🥐Food at the hotel: breakfast buffet vs nearby café — which is better value

Created at: Nov 24, 2025

Two things can easily ruin your morning in Copenhagen: an early train and a long search for coffee in the rain. Breakfast is not just about ‘eating’, but also about the rhythm of the day and your budget: it determines what time you leave, how quickly you get to the underground and whether you will have enough energy left for museums when they open. Sometimes the hotel buffet saves time and nerves; sometimes the bakery around the corner meets all your needs at half the price. The main thing is to understand what to choose on which days and not to overpay for ‘abundance for the sake of abundance’.

🧭 Basic logic: what to choose for your plans

✅ When the buffet is more profitable

🕓 Early departure (train/tour before 7–8 a.m.) — you are sure to eat on time and without rushing.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families — one serving line, children's options ‘all at once’, no need to wait for orders.
🌧 Weather — winter, wind, rain: minus 20–30 minutes spent searching for an open spot.
🥚 Hearty breakfast — if you really eat ‘eggs, cheese, yoghurt, vegetables’, the buffet pays for itself.
🧾 Bed and breakfast packages — on weekdays and during the off-season, they are often cheaper than buying separately.

☕ When a café/bakery is more profitable

🐦 Light breakfast (coffee + bun/yoghurt) — no need to overpay for the buffet.
🗺 Leisurely mornings — you want to sit in your favourite bakery and look at the city.
💸 Tight budget — for two people, the difference over 3-4 days is noticeable.
🥐 An area with good bakeries 3-5 minutes from the hotel — simple and delicious.

💶 Price guidelines (DKK) — to quickly estimate your budget

These are market ranges to give you an idea of the numbers. Actual prices depend on the location and dates.

Buffet in budget chains (Wakeup/CABINN level): ~95–135 DKK/adult.
Buffet in the mid-range segment (Scandic/Comwell/business 4★): ~165–225 DKK/adult.
Boutique/luxury breakfast (‘new Scandinavian cuisine’, organic): ~225–325 DKK/adult.
Hostel continental (optional): ~65–95 DKK/adult.
Coffee in the city: ~35–55; bun/Danish pastry: ~25–45; sandwich/roll: ~55–95; yoghurt/granola: ~65–95; eggs/omelette/set: ~120–180.

Mini-rule: if you usually have coffee + pastry (60–100 DKK), a café is almost always cheaper; if you need a hearty set (160–220 DKK and above), a buffet is often more economical, especially with a package price.

🕰 Serving times: why this is important for logistics

Budget chains (reference: CABINN City level) — as a rule,
Mon–Fri ~ 6:30–10:00, Sat–Sun ~ 7:30–10:30; often offer breakfast-to-go by pre-order.
Mid-range/business 4★ — usually 6:30–10:00 on weekdays, 7:00–11:00 on weekends, also available to-go.
Boutique hotels — often start later (7:00–7:30), but sometimes offer an early continental breakfast or a boxed breakfast to go.
Cafés and bakeries — weekdays start around 7:00–8:00, on weekends some places open at 8:00–9:00 (later in residential areas).

If the programme starts before 8:00, the likelihood of missing out on a café is higher. On days with early departures, it makes more sense to have a buffet or to-go breakfast from the hotel.

🧮 Two mini-cases (how it affects your wallet)

Case 1. A couple, 3 days in February, early train on one of the days

Day 1 (normal): café 2×(coffee+pastry+yoghurt) ≈ 2×110 = 220 DKK
Day 2 (early departure): hotel buffet 2×165 = 330 DKK or takeaway 2×120 = 240 DKK
Day 3 (leisurely): café ≈ 220 DKK
Total: café + café + to-go ≈ 680 DKK; café + buffet + café ≈ 770 DKK. Choose according to your appetite and the availability of to-go options.

Case 2. Family 2+1 (8 years old), 4 days in November

Buffet: let's say adults 2×175, child ~50–100 DKK (often 50%/fixed, depending on the hotel) ⇒ ~400–450 DKK/day
Café: 2×(coffee+set 150) + child (cocoa+bun 60) ⇒ ~360 DKK/day
Conclusion: for ‘light’ breakfasts, cafés are cheaper; if the family likes a hearty meal, a buffet with a children's discount may be comparable.

