Back in 2019, before the industry upheaval, most hotels were already leaving money on the table with their F&B operations. Guests would grab breakfast, then disappear until dinner - or worse, eat elsewhere entirely. Smart hotels now create multiple touchpoints throughout the day, boosting average F&B spending from €15-25 to €35-50 per guest daily.
Analyze your current F&B spend per guest
You can't improve what you don't measure. Start by calculating your current F&B revenue per guest per night:
💡 Example calculation:
Hotel with 80 rooms, 65% occupancy, €180,000 F&B revenue per month:
- Guests per month: 80 × 0.65 × 30 = 1,560 guest nights
- F&B per guest: €180,000 ÷ 1,560 = €115 per guest night
- At average stay of 2.3 nights: €50 per guest per day
That's actually a solid foundation to build on.
Create extra F&B moments outside main meals
Here's one of the most common blind spots in kitchen management: focusing only on traditional meal times. But guests eat and drink throughout their stay:
- Late breakfast (10:00-12:00): Catches guests who sleep in
- Afternoon snacks (14:00-17:00): Coffee with pastries, high tea service
- Aperitif hour (17:00-19:00): Charcuterie boards, cocktails
- Late night dining (21:00-23:00): Light dishes, room service
Each additional moment can generate €8-15 per guest if positioned correctly.
Menu engineering specifically for hotel guests
Hotel guests aren't your typical restaurant diners. They want different things:
💡 Example high-margin hotel dishes:
- Club sandwich: €18 (food cost 22%)
- Caesar salad: €16 (food cost 25%)
- Pasta of the day: €22 (food cost 28%)
- Charcuterie board for 2: €28 (food cost 30%)
These dishes are quick to prepare and deliver excellent margins.
Focus on these guest priorities:
- Convenience: Guests don't want to search far for food
- Familiar comfort food: Skip overly experimental dishes
- Quick preparation: Business travelers are always rushing
- Flexible portions: Some want light meals, others need hearty options
Promotion strategy for F&B upselling
Too many hotels take a passive approach to F&B promotion. Guests often don't even realize there's a restaurant on-site:
⚠️ Note:
Don't rely on your website for F&B promotion. Guests won't check it after arrival. Use in-hotel communication instead.
Effective promotion moments:
- At check-in: "Our restaurant's open until 22:00 - shall I reserve a table for you?"
- Room materials: Daily menu and hours on the nightstand
- Elevator screens: Rotating F&B specials
- WhatsApp service: Daily specials sent directly to guests
Package deals that increase F&B spend
Bundle F&B into attractive packages rather than selling individual items:
💡 Example packages:
- "Business deal": Room + breakfast + lunch + €5 dinner credit = +€35 F&B
- "Weekend getaway": Room + breakfast + 3-course dinner = +€45 F&B
- "Staycation": Room + all meals + aperitif = +€65 F&B
Guests see this as added value while you boost F&B revenue.
Optimize room service for higher margins
Room service delivers high margins (40-60% markup is standard) but gets poorly promoted:
- Compact menu: Maximum 15 dishes that transport well
- 24/7 basics: Sandwiches, salads, desserts always available
- Express items: 20-minute delivery guarantee
- Transparent pricing: Include service charges upfront
Measure and adjust F&B performance
Track your F&B KPIs weekly, broken down by guest segment:
- F&B spend per guest per day (total and by meal period)
- Attachment rate: Percentage of guests who dine in-house
- Average order value per F&B occasion
- Food cost percentage by dish and overall
A food cost calculator can automatically track these metrics and show which dishes drive the most F&B revenue per guest.
How to increase F&B spend per hotel guest? (step by step)
Measure your current F&B spend per guest
Divide your monthly F&B revenue by the number of guest nights. This gives you a baseline to measure improvement against. Also calculate per meal moment (breakfast, lunch, dinner) to see where opportunities lie.
Create extra F&B moments between main meals
Introduce afternoon snacks, aperitif moments and late night dining. Each extra moment can generate €8-15 per guest. Focus on easy-to-prepare dishes with low food cost.
Develop packages that bundle F&B with accommodation
Create attractive deals like "Business package" (room + breakfast + lunch) or "Weekend getaway" (room + breakfast + dinner). Guests experience this as a benefit while you increase your F&B revenue.
Optimize your in-hotel promotion strategy
Actively promote at check-in, place menus in rooms, use elevator screens and send daily specials via WhatsApp. Many guests don't even know you have F&B.
Track and optimize your F&B KPIs weekly
Monitor F&B spend per guest, attachment rates and food cost percentages. Use this data to adjust your menu and promotions for maximum profitability per guest.
✨ Pro tip
Track your F&B attachment rate for the first 48 hours after implementing afternoon coffee service from 14:00-17:00. If less than 25% of guests try it within the first month, adjust your promotion strategy or menu pricing.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
What's a realistic F&B spend target per hotel guest daily?
For 3-4 star hotels, expect €25-45 per guest daily. Luxury properties can hit €60-100, while budget hotels typically see €15-25. Your target depends heavily on your F&B offering and guest demographics.
How do I promote F&B without seeming pushy to guests?
Frame it as convenience, not sales. Mention restaurant hours during check-in and offer immediate reservations. Place attractive menus in rooms and use digital displays for specials. Position it as helpful service rather than a sales pitch.
Should I track F&B performance differently for business vs leisure guests?
Absolutely. Business guests typically spend more on quick, convenient options and room service. Leisure guests prefer experiences like aperitif hours or special dinners. Track attachment rates and spend patterns separately for each segment to optimize your offerings.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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