What do you leave in the refrigerator for your guests?

Answered!
Elisa
Community Manager
Community Manager

What do you leave in the refrigerator for your guests?

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Hello everyone 😊

 

Today we want to invite you to share your experience on what you leave in the refrigerator for your guests. We have noticed two major trends:  

 

  • Some hosts decide to leave basic items like ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard and water.
  • Others prefer to keep the refrigerator completely empty to give a clean feeling to new guests.

What kind of host are you? Maybe you decide not only to offer the basics, but also some additional food items, such as fruits?🥝

 

Tell us in the comments how has been your experience leaving food in the fridge.

 

Regards,

 

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Top Answer
Robin4
Top Contributor
Mount Barker, Australia

@Elisa 

A couple of things come into play here.

A/......There are remote hosts who can't spend the time or money on supplying anything other than a rentable space and for many guests that's all they want! They don't want host interaction in any way.

B/.......Then there is the host who is personally involved with their guests, and for these hosts there is more likely to be a hosting experience involved and guests that choose these listings do so for that experience.

 

I fall in the latter category and I have done deals with a number of the local traders which enables me to offer a wide selection of condiments for my guests.

Every guest gets a cheese plate, eggs and bacon, fruit juice, a bowl of fruit, milk, sparkling and still water, a bottle of wine, crackers and nuts, cereals, bread for toasting, tea and coffee. 

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plus a range of spreads, pepper & salt and personal wipes and sanitizers.

 

Sure I go overboard, and if a guest had to supply what I provide it would cost them around $50-$70 but, as I said I am a bargain hunter.

When cheeses and other perishables get close to their use by date or get a bit pulled around in the display cabinet they either go in 'Robs Box' out the back or they go in the supermarket dumpster. I never pay more than 50c for a cheese, a pack of bacon, a carton of fruit juice. And the wine costs me nothing, it was part of a wine shipment the Chinese government rejected in 2020 and got written off to insurance. Here is my current stock of 28 dozen, and it didn't cost me a cent, so every guest gets a bottle of wine! I have enough wine for 5 years of hosting

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Although it looks an amazing spread, my average cost per guest night is less than $7.50.

Some guests will clean me out, take everything with them when they go! Their rationale is, 'we are paying for it we might as well take it'!  Other guests (mainly overnighters) will use nothing, and then there are those in between that will use just what they fancy so, the cost to supply all this is pretty minimal.

It all goes to form part of a welcoming homely type of hosting. It won't be practical and doesn't suit lots of hosts........but it works well for me!

 

Cheers........Rob.

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70 Replies 70
Ana2038
Level 10
Santa Ana, CA

@Elisa , since we do not have a full service kitchen, we do not offer any food items. We do have a small kitchenette and refrigerator in our unit. We supply 2 small bottles of each: water and two different juices. Everything we offer is individually wrapped (ear plugs, q-tips, make up remover, hand wipes, snacks..etc..

I have stayed in Airbnbs where there is a full kitchen and some food items left for use: salt, pepper, olive oil. Honestly, I would be hesitant to use any opened food item (ketchup, mayo, any condiment) as I do not know how long they’ve been there or if they have been tampered with. I always rewash the dishes prior to using as I have found some dishes feeling and/or looking icky. Yes, I understand all guest(s) cleaning standards vary. For me,  cleanliness (and sanitary) is very high on my list especially in the kitchen and bathrooms!

Hi @Ana2038 

Thanks for telling us how you work. 😊

 

You’re absolutely right; maintaining high sanitary standards is crucial, especially after COVID. It’s great to hear how you prioritize cleanliness and safety for your guests.

 

Warm regards,

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Please follow the Community Guidelines //Merci de jeter un oeil aux Principes du Community Center

I try to keep everything clutter free so I lonly leave some bottled water in the refrigerator. Once in a while I may leave a nice bottle of wine. For the kitchen, I always have some salt and small packets of honey, sugar, and coffee. That's it 😀

Thank you for sharing @Fausta11!😀

 

Do your guests usually enjoy the bottle of wine you leave for them?

