otels hosting large conventions can be fairly certain room service will be slammed, and since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, most properties count their chickens before they hatch.

"Pre-planning is the key to running large room service orders smoothly,” says Richard Scherzinger, director of operations for Doubletree Seattle Airport. “We try to push the preordered breakfasts so we know up front exactly what they want and at what time, but it doesn’t always work out that way.”

The Doubletree designates elevators exclusively for room service, Scherzinger says, and stocks them with continental breakfast set-ups and coffee, which can save half the trip time. When a large convention checks in, plenty of breakfast set-ups are completed the night before (with only the nonperishable items), and more staff is scheduled than may be needed.

“It’s better to overstaff on day one and make a great first impression,” says Scherzinger. “Later, we can scale back accordingly.”

Research is also a key to success in predicting convention-goers’ room service needs.

“We look into the demographics of the group. For instance, are they a union group consisting of mostly men? If so, they might be going for a lumberjack breakfast every day. Are they coming from a different time zone and most likely won’t be ready for breakfast in our time zone? Are they getting in late and might be sleeping in?”

Contacting hotels who have hosted a particular convention in the past can be a useful tool. When Scherzinger asks for a group history with outlet usage breakdown, most hotels provide it. “Properties help each other because we’re all in the same boat. I’m happy to return the favor to help ensure someone else’s success,” Scherzinger says.

Charlie Johnston, in-room dining manager at Hilton Americas-Houston, says when a large group orders room service breakfast, he sets it up as a mini-banquet. “You definitely don’t want to plate a large breakfast—it’s not done much now. I arrange conference tables in a T-shape in a larger suite and serve breakfast buffet style. We’ve done functions like this for up to 30 people in our Presidential Suite,” Johnston says.

CROSS-UTILIZATION
The key for large breakfast orders, besides pre-planning, is cross-utilization of resources. If the banquet kitchen can’t handle a room service order, then another kitchen is called upon. If there’s not enough room service staff scheduled that day, other waitstaff come to the rescue.

“Besides human resources, the equipment used for these types of room service buffets must be creative, attractive, convenient, and effective,” says Jonathon Raz, assistant director of F&B at Hilton Americas-Houston. “Equipment must be right because space is limited. There’s a lot that can be done with presentation on a clean credenza with cutting-edge serving vessels.”

BREAKFAST FOR THE STARS
The Loews Regency in New York City is not a convention hotel but has years of practice hosting movie studios, celebrities, and the press for events known as “movie junkets.”

“Movie studios pay for press outlets to stay here, view the movie being premiered, then spend several days interviewing the stars and directors of the films in our rooms and hospitality suites,” says Jennifer Hamilton, catering and junket sales manager.

“We provide all the meals and refreshments for everyone associated with the junkets. Part of this responsibility falls to our banquet staff, and part goes to our room service staff.”

With large movie premieres, room service can have up to 40 guestrooms/suites to serve and maintain at the same time. This includes continental breakfasts (e.g., fresh fruit, bagels, danish, crullers, yogurt, coffees, teas, juices) for each celebrity room, a full breakfast buffet (e.g., Herb Scrambled Eggs, Challah French Toast, Smoked Bacon and Sausage, and Oven Roasted Breakfast Potatoes) in hospitality suites for the movie studio executives and staff, an additional buffet or continental breakfast for the TV crews, plus coffee, tea, water, and soda service for the TV interview rooms. Add the room service needs of nonjunket- related hotel guests, and it becomes a laundry list that never seems to end.

“It’s a real balancing act,” says James Marmanillo, room service manager. “But what makes it all run smoothly is pre-planning, proper staffing, communication, and accountability.”

For big junkets, Marmanillo has the overnight room service staff do continental breakfast set-ups and the morning staff set the rooms up as early as 5 A.M.There are enough waiters and bussers scheduled to set up and maintain each room, in addition to those dedicated solely to beverage replenishment. Communication is made easier with walkietalkies, carried by bussers, the elevator operator (in case he must catch and change an order before it hits a room), Marmanillo, and Hamilton, who serves as a liaison between the movie studio and the kitchen/room service.

Accountability comes into play for Marmanillo, who makes it a rule to visit every room and ensure the orders are correct, food and beverage are replenished, and special needs are met. Additionally, Hamilton constantly moves through floors, checks on rooms, radios changes or special orders, and checks on the banquet side of the junkets (such as buffet breakfasts for groups like the Hollywood Foreign Press).

Sound complicated? It is.
“But we are so used to doing this,” Hamilton says, “we’re like a well-oiled machine. There are days when things go wrong, but our clients know few properties can support this kind of operation. They keep coming back because of all the things we do right.”