snacks and drinks for guests?

Question

I'm thinking about putting some snacks (oreas, pringles, popcorn, trailmix, granola bars etc) and drinks (coke, sprite) in my 1 bed 1 bath to improve the guest experience.  This obviously will cost some $$.  Is it worth spending the extra money to provide this for my guests? Or is this really an unnecessary cost?

Trent Reeve · Answer

i would say, the cost is minimal and its worth trying out to see. I spend about $3-4 a booking on k-pods in my properties and I spend the money to have extra TP, extra trash bags in my places so that guests dont feel like the have to rush out to the store. 3 of my places are bigger than a 1/1, but I want my guests to feel appreciated.

John Underwood · Answer

Then we check in on the guests after they have arrived to make sure everything is good with the house.

We always get a 5 star review.

Tyler Divin · Answer

We're believers in a snack and a handwritten note.  Lately, we've been doing Pure Life Water, Kind Breakfast Bar, microwave popcorn, and a Moon Pie Mini (Moon Pies are from Chattanooga, our market).  The cost is $1.24 per serving (plus tax).  All of this can be ordered from Walmart, and we can have it delivered in as little as an hour with Walmart+.  We used to do granola bars, but we've switched to Kind Breakfast bars because they're similar to granola bars, IMO better, and being a breakfast bar, it makes for an impromptu breakfast with coffee and tea (provided in all properties) for guests who roll in late at night and wake up with no other food in the house.

Andrew Street · Answer

I’ve found that little extras like snacks and drinks can make a nice impression, but they don’t necessarily move the needle much on bookings or ratings unless you’re targeting higher-end stays. Guests tend to appreciate cleanliness, comfort, and clear communication more than anything else.

If you want to test it out, I’d suggest starting simple, a couple of bottled waters and maybe a small welcome snack. You’ll know it’s worth keeping if guests start mentioning it in their reviews. Otherwise, it can quickly become an unnecessary expense that goes unnoticed.

Sometimes a thoughtful touch, like a handwritten welcome card or highlighting local coffee shops and restaurants, has the same positive effect without adding recurring costs.

Lisa Graesser · Answer

I do not supply any snacks. I am at the property a  couple of times a year and I don't have the room to store these types of items and I do not want to add that task to my cleaners job. I do have many repeat guest and 5 star reviews so I don't think guests are disappointed to not find these items. But I will say that we recently stayed at a place where the host lived in the same building and she provided breakfast items like bagels, cream cheese, yogurt and juice, which was very appreciated  and definitely will add to our desire to book with them again.

Andrew Steffens · Answer

I am in the camp that it does not matter.  We have done things before like snacks, wine, etc.  Perhaps it moved the needle in some instances from a 4 star to a 5 but I have no way to know that, and no guest explicitly told me so.  If I lived in the neighborhood and was self managing perhaps I would do it, but as a PM operating at scale, or for self managers managing from a distance I did not see the cost as worth it.

Jon Martin · Answer

I always find it tacky when I see a mid+ tier listing with nice countertops and backsplash with a bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos on it. That said I am sure some guests appreciate it. If you are really trying to give a high end vibe then I would lean towards locally produced items like some of the suggestions above as opposed to Costco bulk stuff, although you also have to weigh in the ROI of that, so it would likely only make sense at the high end.

Aside from coffee the only food I provide is a few packs of microwave popcorn.

Jeremy Horton · Answer

What is the market like?

1 bed 1 br - maybe the guests are mostly couples, small/young families

I would imagine it would help your reviews, if nothing else. Costs a few bucks, sure, but what is the extra few hundred bucks a year going to do for you? Nothing significant, imo

I would potentially steer clear of most nut snacks - just because some people do have allergies. I'd steer clear of anything alcohol related as well. I would do something small & unique - some kind of cool cookie/muffin with a small note. Cheap, easy.

Justin Miller · Answer

This is definitely worth the cost when done wisely and consistently.The cost-to-impact ratio for simple, non-perishable welcome items far outweighs the small monetary cost and is a key driver for 5-star reviews. We recommend skipping the expensive, high-cost amenities like wine, which we found rarely proved to be a good ROI for review quality; instead, focus on non-perishable, shelf-stable snacks (popcorn, quality granola bars, local sodas) that satisfy an immediate need upon arrival. To make this scalable, train your cleaners on an SOP to set out the items each time and notify you when inventory is low, treating it like any other restockable item. Lastly, a solid operational guideline is to try to keep the cost of this amenity within 1% of the total reservation price!

Josh Ball · Answer

We leave a bottle of water per guest & a little treat bag. Only a few dollars but its a nice touch to welcome them to your property.

snacks and drinks for guests?

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