🧩 Calculator: ‘buffet vs café vs to-go’

🧮 Parameters

Days Adults Children (6–12 years, ~50%) Buffet price (adult), DKK Buffet price (child), DKK Café: average bill per adult, DKK Café: average bill per child, DKK Days with early departure (better buffet/to-go) Breakfast-to-go price, DKK

💰 Comparison

Tip: cover early days with buffet or to-go, and use the cheaper format for the rest based on your appetite.

🗓 Who feeds and when: guidelines on formats

📍 Breakfasts in the city: quick reference

Format	Typical hours	Pros	Nuances
Budget chain buffet (CABINN City level)	Mon–Fri ~06:30–10:00; Sat–Sun ~07:30–10:30; to-go available	early start, predictable, good value for “big eaters”	simpler selection than in 4★; hours can vary by season
Mid-range / business 4★	Mon–Fri ~06:30–10:00; Sat–Sun ~07:00–11:00; to-go sometimes available	broader selection, convenient for families and early departures	higher price; at peak time queues around 09:00
Boutique hotels	usually from 07:00–07:30; sometimes continental earlier	quality of products, atmosphere	early flights/tours may fall outside the serving window
Nearby cafés/bakeries	weekdays ~07:00–08:00; weekends ~08:00–09:00	cheaper for “light eaters”, local experience	open later at weekends; you need some extra time

Hours are indicative. Always check the actual serving times for your dates and ask about breakfast-to-go.

✅ Checklist before payment

✅ How not to overpay for breakfast

🕓 Any **early-morning days**? Then the buffet or **to-go** is safer than a café.
🥐 Are you a **light eater**? Do the math on cafés: coffee + pastry is often 2–3 times cheaper.
👨‍👩‍👧 Children’s **discounts/free up to N years** — with buffets this can bring the cost close to a café.
💼 A **“night+breakfast” package** is often cheaper on weekdays/shoulder season than buying breakfast separately on site.
🧃 Clarify **to-go**: contents, pick-up time, price — ideal for early flights.
⏱ Plan for **time spent at the café** (queue, finding a table, paying) — that also “costs” money.

🎯 Recommendations for scenarios

A leisurely weekend city break: café/bakery for both days; no buffet needed.
3–4 days in winter with one early tour: early day — buffet or to-go, the rest — café (savings without losing rhythm).
Family 2+2: if children eat ‘like adults’, a buffet with a children's discount is often more profitable. If they ‘eat little by little’ — a café.
Business trip: buffet wins in terms of predictability and speed.

If I have a flight at 7 a.m., what should I choose?

Take the buffet (if it is open from 6:30 a.m.) or breakfast-to-go from the evening/very early in the morning. The café may simply not be open at that time.

Is breakfast more expensive if you get it ‘on the spot’ at the reception?

Often, yes. A ‘night + breakfast’ package for the same dates is sometimes cheaper than paying ‘per day’ at the counter. Compare both options.

Is it realistic to eat at a bakery for 60–100 DKK?

Yes, if it's coffee + pastries/yoghurt. If you want a ‘full plate breakfast’, it will cost 120-180 DKK per adult.

What should I do if the buffet opens ‘a little late’ (7:00) for me, and I need to leave at 6:45?

Ask for a to-go meal in the evening (usually a sandwich/yoghurt/fruit/juice). Some hotels put an ‘early continental breakfast’ at the reception desk — check with them.

Are there any discounts for children at the buffet?

Yes, often ~50% for children aged 6–12 and/or free for children under a certain age — but this depends on the policy of the specific hotel. Check for your dates.

How can I avoid the morning queues at the buffet?

Come when it opens or after the ‘rush hour’ (usually 9:00). Or get to-go on ‘list’ days.

What if I don't eat much but want coffee without queues and a place to sit?

Choose a café 3-5 minutes from the hotel and come when it opens — on weekdays this is usually 7:00-8:00, on weekends later.

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Undreaz

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