HOTEL DU LAC
Breakfast Organization and Service
Mr Bernard, Director of l’Hôtel du Lac is reading the guests’ comment cards of the last couple of months
and notices some serious complains about breakfast service. These complaints address the following
problems:
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The food is served cold
Non respect of service time (delivery too early or too late)
Mistakes in orders
Noisy food service elevator
YOUR JOB:
 Illustrate the current organization on a diagram, and write your analysis in a short report (Use the
Situation Appraisal guidelines provided)
 Explain the causes of the problem (Use Problem Analysis/ Cause & Effect Diagram)
 Propose at least 2 alternatives which are applicable to the financial capacities of a seasonal
business (Use Decision Analysis to choose between alternatives)
 Present a diagram of your new re-organized service & explain how it will solve the problems.
Description of l’Hôtel du Lac
This seasonal 3 star establishment has 36 rooms and is open from June to September. Most guests take the
MAP (Modified American Plan), which includes Breakfast and Lunch or Dinner in the Hotel’s restaurant.
The current organization is as follow:
 The production of hot beverages is done at the central breakfast station located at level 0.
 The preparation of toasts, eggs is done at the central breakfast station
 All of the preparations listed above are transported to a room service station located at level 2 via an
electricity-powered food service elevator.
 The breakfast trays are setup at the room service station on level 2. (This is also where orders are
completed with butter, jam, bread roll, croissants…) From there, breakfast trays are transported to the
rooms (3 floor of 12 rooms at levels 1, 2 and 3) or to the breakfast room located in a mezzanine above
the reception at level 1.
 After breakfast, all trays are returned to level
2. The cleaning of tea and coffee pots is done
at the central breakfast station. Cups, saucers,
glasses and cutlery are washed at the room
service station on level 2.
 All verbal communications between the
central breakfast station and the room service
station is done via telephone.
 All food, beverage and material transportation
is done via the food service elevator
 The traffic flow of the staff from the central
breakfast station to the rooms is delicate
because of a narrow staircase.
 All guest calls are directed to the room service
office on level 2.
 80% of guests love to take their breakfast on the terrace of their bedroom overlooking the lake
 For guests taking their breakfast in the breakfast room (Level 1) orders must be picked-up at the
central breakfast station (Level 0)
 The material currently used at the central breakfast station is obsolete and not adapted to the needs of
the service. Small equipment was replaced at the beginning of the season
 The staff is composed of two full time employees: one breakfast employee working at the central
breakfast station, one room service attendant. (They both start their shift at 6:30 and finish at 15:00
with one half-hour break at 11:30). One part-time helper joins in from 7:00 to 11:00.