Should Breakfast be free or provided at all

I disagree with offering a 'free' breakfast within the price per night. I know that here it would lead to all sorts of arguments - "I am leaving on the 7am bus and will not have breakfast, I should get a discount" etc.

Much better to have a small menu of breakfasts for sale at very cheap prices + the option for people to do their own thing if they wish.

If the hostel offer breakfast include in the price, therefore this food was bougth already. So is just there. But if guests are leaving earlier than the breakfast time, doesn't matter for check out or tours, the staff member on duty in that time should provide to guests at least some items from it. Maybe not prepare the intere table, maybe not fresh bread because there was no time to buy it, but most of the food, later just store back if is not already the normal time. The early leaving guest will be really glad. Shows good will from staff:), cortesy:D, flexibility:rolleyes:...

Hey Esther,

It took us years to find out that some guests prefer cheap, crappy toast over fresh bread rolls! :rolleyes:

Buy them cheap, crappy toast. They´ll be happy and you even save money.

Also buy one of these:

It will make them even happier. Better buy two, those things have a short life expectancy. Buy the cheapest ones, because the expensive ones have the same short life expectancy.

Tea: YES. Some prefer tea, and tea is cheaper than coffee. That´ll save you even more Reais.

Since you have saved so much on rolls and coffee now, buy müsli (not the expensive stuff with lots of sugar and dried fruit in it but the real thing) and yoghurt (without added flavor or sugar). There is absulutely no better way for a Gringo to start the day than with a bowl of yoghurt müsli, diced fresh fruit in it and some cocoa sprinkled over the whole thing.

Also get cornflakes. I hate them, but some love them. Cornflakes are very cheap.

Don´t try too hard to save money on breakfast. With a good breakfast not too early in the morning, one can skip lunch without feeling hungry. A good long breakfast is also a great opportunity to socialize with the other guests.

I remember a hostel in Lencois de Bahia I would recommend to anyone just for their delicious breakfast. :)

Hey, santa klaus, I am so sorry, by not trying to be inconvenient, I was more inconvenient (it happens). :o

I loved your tips and I will reunite with my staff to see which ones we will bring to reality.

I think that I will offer more variety and this will make me automatically offer less quantity. The costs will compensate.

By the way, I am not carioca, I am fluminense (from Rio de Janeiro state). But I like being called a carioca though.

Thank you very much for your attention. :D

As an Englishman who likes a good-sized breakfast, I think the choice you are providing is excellent, especially as it is all-you-can-eat. The only item missing is cereal -- I do like cereal with cold milk, and I suggest a choice of cornflakes or muesli would suit all tastes. Provided there is meat and cheese, or eggs, there's no need to go for the "English" hot breakfast. And the Netherlander has no cause to complain; in hostels in the Netherlands or Germany you will get the meat/cheese or egg with bread, but a fixed amount, and maybe none of the other extras. And definitely offer a choice of coffee/tea. Coffee can be very good or absurdly bad, and everyone seems to do it differently.