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Setting up a continental breakfast at a hotel, conference hall or any other venue involves targeting specific tasks that will create the kinds of food presentations that guests are used to seeing in a breakfast area. These types of buffet-style presentations don't often include much hot food; rather, they provide the basics of a breakfast without much actual cooking. Here are some of the most commonly recommended tips on how to set up a continental breakfast as it is presented in the majority of hotels and formal reception areas.



  1. 1
    Open and fill all drink machines. Drinks are often one of the primary parts of a continental breakfast. Even breakfasts that have only the bare minimum still typically provide coffee and hot water for tea, as well as milk or cream, and a variety of juices.
    • Turn on all juice or water fountain machines. These machines allow for automatic drink dispensing.
    • Brew coffee. Automatic coffee brewers operate in various ways. The most common tasks include filling a percolator and changing a coffee filter.
  2. 2
    Check for refrigeration and food safety for perishable products. All hot food or animal products that go into a continental breakfast must be stored at refrigeration temperatures. Otherwise, the venue can be liable for illness caused by improper food safety.
    • Check that milk has been refrigerated correctly. Also check that the milk will be kept cold or otherwise monitored during the breakfast time frame. It's important to evaluate how long milk has been at room temperature and how often it can be re-used. Without this key element of food safety, milk could spoil and ruin a breakfast setup.
    • Check refrigeration for any eggs or meat as applicable to a specific continental breakfast buffet.
  3. 3
    Open and turn on waffle/pancake machines as applicable. Many continental breakfasts have waffle or pancake machines that create "hot and ready" dough-based foods from refrigerated or frozen dough.
  4. 4
    Fill food trays and stations with baked goods and other nonperishable items.
    • Fill pastry racks with bagels, muffins, cookies, slices of bread, or other provided baked goods.
    • Fill cereal holders for dry cereal. Guests use provided milk with dry cereal for a customary cold breakfast.
    • Fill yogurt trays or other food presentation stations as applicable.
  5. 5
    Provide utensils, napkins and cups. One of the last parts of setting up a continental breakfast involves providing guests with what they will need to eat the assembled foods.
    • Check on spoons, forks and knives. Usually, these utensils are provided as disposables. Make sure there are enough for the maximum projected number of guests.
    • Fill napkin racks or other similar stations.
  6. 6
    Do cleaning as necessary. Along with all of the food presentation, setting up a continental breakfast often involves some light housekeeping, especially if this was not tended to the day before.
    • Assess floors for vacuuming or sweeping.
    • Clean table surfaces as necessary.

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Categories: Hospitality

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