Upping the hotel breakfast game
Breakfast is considered to be the most important meal of the day. Hotel chains and independents are adding extra emphasis on this daypart to satisfy their guests, from the health conscious consumer, to the folks wishing to indulge in an extravagant morning meal. These hotels also realize that coffee and breakfast go hand-in-hand, and are differentiating their brand by offering a distinctive coffee program.
Hotel breakfast items go on a diet
The entire foodservice industry now offers healthy breakfast items, from the McDonald’s Egg White Delight to Starbucks’ three Evolution Fresh™ Greek Yogurt Parfaits. The better-for-you breakfast trend can be found in the hotel industry, with both hot and cold menu options.
Greek yogurt has exploded at both the foodservice and retail, and hotel operators are capitalizing on this trendy item. The Sheraton Boston features an innovative Greek yogurt parfait – the Chocolate Quinoa Granola Parfait, made with Greek yogurt, honey and fresh berries. Miami’s iconic Delano Hotel adds an organic house blend granola to their Greek yogurt parfait, topped with locally grown berries, for an upscale parfait. While the Swissôtel Chicago offers a fat-free Greek yogurt with granola and dried fruit, they take the health factor to the next level by highlighting the nutritionals (fat, protein, carbs) on the menu.
In addition to yogurt parfaits, yogurt can also be a healthy topping for a wide range of breakfast items. The Standard in New York City has “healthified” pancakes, with whole wheat pancakes topped with blueberry-maple syrup and yogurt. Yogurt can also be a protein-packed dressing, exemplified by the Eden Roc Miami’s Tropical Fruit Plate with a honey-lime Greek yogurt dressing.
The egg white trend has been booming in foodservice for the past few years, from quick-service breakfast sandwiches to gourmet omelets. Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago offers a Healthy Start Egg White Omelet with turkey bacon on a whole grain muffin. Egg white breakfast sandwiches can also feature premium ingredients, such as specialty cheeses and on-trend vegetables. A perfect example is the Courtyard New York West’s Healthy Start Sandwich, made with egg whites, roast turkey, spinach and Havarti cheese. Hotel menus are now offering gourmet omelets with egg whites, illustrated by the Lifestyle Breakfast Egg White Omelet, made with shiitake mushrooms, asparagus and a low-fat Mozzarella gratin at the Fairmont Pittsburg.
Over-the-top indulgence never goes out of style
While breakfast menus are offering healthy alternatives, they also feature items to satisfy every sweet tooth and those looking to throw calorie caution to the wind! Nation’s Restaurant News predicted 14 Hot Trends for 2016, which included the “Indulgent Breakfast and Brunch” trend. Hotel menus are taking this trend to the next level, with dessert-based breakfast treats and extravagant ingredients.
French toast and waffles are breakfast staples. Innovative hotels are taking these items and infusing them with dessert elements, such as the Meyer Lemon Pancakes with Madagascar vanilla honey and lavender whipped cream at the Delano Hotel in Miami.
InterContinental® Hotels elevate French toast with their Cinnamon-Vanilla French Toast with strawberry butter, while Starwood Hotels features a Bistro Breakfast with a Caribbean French Toast. Their spectacular Texas toast is dipped in coconut cinnamon and stuffed with sliced bananas, strawberry jam and maple syrup. French toast has never sounded better!
Waffles with dessert toppings are one trend, while waffles paired with fried chicken is yet another morning movement. Swissôtel Chicago offers traditional Fried Chicken & Waffles with country-style maple gravy. Eden Roc in Miami takes this dish and adds a spicy element with a gourmet twist. Their Green Tea Chicken & Waffles are made with crispy panko chicken, and topped with pecan miso butter tosazu maple and kojuchang hot sauce. That’s a mouthful, but it’s sure to be a delicious mouthful!
InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile sidesteps traditional breakfast ingredients entirely, and creates their own scrumptious morning delicacy. This unique dish, sure to be memorable to guests, is the Peach Breakfast Bread Pudding, served with two scrambled duck eggs, farm sausage and orange crème Anglaise warm Beignets. Chicago dining, at its best!
Differentiate with distinctive coffee programs
All hotels offer coffee. The key to keeping your coffee program fresh is offering a unique coffee experience to your guests, to keep them caffeinated and content. Some chains offer premium coffee, while others offer custom blends only available at their hotels.
Country Inns & Suites elevated their coffee program by offering Highridge Country Reserve coffee, which is a signature blend developed for their hotel, available in bold, gourmet and decaf. Other chains promote their high-end branded coffee:
- Staybridge Suites offers Wolfgang Puck Coffee
- Trump Chicago offers Sparrow Roaster’s Coffee Pot, which is locally roasted in Chicago
- W in Ausin offers FONTE Organic Drip Coffee
The breakfast daypart continues to sizzle, with hotels offering exciting items and dynamic coffee programs. Hotel operators should reexamine their existing menus to be sure to profit from these hot trends. Hotel foodservice can be an exciting career choice, with many growth opportunities.
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