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When in Springdale, Utah last week to visit Zion National Park, we discovered 4 inns in town who were offering a voucher breakfast at one of two restaurants. Among the reasons innkeepers chose this option were:
- Illness in the family
- A new baby
- Positioned right next to the restaurant
- Hard to find good help
We opted for Oscar's restaurant and enjoyed our breakfast ($9 on the menu) while we interviewed Oscar’s owner, Hank Moore.
We discovered that it was Hank who went inn to inn two years ago to suggest doing breakfast for the inns in town. (it wasn’t the innkeepers idea.) He offered it at $3 per breakfast. Not one inn took him up on it.
But - a year later, life was happening and one inn was ready to do vouchers. By this time, Hank realized he had to charge more - $4.50 per breakfast. Then another inn joined in and now 4 of 8 inns in town give out Breakfast Vouchers.
While I missed not having the chance to mingle with breakfast guests - my favorite inn activity, I still liked the idea as a solution for some life situations. Outsourcing breakfast can mean all the difference in keeping the inn going - and a great back up plan if you need knee surgery or can't find help. Some inns can provide afternoon tea or evening snacks to create that special meet and greet that guests so appreciate.
How to convince your favorite restaurant -
Oscar’s took in $3 million last year - much of that is because B&B guests felt so at home with the friendly innkeeper-like waiters, and came back for lunch and dinner. And they made the restaurant busy which attracted even more customers. Oscar’s has become so successful they are soon to open in another town.
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