 

Warm regards,

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Please follow the Community Guidelines //Merci de jeter un oeil aux Principes du Community Center

We leave the refrigerator completely clean and empty. I don’t like leaving even Mayonnaise or other condiments that have been used by other guests.  ( we experienced a rental in Baja one time that was totally full of old mayonnaise etc…..yuck!)

We do leave a bottle of wine and some chocolate. We offer a shopping service that our guests can use if they would like the refrigerator stocked before their arrival with fresh fruit, wine, beer, eggs etc.  This has worked out very well and our guests love this service. 
Our airbnbs are in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. We also have a cook and a housekeeper that prepare breakfast or can do some shopping for our guests. 

 

Hi @Bill-And-Carole1 😊

Thanks for sharing! I completely understand avoiding leftover condiments.

The shopping service and added touches like wine and chocolate sound fantastic. 😍

 

Do guests frequently use the shopping service to stock up before arrival?

 

Warm regards,

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Desiree282
Level 1
Vehkataipale, Finland

Bij ons slapen mensen in een luxe tent of kota zonder elektriciteit. Geen koelkast dus. In de buiten badkamer staat koffie, thee, suiker en melk. In de tent staat altijd verreikt water. Onze gasten kunnen gratis in de sauna, ik zorg altijd dat er ook daar kruiden water staat. Hier in Finland is het gewoonte om in de sauna een blikje bier te drinken, en soms bied ik een biertje aan. Wordt zeer gewaardeerd. Ik leg bij het koffiezetapparaat meestal wat croissants of iets dergelijks neer.  Gasten kunnen ook ontbijt boeken tegen een kleine vergoeding, dit maak ik vers en luxe.

 

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With us, people sleep in a luxury tent or kota without electricity. So no refrigerator. In the outside bathroom there is coffee, tea, sugar and milk. In the tent there is always distilled water. Our guests can enter the sauna for free, and I always make sure there is herbal water there as well. Here in Finland it is customary to drink a can of beer in the sauna, and sometimes I offer a beer. Is very much appreciated. I usually put some croissants or something similar by the coffee machine. Guests can also book breakfast for a small fee, this I make fresh and luxurious. 

 

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Hi @Desiree282 😊

Thank you for sharing your experience!

 

Your setup sounds incredibly cozy and thoughtful, especially with the sauna and breakfast options. Do most of your guests take advantage of the breakfast offer?

 

Warm Regards,

 

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Hoi  😊
Bedankt voor het delen van je ervaring!

 

Je inrichting klinkt ongelooflijk gezellig en attent, vooral met de sauna en ontbijtopties. Maken de meeste van jullie gasten gebruik van het ontbijtaanbod?

 

Hartelijke groeten,

 

[Google translation added by OCM]

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Desiree282
Level 1
Vehkataipale, Finland

Hi, we zijn nog maar een maandje bezig. Onze eerste gasten hebben ontbijt gekregen van ons. Maar verder is er niet bij geboekt. 

Grtz

 

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Hi, we are only a month into our journey. Our first guests got breakfast from us. But other than that there is no additional booking.

Grtz

 

[Google translation added by OCM]

 

Hi @Desiree282 😊

 

I hope your guests enjoyed their breakfast!

 

I wish you all the best for the next steps. 🌻

 

Warm regards,

 

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Ik hoop dat je gasten genoten hebben van hun ontbijt!

 

Ik wens je het allerbeste voor de volgende stappen. 🌻

 

Hartelijke groeten,

 

[Google translation added by OCM]

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Please follow the Community Guidelines //Merci de jeter un oeil aux Principes du Community Center

I always keep bottled water for the coffee maker, but also some sodas.   Coffee creamer is an item I like to carry as well as an orange juice or two.  

Hi @Chele-And-Mike0 

Thank you for sharing this! 😊

 

Are your guests surprised when they see those products, or do they act as if they were expecting them?

 

Warm regards,

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Please follow the Community Guidelines //Merci de jeter un oeil aux Principes du Community Center

I leave ice cubes, ketchup, mayo and mosterd. 

Hi @Cindy1634 😊

 

How did you choose those particular products?

 

Warm regards,

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Please follow the Community Guidelines //Merci de jeter un oeil aux Principes du Community Center

I think the basic things you normally need and don't buy when you are on holidays. And ice cubes is always useful for having fresh drinks ☺️