Guides / Hotels
How much does hotel breakfast really cost per guest?
Eggs, coffee and the pastry basket look cheap until you add the bin at half past ten and the person refilling it.
Skip the reading. The tool does this maths for you, free, as you type.
Cost your breakfastIncluded breakfast is priced into the room rate as an allowance, usually a number someone picked years ago. The true cost is what a guest takes, plus what gets thrown out, plus the staff minutes it takes to set up, refill and clear.
The formula
Food per guest = Σ(item cost × portions taken) × (1 + waste). Labour per guest = staff minutes per guest ÷ 60 × wage. True cost = the two together. Compare it with the allowance in the rate.
What a good number looks like
Breakfast pays for itself. Leave it alone.
Trim the waste: smaller trays, refill more often, fewer choices after 9:30.
The allowance is wrong. Raise it in the rate or move to a lighter menu.
What to do about it
- Weigh the bin for one week. Waste is the number nobody guesses right.
- Buffets run 10 to 20% waste. Plated or made-to-order runs under 5%.
- Count staff minutes honestly: setup and dishes count.
Now do it with your numbers.
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Cost your breakfast