It all started with the waffle. A few years ago, AmericInn franchisees noticed that customers of the brand (then without food and beverage) were clamoring for hotcakes. Breakfast at the time was a cold affair, consisting of rolls and doughnuts, along with coffee, tea, and juice. But operators were becoming aware of the need to enhance breakfast to compete.

At the same time, corporate management was reading customer satisfaction surveys and finding that breakfast was the lowest-rated item on the scorecard. So the company’s top officials got together and decided breakfast was to become the most important deal of the day.

AmericInn International, based in Chanhassen, Minnesota, has more than 212 properties, the majority of which are in the Midwest. Jim Bridger, director of franchise services, says that in 2005, he and VP of Design Services Jeannine Momchilovich, along with an account manager and representatives from the construction and operations departments, began brainstorming ways to raise the bar on breakfast.

“We had to create something that wouldn’t be too expensive and would work with properties needing to be retrofitted,” says Bridger. (AmericInn has five hotel prototypes, so the team ended up creating separate retrofit solutions for each design.) They were also looking to ensure quality and consistency across the board, both in terms of food and design.

The team knew it would offer hot breakfast but wanted to do so with a twist. The revolution was in redesigning the entire room, not just the food offerings. After filtering through various concepts, AmericInn Perk was born. The idea was to create a coffee shop atmosphere similar to Starbucks, complete with chalkboards, high and low tables, and plenty of joe.

TRAFFIC AND FLOW
A top priority in the design process was considering the flow of morning traffic. As most guests want their morning caffeine pronto, the coffee area was separated from the food stations.

In the food area, six self-sufficient stations were set up, each featuring a required menu item. AmericInn guests can now choose from those hot waffles, plus scrambled eggs, pancakes, or sausage; toast and bagels; muffins and pastries; fruit and cereal; and cold items, including milk, yogurt, and cheese. At the beverage station, juices and teas are available, along with AmericInn Perk House Blend, a custom-made coffee brewed to match the taste buds of the average guest, served in branded logo cups.

Another required element of Perk is the breakfast attendant. In the new and improved breakfast area, a dedicated attendant is on hand to restock, pour coffee, and most importantly, says Bridger, to keep guests happy.

Although AmericInn operators knew the breakfast upgrade was necessary, there were issues involved in getting buy-in to the Perk concept. “It’s always a challenge to get operators to spend money,” Bridger says. “This was an unexpected franchise mandate, which would cost between $8,000 and $15,000. But we provided access to financing companies if they needed help.”

Furthermore, company executives developed the extensive plans for each prototype, offered hands-on staff assistance throughout the process, and allowed franchisees to purchase products through corporate, which had negotiated special rates with suppliers.

SEEING IS BELIEVING
What sealed the deal, Momchilovich says, was the full-scale mock-up of a Perk breakfast area that was unveiled at AmericInn’s annual convention in 2006. “Having a prototype franchisees could see and touch really helped. Our staff designers were also on hand to make them comfortable with the implementation process.”

While seeing was believing, there was still the matter of the need, in most cases, for hoteliers to upgrade their F&B licenses. Because hot food was being served, operators would need to apply and pay for upgraded licenses and follow municipal health department regulations in setting up the buffet. Again, AmericInn corporate was on hand to offer advice. And by designing Perk with health regulations for serving hot food in mind (for example, using laminate cabinets with granite countertops instead of wood to prevent bacteria growth), potential hiccups were avoided from the beginning.

In the end, according to Momchilovich, “The perception of our brand among customers has been enhanced, with a substantial increase in customer satisfaction scores. Moreover, the franchisees do appreciate it.”

Adding Perk helped give older properties an updated look, and the expanded breakfast allowed franchisees to raise room rates by about $3 a night, which more than covers the cost of the food. At the corporate level, Bridger doesn’t waffle in saying, “It lets us market the brand more accurately and consistently.”

Veteran journalist Laura Powell formerly covered travel for CNN and now blogs on the beat at www.dailysuitcase.com.