What to Supply Guests Based on Popular Foods by State
One of the first questions a friend or relative asks when you return from a trip is, “How was the food?” Over here at Modern Innkeeper, we understand food’s role in the vacation experience, which is why we dedicated a blog to advising hosts which treats they should welcome their guests with. In order to provide your vacation rental’s guests with a savory experience that will satisfy their appetites, we have broken down how to encourage them to acquire a taste for the local flavor based on popular foods by state.
Please Their Palettes
By now, we all know guests crave a local experience when they travel, and a key facet of this is indulging in the area’s favorite foods. With several states limiting restaurants to outdoor dining on account of the pandemic, takeout is becoming more common, especially for states currently experiencing cold weather. On top of recommending your area’s top spots serving the most mouth-watering foods your state has to offer, stock your vacation rental’s kitchen with ingredients guests will need in order to fully relish in the fare! Below lists essentials that will cover most if not all of the fifty most popular takeout foods.
Ketchup and Mustard
Both are too essential to exclude. As if this needs further reinforcement, seven states’ most popular takeout dish is a serving of plain fries. Know anyone who eats fries plain? Neither do we.
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is typically perceived one of two ways: gotta have it or get that jar of mayo away from me this very instant. Since you are the host, you must accommodate the needs of all guests. A mayo-lover will thank you for doing so, and a mayo-hater can simply leave it be after making a derogatory comment about it.
Soy Sauce
With pad thai leading the way, Asian-style dishes are the most ordered in eight states. Here is a review you do not want: “Vacation rental was awesome and host recommended a Thai place we ordered takeout from, but it forgot to include soy sauce in the delivery and the host didn’t have any! It was a bummer.” The solution: buy soy sauce for your rental.
Hot Sauce
There always seems to be at least one member in a group who has to drench all their meals in hot sauce. To cater to that person’s preference, provide a bottle of a well-liked hot sauce in your vacation rental’s region.
Sriracha
Sriracha gained traction in the 1980s when patrons at American pho restaurants began using it. Over the years, people discovered it is quite tasty on pretty much everything. In short, Sriracha should have a solidified role in your refrigerator.
Notable Mentions
Above are the must-haves, but do not forget about:
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Salt and pepper
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Barbecue sauce
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Peanut butter
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Vinegar
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Relish
A list of seasonings and additional condiments is available here.
Feed the Foodies
Foodies consider cuisine a representation of culture. If you are hosting a group of them, expect your guests to crave a vacation that exposes them to food your rental’s state is most known for. Let us use Arizona as an example, where Mexican food is the most desirable fare. Hosts with vacation properties there should inform their guests where they will eat the best Mexican food, and to add a creative element to it, break it down into categories:
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Best margaritas
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Best chips and salsa
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Best burritos
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Best hole-in-the-wall
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Best mariachi band
Since we are discussing plugging local restaurants, this is a perfect opportunity to remind you to team up with business owners in your area to negotiate a mutually beneficial arrangement that supports their establishments and your reputation as a gracious host.
Leave a Good Tip
When you allocate extra time to supply guests with this type of nuanced information and supplies to enjoy their meals to the fullest, you are conjuring up a taste of your rental’s locality they will forever covet!