Breakfast Flights

When it comes to serving breakfast, hotels located near international airports can’t do it on the fly. A simple menu of American standards such as bacon, eggs, and pancakes won’t cut it when the clientele is a mix of international airline crews, foreign travelers (often journeying in packs), and harried, displaced passengers. Not only that, but a standard 6 a.m. to 10 a.m breakfast service isn’t always compatible with flight schedules and the body clocks of traveling guests.

Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it’s instructive to look at what some major airport hotels do to keep their clientele fed and happy as they begin their days.

The Hyatt Dulles in Herndon, Virginia, is just 10 minutes from Washington, D.C.’s international airport. The property’s key markets are international airline crews, passengers displaced after canceled flights, passengers with early morning flights, and international tour groups.

According to Executive Chef Christopher Bifano, an average of 150 breakfast covers is served daily in Elements on Level 1, the hotel’s main dining outlet. That number can skyrocket on days when stormy weather or large tour groups are in town.

Bifano says 75 percent of guests opt for the $21 breakfast buffet, which includes everything from cereal, yogurt, and bagels to hash browns, sausage, and made-to-order omelets. Beverages are included in the price.

“The buffet changes daily, depending on who’s spending the night,” says Bifano. “The F&B team looks at who’s coming in the next day and customizes the buffet accordingly. If an Air France crew is spending the night, an assortment of cheeses and a platter of croissants are added to the buffet. If a group of Japanese tourists is in the house, chefs prepare miso or congi soup and provide an assortment of fi sh.”

ALL-DAY OFFERINGS
Along with the buffet, the Hyatt Dulles offers hot breakfast à la carte all day, both for room service orders and in the restaurant. The hotel also provides boxed breakfasts containing bagels, yogurt, fruit, and juice for travelers on the go. Those boxes cost $12, the standard amount of meal vouchers given to distressed passengers. Guests have the option of grabbing breakfast snacks ranging from fruit cups to croissants at Express-O’s, the hotel’s coffee bar. Normal hours start at 5:30 a.m, but Express-O’s frequently opens earlier to accommodate groups leaving for crack-of-dawn flights.

The Crowne Plaza Miami International Airport faces many of the same challenges as the Hyatt Dulles, but due to its Florida location, there are differences in clientele. Yes, the Crowne Plaza caters to airline crews and displaced passengers. But, according to Sami Kohen, F&B director, the Crowne Plaza receives a large share of cruise line crew and passengers and hosts many travelers flying into and out of Latin America.

The Crowne Plaza’s Bristol Cafe averages 150 breakfast covers a day, more than lunch and dinner covers combined. The $15.99 breakfast buffet includes fresh fruit, granola bars, eggs made-to-order, pancakes, and, of course, fresh-squeezed Florida orange juice. Other beverages are included as well.

Thanks to Miami’s status as a gateway to Latin America, the Crowne Plaza’s F&B staff adds Hispanic flair to its regular breakfast offerings. For example, breakfast burritos are available both in the restaurant and as a grab ‘n’ go option. Given the South American partiality to steak and eggs, that’s on the menu too, as are frittatas and other Latin-style breakfast dishes.

The hotel also has guests courtesy of the cruise industry. Since upwards of 200 departing cruise passengers may be staying in the hotel at a time, an additional buffet service is often set up in a banquet room. The staff considers the needs of cruise ship crews as well. Large percentages of these crews are Filipino, so Chef Gerhard Bassier makes sure white boiled rice, a Philippines breakfast staple, is readily available.

KEYS TO SUCCESS
For any hotelier starting up breakfast service at an airport hotel, both Bifano and Kohen agree that offering a buffet is key to success. “The buffet works better than à la carte because of volume and the fact that people are in a hurry,” Kohen says. “And a property can serve more guests with a smaller staff by having a buffet available.”

Around-the-clock grab ‘n’ go options are also essential. If the airport serves an international clientele, it’s important to incorporate diverse breakfast items. “The key is to look at our arrival list in advance, and then we can offer targeted options,” says Kohen. “By getting to know our customers, we can use the breakfast menu as an effective sales tool.”

F&B departments at airport hotels should also keep a close eye on the weather forecast. If inclement weather is expected, Hyatt’s Bifano beefs up the staff in anticipation of a full house of harried travelers. Additionally, if it looks like a good number of flights are heading out in the wee hours of the morning, staff is brought in extra early to let travelers get a fast nutritional start to their day.

“We are flexible,” says Bifano, “because we want to capture additional revenue and make guests happy. By providing varied menus and adapting our hours, we have a system that works both for us and the guest.”