No shows at restaurants

My mother in law used to miss hospital doctors and other appointments due to memory problems (Early dementia as it turned out) she wasn’t being rude or selfish but just forgot that she had made them or forgot where she had written it down it’s not always bad manners! I missed a hospital appointment when my own child was rushed into hospital and that was prioritised and due to the stress I completely forgot! and there are other similar examples I could give of emergencies and perfectly valid reasons we and others have missed bookings or appointments

Jinty44We haven’t ever not shown up for a booking but I’d be happy with all except no.3 as we don’t drink.
Certainly making a spreadsheet and sharing it around sounds good, providing the details are limited to protect against fraud.
When our choir goes out as a group, we already have to choose in advance and pay a deposit so some people would be used to it.
Jane10 I’ve never heard of that, but it’s an appalling thought.

My 2 dogs are being groomed on Saturday and I had to pay a deposit when booking. Restaurants could easily do this and if it was me I'd blacklist them from further bookings until they learned manners.

Rude and thoughtless. Difficult time for everyone however if minds are changed then at least a cancellation call should be made. The hospitality sector is important for tons of reasons

This behaviour is common to many areas of life. My doctor's surgery displays how many missed appointments there are each week - and the number is appalling. I see the same thing happening at medical clinics too. I've often heard people say the Victorians were all hypocrites; but I think the defining sin of our age is selfishness! Too many people (NOT ALL) give no thought to anyone's needs but their own!

Harrigran. Was that Browns?

27 diners failed to turn up at Tom Kerridges on Saturday night. Absolutely disgraceful behaviour. you would think a simple telephone call could have been made. Certainly more money than manners.

Jane10. I’ve never heard of anyone doing that.

It was ever thus. We gave free tickets for library activities, turned away people who wanted to come because we had reached our maximum numbers
& then the people with tickets didn’t bother to turn up.

It’s not just restaurants that have to deal with this. I had a dog grooming parlour and had this happen quite often. I had a tough attitude to it because it not only impacted financially but also is just beyond rude not to call. Amazed how many people felt it was simply ok to this and were astounded that I brought it up.

The restaurant that we visited frequently had an ongoing problem with no shows.
The restaurant, fine dining, is close to the university and used at graduation time and for visiting parents. Money and brains did not give them good manners though.
This university is next favourite after Oxbridge and still they can not pick up their mobiles to cancel bookings.

I hadn’t heard this was happening, is this since restaurants have re-opened.

Surely a restaurant is allowed to reserve a table for twenty minutes or so after the time it was booked for, then let others have it?

They could mention when you reserve a table that it will be given to others unless you phone to say you have been delayed but are on your way.

The other people who suffer are hairdressers.
My hairdresser had loads of problems some years ago so she started taking deposits. Some long term customers were really offended so she stopped again.
I expect some regular restaurant customers may be offended too.

I have on a couple of occasions had to cancel my hair at short notice - I "forced" payment on my hairdresser anyway. She obviously can only do one person at a time. I have to pay for her time. I would do the same for any small service-based business.

I knew this happened pre-pandemic, but I'm gobsmacked anyone would do it now, when restaurants are teetering on the brink of permanent closure.

TBH, I'd go further than just taking card details and a non-refundable deposit. People with money won't care about that.

So -

1. Take the card details.
2. Take a deposit.
3. On a no-show, take more money from the card, equivalent to an average spend (food and drink - a lot of the profit is on the drinks).
4. Enter the card details on a database shared with other restaurants.
5. Three strikes and your out. Your details are entered on the No-Show Database three times, no-one accepts a booking on that card again.

Yes, people have multiple cards and could get round it. But eventually the inconvenience adds up and it becomes more effort to mess restaurants around than not.

I had to cancel a booking just before lockdown began and promised the proprietor would rebook as soon as possible which won’t be until end of September. Wouldn’t dream of not just turning up to ANYTHING prebooked actually.

Definitely agree that non returnable deposits should be taken. Would be best if all restaurants agreed to do this otherwise these selfish incredibly people will pick the ones they can cheat.

They should be taken to the small claims court. Perhaps having a CCJ on their credit reference file might focus their minds.

It's a dreadful way to behave! Definitely they should take a credit card and a non-returnable deposit!!

I didn't know that Jane10 so selfish and thoughtless. I agree credit card deposits should be taken. It's difficult enough for businesses at the moment without this.

What was happening prior to Covid was that people would book a table at several restaurants then decide on the night which they fancied going to. Restaurant owners were in despair at vacant tables on Saturday nights. So much invested in ingredients, staffing costs, rent, rates etc etc. Unbelievable that people could be so selfish.

Yet another example of the 'only I am important' school of thought which seems to be the norm now.

Restaurants can't afford to have no shows at the moment. Very rude of people to not turn up.

Taking a deposit is the only way to cut down on this selfish behaviour.

We would never fail to turn up for a restaurant booking and I agree with GrannyGravy with numbers being limited at the moment, a non refundable deposit would be a good idea.

I've already brought this up on the thread about 50% off meals during August. It's a real problem for restaurants especially small ones which only have a very few tables now they have to be spaced out.

Definitely deposits should be taken on booking, the hospitality industry is on its knees and doesn’t need selfish people booking just in case

It is rude.