How do you deal with guests that think breakfast is included even though you never checkboxed it?

[Kim610]

This happens all the time even though it's very clear I do not offer it. The retired generation so often assumes that the B in AirbnB means breakfast. I can understand how they would think this. But why is Airbnb not implementing video tutorials to guests explaining what they are, what they aren't, and how every listing will be unique compared to the next listing.

[Kath9]

Hahahaha @Kim610! You mean you expect people to actually read your listing through before they book? I think you might be dreaming. I had one the other day message me about her gluten-free requirements even though I don't offer breakfast. When I pointed this out, she replied, 'Oh sorry, I only read a bit of your listing'. Honestly, I don't get why people pay good money for something they don't have a clear understanding of.

[Sarah977]

@Kath9 That's a good one. "Actually your breakfast will not only be gluten free, it will be completely food free."

[Ben551]

lmao @Sarah977  that is just magic !  I properly laughed at that.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

lol 😄 @Sarah977

[Kath9]

Hahahaha @Sarah977, that's brilliant! I wish I'd thought of that!

[Sarah977]

@Kath9 Oh it's easy to come up with clever retorts when I'm sitting on my computer. I don't know that I'd be that quick to come up with such things when actually having to message or talk to a guest 🙂

[Sarah977]

Airbnb= Air Breakfast and Bed.

[Rachel0]

@Kim610 I do offer breakfast - it is even mentioned in the listing title, but still some guests appear surprised.  Surely they have read the title!  However, I offer a "continental style" breakfast and there are some guests who expect that to mean a "Full English" of bacon, eggs, sausage, etc etc and are disappointed.  The bottom line is that people (and certainly not just the "retired" generation) do not read anything and even if they do, they interpret it to mean what they want it to mean. @Sarah977 When I was a child, if I kept on asking what was for tea my mum would tell me "air pie with rashers of wind, followed by bee's knees and chicken's eyebrows."

[Niel3]

@Rachel0how do you get on with that. I have breakfast not ticked although I do have cereals, milk, bread/butter/jams etc for toast, porridge and beverages for guests to help themselves. The reason I do not 'offically' offer breakfast is in case some people will expect a service/cooked breakfast and be disappointed which may reflect in ratings.

[Kim610]

Perhaps we could get Airbnb to implement a filter that can clarify between continental and Enlish breakfast but I can't even get my guests to find the breakfast filter to begin with! 😜

[Rachel0]

@Niel3 In the opening paragraph of my listing description I say "continental style breakfast included in price" - it is only about 3 or 4 lines down so should  not get missed.  I go into more detail further on.  I set the table properly, the guests can sit down in our kitchen diner to eat, and I  make them frresh coffee or tea etc when they come downstairs.  It does help that we have a wonderful bakery about 75m from our front door and I can go over there at 7am to buy fresh croissants etc.  To be fair, there have only been a couple of misunderstandings about a "full English" in 4 years and nearly 500 guests so I'm not worried about it.  I also explain when I am doing the initial introduction exactly what is on offer.

[Lawrene0]

Surely video tutorials are not the answer, @Kim610, especially if your problem is with the retired generation. My mum would never click on a video. 

She would be fine with an initial message from the host restating that there is no breakfast and listing a few neighbourhood café options.

[Kim610]

I was thinking that a video tutorial would be for when you are signing up as a new guest; that it would be a part of the sign up process. Not make it optional but a part of the process. I personally think something interactive such as a video would be more likely to be watched (and interesting) versus words that don't seem to be working in my case.

It would be a great opportunity for Airbnb to set the tone of how great and unique our community is, not focusing on the breakfast but the whole experience overall.  Just trying to figure out a way to improve the community aspect overall versus a bandaide fix.

[Ute42]

.

Hi @Kim610

tell Your guests airbnb means airbed and breakfast.

You don't supply breakfast but You have upgraded them to a king size bed. If they want breakfast they can have it but then they have to sleep on an airbed, as the companies name suggest.