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Waldorf Edinburgh GM wins with re-imagined F&B

“Our afternoon tea to-go service continues Conrad Hilton’s vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality,” said Dale MacPhee, GM of Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian, in Edinburgh, Scotland.

This is a hotelier who is acutely aware of maintaining local connections at all times. Although she was mandated to close in Scotland’s first lockdown she has, since July 2020, kept the 241-room hotel open. “We took the decision that for the long term it was essential to show Edinburgh that we are there to support them,” MacPhee explained. “It would have been so easy to close but we are keeping a continued focus on the local market and we have maintained the double-digit figures that sadly elude some others. We support post-operative medical clients and also locals who for a variety of reasons cannot go home and need to leave their own homes for a night or so.”

A Canadian from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, MacPhee graduated in political science and government and joined Hilton almost 30 years ago. She joined ‘The Caley,’ as it has affectionately been called since its 1903 start, in January 2013.  

She has unusually warm relations both with her owners, Twenty14 Holdings, part of the giant Dubai-based Lulu conglomerate, and with her hotel team, which normally numbers 325 as there is a busy F&B operation.

Despite the Scottish weather, Dale MacPhee sees off another to-go meal order
Despite the Scottish weather, Dale MacPhee sees off another to-go meal order

“Now, for breakfast, we have converted our highly popular buffet into à la carte and about 95% of in-house guests choose to come to the restaurant rather than order room service,” she said, adding that invariably all also request full housekeeping service, including turndown.

Perhaps this is something to do with a Scottish reputation for getting value for money, which makes the hotel’s to-go food offerings even more pertinent. “If there is anything I have learned from COVID it is how to challenge ourselves,” MacPhee continued. “Our F&B team devised an afternoon tea package delivered within five miles of the hotel. We started this Wednesday-to-Sunday initiative in November and, thanks to incredible pickup from social media, demand has been exceeding all expectations.”

The offering comes in a front-opening recyclable box (it is actually a top-opening box with a full afternoon tea stand inside). Inside is a more-than-you-can-eat selection, currently themed for Wonderful World of Wizardry, of finger sandwiches, clotted cream and strawberry jam, and one-bite cakes. Basic price, for two guests, is £70 (US$xx), with about 50% of orders choosing the bubbly option, which, at £99 (US$xx) for two, comes with a 750ml bottle of the hotel’s long-time Champagne partner, Laurent-Perrier.

 “Customers do include some of those who, generally, come for tea physically in the hotel – we serve on average 50-plus a day,” MacPhee said. “But we are also building up, from our to-go orders, an additional, and younger, customer list. Both afternoon teas, by the way, are seen as occasional treat orders, say for anniversaries.”

The hotel is, by contrast, seeing many repeats for another to-go package. Thursday to Sunday, it offers, with a two-week menu rotation, a five-course dinner, including vegetarian – and Champagne – options. All courses are fully ready-to-eat, with the exception of cook-it-yourself entrée (a color photo accompanies detailed cooking instructions). 

“Typically, we do over a hundred orders, both meals, each week, and we have just also added a Sunday brunch,” MacPhee added. “Part of the appeal is that orders are delivered in a Flying Spur Bentley, driven by a team member in full uniform. We know from social media that we are helping people who frankly are becoming bored with their own lock-down menu planning and preparation. I also remind myself that Conrad Hilton remains such an inspiration.”

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