By Nicole Di Tomasso
For discerning travellers, room service is no longer just about convenience; it’s about experiencing high-quality cuisine in the comfort of their own space.
“Guest profile is certainly the biggest influencer to determine whether guests may enjoy in room dining,” says Kristi Grotsch, director of Food and Beverage, Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. “Those travelling on business may enjoy a working meal rather than heading to one of our vibrant restaurants. We also consider any groups staying in house and if they’ve planned meals in our event spaces.”
Financial Forecasting
“We maintain stock for most kitchen supplies. Most food is wasted by the consumer. Since we can only control what’s going out of our kitchen, everything is made to order,” says Kunal Dighe, executive chef, JW Marriott Parq Vancouver & THE DOUGLAS Autograph Collection. “We also look at occupancy and food sales projections to ensure we order enough product for our occupancy levels. Most items are individually portioned.”
“As we are a 24-hour operation, accurate forecasting of business levels remain a key factor in managing the business,” says Grotsch. “Hotel occupancy, the weather forecast, special city events and even noting major television programming for the day allow our teams to anticipate peak hours and plan appropriately with staffing and food prep.”
Customizable Creations
The evolution of room service reflects broader trends in the culinary world and guest expectations. The once-simple continental breakfast tray has been replaced by a diverse array of options that cater to a wide range of dietary preferences and needs. Additionally, the rise of health consciousness among travellers has led hotels to incorporate organic ingredients and locally sourced produce into their room-service menus.
“I like to refer to our room-service offerings as borderless cuisine,” says Dighe. “We offer healthy choices, international flavours, comfort foods, et cetera. There’s something for everyone. We focus on local ingredients, such as seafood and fresh produce.”
Dighe says the omelette is the most popular item for breakfast, burgers for lunch and dinner, sundaes for dessert, and chicken fingers and fries for late-night orders.
Dighe continues, “Our focus is on the guest’s health and wellness. We have an antioxidant salad and a vegan burger, for example, on our menu. We want to improve nutritional intake and guest satisfaction.”
At Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, Grotsch says “the classic comfort foods, including truffle fries, clubhouse sandwiches and pastas continue to be top sellers.”
Other room-service menu items include the grilled maple glaze salmon with red capsicum couscous, asparagus and shirazi salsa; the beetroot and citrus salad with orange, grapefruit, beetroot, mixed greens, pistachios, stracciatella and champagne vinaigrette; and the beef tenderloin with chive pomme puree and heirloom carrots.
One of the most significant developments in room service is the emphasis on customization.
“If a guest feels like they don’t have enough options, all they have to do is ask,” says Dighe. “There are many ways a meal can be tailored to a guest’s specific dietary needs. Maybe they’re hesitant to ask, but modifying a meal is something our kitchen can always do.”
On average, Grotsch and Dighe say the hotels fulfill about 3,000 room-service orders per month.
“We’ve seen the growth of in-room dining, especially for dinner,” says Grotsch.
Tech Transformation
Technology has played a crucial role in transforming room service from a static menu offering into a dynamic and interactive experience. Many hotels now provide guests with the ability to order room service through their smartphones or tablets, making it easier than ever to browse menus, place orders and track delivery times. This not only provides convenience for the guest but also reduces the likelihood of miscommunication as orders are sent directly to the kitchen.
“Guests can conveniently order in-room dining through our Four Seasons mobile app, through live chat, or through the in-room tablet,” says Grotsch.
Similarly, Dighe says both properties use a QR-code based online ordering system in the guestroom which re-directs guests to a mobile dining portal.
Additionally, technology has enabled hotels to gather data on room-service operations, allowing them to identify trends and areas for improvement. By analyzing order times and delivery fluctuations, hotels can pinpoint bottlenecks in the process and take steps to address them. This data-driven approach helps hotels refine their operations and ensure they can meet the evolving expectations of their guests.
“Staying in tune with item sales reports on a weekly basis allows our chefs to understand consumption trends by days of the week and time of day,” says Grotsch, adding morning breakfast, especially on weekends is a peak time for ordering. “Dinner is also rapidly growing as many guests can appreciate an intimate in-room dinner experience in the comfort of their home away from home.”
Grotsch continues, “Being data driven and guest centric is key. We also look at ways we can simplify the kitchens mise en place by aligning hyper seasonal ingredients with our restaurants in efforts to reduce waste while providing our guests with the freshest ingredients.”
Another technological innovation is the use of robotics in room-service delivery. These robots are programmed to navigate the hotel’s corridors, using sensors to avoid obstacles and deliver orders directly to the guest’s door. While still in the early stages of adoption in Canada, this technology represents a potential future direction for room-service operations.
Future Forward
Plans to grow in-room offerings to keep it appealing to guests is essential. Dighe says the menu changes at least once a year to keep things fresh and offers wine pairings with a choice of steak, while Grotsch says offering ready-to-drink cocktails and mocktails as well as signature dishes from restaurants have been well received by guests.
“More premium offerings, including sharing plates and traditional caviar service to the room [create exclusive in-room dining experiences],” says Grotsch.
As hotels continue to push the boundaries of what room service can offer, travellers can look forward to even more exciting and personalized culinary adventures, all from the comfort of their rooms.
I could really help this publication with my experience working with new hotel owners and staff over the last few years.
I could write a book on the demise of true hotel ownership in Canada. Versus a real estate play by foreign investors.