We think it depends on your clientele, your location, your market niche and your own interests. Our homestead in Vermont is a rural property in an isolated, but popular, tourist spot that caters to outdoor adventure seekers doing biking and skiing. There are no full time breakfast places in the greater 12 mile area and roads in winter can be particularly difficult.
Dave is an excellent cook, he likes doing it, makes special dishes for fun and we are a commercially licensed kitchen (by the state) so for us it is definitely a selling point and part of our “brand”...but, it is a bit of extra work and if you promise breakfast, you have to be willing to get up in the morning and deliver. We have made it part of the “experience” — farm fresh eggs, a bay window dining nook that overlooks a meadow with visiting wildlife, heirloom China and we enjoy chatting with our guests if they’re up for it — some are, some aren’t! We get guests who are looking for the traditional Vermont BnB experience — and we have pleasantly surprised those who don’t realize how far from breakfast food they might be in our neck of the woods.
We also have a 24/7 refill station with coffees, teas and light snacks that we replenish daily since the local market closes early at night. Due to the commercial license, we do not allow kitchen privileges. Having the breakfast costs us about an additional $3-$5 per person depending on season, where we shop and what Dave serves, but we get $90 per night for two people in the king bed suite, which makes the effort worth our while— but ONLY because Dave enjoys it. We try to ensure that the visit it is a good deal for us and a good deal for guests.
On the other hand, our bungalow in Florida is within 5 minutes of numerous grocery stores and restaurants that are open 24/7 so we don’t serve breakfast — unless Dave feels like it!
We have never had any complaints about breakfast, but a few have declined. We don’t actually promise anything more than a “continental” breakfast and our 24 hour refill station. We almost always manage to put on a full country breakfast and our continental breakfast includes cereals, yogurt, fruit, cheeses, coffee, tea and toast with peanut butter, almond butter and jams — and fresh baked goodies!