Food in Air bnb

[Matthew800]

Hey Guys, I just wanted to get everyones opinion on providing food in Air bnbs.

I feel like guest would love to have some food upon arrival but im not sure if they will like the stuff I provide. Im looking to rent out my home but before  I wanted to gauge everyones thoguht on this general subject. If you have had any experince with this in the past  or just have some ideas that would be amazing.

Thanks so much I really appreciate any feed back on this...

Looking forward to this discussion! 

[Monique241]

There was a time when I prepared some food for guest and ended up in the bin next day. However, fruits are always welcome.

[Matthew800]

Wow great thanks for the feedback. Any reason in paticular you think they wasted the food?

[Alice595]

@Matthew800 Some hosts do provide simple continental breakfast. I am not sure about what kind of food you are to provide. If it is formal meal, are you going to charge the guest? If you charge them, how are you going to accept payment? 

[David6]

@Matthew800 

We used to provide basic breakfast foods but so many guests have very specific dietary requirements, that we were throwing all the food away. Even fruit would be left to rot. 

So now we just provide tea/coffee and the cupboard basics of oils/bends/spices. Also water - which guests comment on. 

Stopping the food , had no impact on our reviews at all. 

[Oskars1]

Similar experiance

[Matthew800]

Do the guest with their own dietary requirements just go out and get grocerys upon arrival? 

[Matthew800]

I wasnt looking to cook and provide meals just some foods they like. Do customers often show up and then go grocery shopping? grabbing all the essentials for their vacation? 

[Helen350]

Some guests do head for the supermarkets, 2 miles away as soon as they arrive. Some bring food with them. Some use my kitchen, most don't! Some eat takeaway in their room, or supermarket ready cooked cold food, some go to restaurants.

Sometimes, I provide a little packet of pre-wrapped biscuits (cookies) by the kettle in the room. Usually I don't tho'! A little dish of sweets is a gesture... Many hosts in self catering places provide cooking basics like oil,salt, pepper, condiments & herbs/spices.

[Helen350]

What country are you in @Matthew800 ?  And will you host in your own house or in a separate unit? - Both might affect expectations..... I am in the UK, and provide breakfast of cereal, bread/toast, yoghurt, fruit, tea/coffee. I find that tourists on holiday are grateful for breakfast, & often sit for 1/2 hour at the breakfast table, enjoying their food in a leisurely fashion, particularly older guests. (The Europeans love the yoghurt & fruit, the British less so.) Guests who come for work usually don't bother with breakfast, & a few young active mountain climbing tourists just grab their own stuff & eat on the way to the mountains! But most of my guests, except workers do enjoy breakfast... It might be a British thing; long before Airbnb, there was a tradition of "Bed & Breakfast" rooms in people's homes. - Tho' some guests, even British ones remark that breakfast is a bonus & they weren't really expecting it. 

Regarding food waste, there is no waste, cos I eat any surplus myself for my own breakfast.

[Stephen-and-Adam0]

@Matthew847 

Our guests still react positively to some simple breakfast/snack items (Irish bread, eggs, ham, cheese, butter and milk plus plentiful tea and coffee supplies) plus make a lot of use of our kitchen facilities.     

We receive lots of international arrivals very early in the morning and late at night so guests appreciate not having to immediately pop out to the shops.  

I know how nice it has felt when I have stayed somewhere and there is a little bit of food to start things off.  

[Sarah977]

@Matthew800   I host a private room in my home and don't provide food, but do offer guests coffee or tea. I'll also offer them a snack when they arrive, as most have had several hours of travelling, gotten up early, and are a bit travel fatigued. I also offer use of cooking oil, salt and pepper, things that it seems silly for them to have to go out and buy when they are only cooking a few meals.

A friend who hosts a private suite in her home leaves bags of chips, maybe a couple of beers, some snack bars, hummous and other simple treats for her guests. Many have told her they were really grateful not to have to run right out to the grocery store, that it fended off their hunger and gave them a chance to relax, shower and unpack before venturing out.

Of course there may be guests who have food allergies or dietary requirements that won't be able to eat those things, but you can't be expected to anticipate that unless they have informed you of it beforehand.

[Matthew798]

Wow thank for the feedback everyone!!! Have guest mentioned before that it is a real pain to go to grocery store and would like to have some essentials their upon arrival?? 

[Moira21]

@Matthew800  Hi, I used to leave biscuits and for breakfast, OJ, cereal, bread, butter, jam, marmalade, fresh fruit for guests and would find nothing had been eaten, so I'm actually trialling not offering breakfast.  I've dropped the price slightly to see if it makes a difference to bookings. To date, I'm slightly up on last year, it's not affected bookings so will keep it this way for now.

[Barry-and-Lera0]

@Matthew800: We do quite a few items. 

We leave some local Amish pastries, limes, lemons and bananas on the counter. Beer (2), champagne (small bottle), wine (small bottles of white and red) and a bowl of three (3) eggs in the refrigerator. We also have a small basket filled with single serving potatoe chips, preztels, cookies etc (We get that 20 pack sampler you usually see at the grocery store). We also have an assortment of coffee, teas and random candies (salt water taffy etc.).

We have a grocery store directly across the street so we mainly focus on snacks and things to pair with alcohol.