Room service, though a classic, isn’t necessarily on its way out the door. In a Hotels.com survey, 45 percent of the properties that responded claimed demand for it was rising. There’s always been something luxurious about eating your food in a big, comfy bed, whether it’s a tender ribeye or the perfect piece of French toast dusted with sugar. However, with so many choices on the table these days (pun intended), hotels have to step up their game. Here’s how.
As delicious as that steak is, it isn’t the most popular room service item. The most popular is a burger, according to that same Hotels.com study. One can see why as it’s both filling and easy to eat (assuming you don’t pile everything so high that it squeezes out the bun). It’s also simple to swap out an ingredient or leave off the bun, making it a good option for people with dietary restrictions.
Room service already lends itself to a casual atmosphere—if the guest went down to your restaurant, they’d have to trade their fluffy robe for pants—so offer menu items that lean into that. Think about convenience as well. Is there a quick, tasty dish you can whip up for guests in a hurry, say if they don’t have time for a full restaurant meal before that meeting?
Pro tip: Just because a dish is casual doesn’t mean it should be cold when it gets there. Use food warmers to ensure that it stays the same temperature as it was in the kitchen.
Not everything that’s fabulous in your restaurant will be fabulous once it gets up to the guest’s room. Congealed pasta does not make the guest’s stay a special one.
Focus on items that you know will make it to the guest looking and tasting good. A charcuterie board is a winner as is chocolate-covered anything. Such items offer a fancier touch, and they’ll survive the trip up the stairwell.
If you need advance notice to have an item ready, say so. It’s much easier on your staff if guests give you their breakfast orders the night before…
As with anything else at your property, it’s all about your unique selling proposition. What can you offer that the Olive Garden down the road can’t?
Think about how your room service fits into your hotel brand as a whole. For instance, The Plaza Hotel has the Home Alone Sundae with sixteen scoops of ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate, caramel, raspberry sauce, and more. Don’t despair, though, if you never had a major motion picture filmed at your hotel (or if a $350 sundae is a bit much for your guests’ budgets). There are other things you can do to stay on brand.
Offering local, themed, or seasonal dishes can work but so can being creative with the presentation. Go the extra mile and make the meal Instagram worthy. You can snap a pic for your social media even if your guests don’t. What’s your hotel’s style? Are you urban chic or lakeside rustic? If you’re lakeside, you could always offer to cook what the guests catch…
Bundling room service into a package is another way to make it more attractive. What about truffles and champagne for that Valentine’s Day deal?
People with dietary restrictions don’t have as many options, so if you include food on your menu that works with those restrictions, there’s a good chance those people will come back. Educate your staff on cross contamination and label everything clearly. For this, you have to know what labels correctly apply. Do your research. There’s nothing more annoying to a celiac than the phrase “gluten free, may contain wheat.”
Safe, tasty meal offerings can be especially helpful for international guests who may have a hard time explaining their needs at other restaurants and for disabled guests who may have a harder time dining out at all.
Vegetarian, vegan, and healthy options are also important. If you have limited space on your menu, consider combining these options with those for people with dietary restrictions. What about a dessert that’s both vegan and gluten free?
Look at your data and find out what menu items are currently most popular and which don’t do as well. WebRezPro includes a sales report that breaks down your products and services by revenue generated within a particular time period.
Pay attention to seasonality. That hot bowl of French onion soup may be more popular in winter, so you should take it off the menu when summer rolls around and replace it with a nice gazpacho.
As of 2019, 68 percent of US leisure travelers use room service because it’s convenient, so make it as easy and efficient to order as possible with an app, QR code, or mobile messaging.
Messaging software like Akia or Revinate Ivy enables guests to send you a quick text from wherever they are. They can order while they’re finishing up at the spa, and you can have their food ready by the time they get back to the room. It’s also just faster to type a couple of sentences than pick up the phone and dial. You can even automate a response, reassuring guests that everything is on its way.
Ensure that guests know room service is available and how to get it. Judicious advertising can go a long way here. Have a copy of the menu in your lobby, guest rooms, and digital guide.
WebRezPro enables you to offer guests products like room service items via your online booking engine so that guests can purchase in-room extras when they book their room. In addition, you can restrict options to certain room/rate types. If you want to offer free breakfast in bed to loyalty members only, you can do that.
Lastly, streamline the process for your staff as well as your guests. An integration between your property management and point of sale system is essential. Staff charge the guest’s room in the point of sale system, and the point of sale system communicates with the property management system to confirm the room number, guest status, and credit card authorization limit. If approved, the charge is instantly posted to the guest’s folio. There’s no manual entry involved between the two systems, which saves time and reduces errors.
How easy is it for your guests to eat in the room without spilling anything? A tray for that breakfast in bed is a necessity, both for your guests and for your housekeeping staff who has to deal with any grease stains.
Even with a tray and plenty of napkins, eating in bed can sometimes be awkward. Is there a small table or desk that your guest could use instead, preferably with a comfortable chair? Hint: If the hotel room has a beautiful view, position the table so guests can see outside while they eat.
While the majority of guests are polite people who only want to sip their cappuccino in peace, room service can lend itself to certain issues. If a guest sticks their pizza slice to the lampshade or opens the door sans robe and pants, staff shouldn’t have to put up with it (it’s hard enough getting good staff as it is!). WebRezPro allows you to mark a customer’s profile as banned to save you from future headaches.
The costs of providing room service can spiral if you don’t keep an eye on them, and guests won’t be happy if you simply inflate your prices to keep up. No one wants to pay for a $40 plate of waffles. Simplify if you have to; maybe that service doesn’t have to be available at 3AM. You can also provide fewer menu items. This is where that data on what items are most popular comes in useful.
If you don’t have the facilities or staff to run room service yourself, consider partnering with a local restaurant in your area.
Use these room service tips to ensure that the food is tasty, the service is convenient, and the logistics are taken care of. Your guests can enjoy the experience, and you can enjoy the profits!