s problem. Or, ask for the guest’s suggested
solution.
• Ask For help. When in doubt, seek a manager for assistance.

© 2017 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved. 888.550.6345 | ChoiceU@choicehotels.com