FOOD & BEVERAGE
The resort outlet serves up a selection of popular street beverages , with a signature coconut coffee and coffee with fresh milk and tapioca pearls . Chill ’ s Snack & Bar is both a destination and a place where guests can grab food and beverages and go elsewhere . “ I genuinely believe Chill ’ s Snack & Bar is an open house like on Vietnam ’ s ubiquitous sidewalks , everyone is welcome to chill out here and relish life ’ s simple pleasures or grab what food and beverages they want and go ,” Laubichler-Pichler says .
GRAB AND GO ANYWHERE At the Hilton Chicago , Herb ’ N Kitchen has been a great success story that ’ s only grown and expanded in the decade since it first opened , says General Manager John Wells .
Most recently , the Hilton enabled guests to use technology to order from Herb ’ N Kitchen and have it delivered anywhere in the hotel or pick it up . “ That ’ s given our customers much more flexibility ,” Wells says .
Besides adapting and implementing new technology , the offerings need to entice guests . “ We do some weekend activations ,” Wells says . “ We bought a small donut machine , which a chef operates , and it makes donuts . Families can smell that in the lobby , come into the Herb ’ N Kitchen and then decorate a fresh donut .”
The Herb ’ N Kitchen also offers deep dish pizza , a local specialty , and it has expanded its selection of healthy offerings , but a gourmet twist is equally important . “ In the past , you might have seen more commercial brands , but now they ’ re more boutique , more gourmet and more local ,” Wells says , adding that a gourmet , homemade biscuit breakfast sandwich has become a top-selling breakfast item .
The lobby kitchen at Sage Hospitality ’ s Catbird Hotel in Denver
SELL THE SIZZLE “ The era of the front desk having some microwave popcorn and sodas is a thing of the past ,” says Meaghan Goedde , COO of Sage Restaurant Concepts , Denver , Colorado .
Not only should the offerings be boutique , local and upscale , but the packaging has to match it . So , Sage ’ s Catbird Hotel in Denver uses a beautiful array of mason jar salads and grain bowls . “ The mason jars look real pretty , but they ’ re really functional as well ,” Goedde says . “ How we stock the cooler , it looks great , and it makes you want to eat it . The display is beautiful , and it entices guests . ( In the past ), guests might have needed to eat something , but they weren ’ t too excited about it .”
“ Packaging has definitely gotten sexier ,” says Bradley Moore , vice president of food and beverage for Aimbridge Hospitality . “ You now have a clever view of what you ’ re buying , and everything is packaged in such a way that our markets come alive . We ’ ve also become really good at alleviating waste and watching the package size .”
Good packaging , Moore says , is as earth friendly as possible , but
Packaged cocktails from Crescent Hotels & Resort ’ s Crescent Restaurant Group
it also has to be packaged at the proper size . By keeping a close eye on the size of packaging , hotels can increase profit . “ By watching the package size , you can control price points and make it even more attractive ,” Moore says . “ We completely re-thought our packaging during the pandemic , and it is as slick and as sexy as anybody ’ s out there .”
KEEP IT SIMPLE While the offerings need to be attractive , they don ’ t always need to be numerous . At Sage ’ s The Maven Hotel , also in Denver , they serve two daily breakfast burritos out of an Air Stream trailer , which is made by staff at the Kachina Cantina restaurant . The Air Stream is located between the restaurant and the hotel lobby , and since the hotel itself is focused on makers of independent crafts and products ,