Leaving Food for Guests: Um… Thanks or Um… Gross!?
BY MIKEL HUBBARD
FORMER HGTV PRODUCER | CO-FOUNDER, THE HOST CO |
OWNER, TIMES EIGHT PROPERTY & DESIGN
There’s always a debate over leaving food and pantry supplies for your guests: is it a kind gesture or a weird one? Truth is, if someone gets sick off food you leave in your Airbnb, you are technically liable and can get sued. So be careful! It’s unlikely, but never leave anything that could go bad for your guests to consume, like dairy, eggs or quickly perishable fruits. Beyond that, below are a few good guide-rails for your kitchen sitch’.
Do leave: Sugar, salt, pepper, spices, oil. Basic necessities like this are a kind gesture that helps guests who don’t want to buy it all. How many times have you ordered a pizza for delivery and not gotten red pepper flakes? Basics go a long way here.
Don’t leave: Crusty condiments. An opened mayo or a half used ketchup are definite no-no’s. Not only can they go bad, but no one wants your runny old ketchup anyway. Hot sauce gets an exception!
Do leave: Coffee and tea. So many hotels have stopped serving coffee in-room and make you buy it in the lobby, so rude! Be better than a hotel and provide this for your guests.
Don’t leave: Alcohol. This one is probably controversial because many hosts like to leave bottles of wine as a gift and many guests love receiving one. Again, there is liability here and if someone is drinking and driving or underage, you supplied the booze.
Do Leave: Flour/Baking Soda. Basic starches for making pancakes and cooking are totally cool and again, people appreciate the help. Biggest plus: people aren’t going to get sick.
Don’t Leave: Pasta noodles, soups, unopened sauces. When you start to leave real food guests aren’t sure what’s ok to eat and what’s not - so they probably won’t touch it anyway. Plus, most people want to feel at home, which an empty cupboard does. A full pantry feels like you’re invading someone’s space.
What food do you think is helpful to leave in your Airbnb? Let us know below!