no shows

[glenn]

Ok, reservation post #2... our restaurant has an abnormally high number of no shows.  We confirm the same day as well as take credit card numbers.  We never charge anyone if they don't show though --- basically it's used as a scare tactic (and for the most part, the credit card companies wouldn't side with us in the event the customer disputes the charge).  Obviously, it doesn't scare a lot of people.  I've never worked in a restaurant with such a high no show rate, especially one that confirms all reservations.  Perhaps it's because we're a trendy restaurant and that's the type of crowd we attract.  If we're unable to confirm the same day, we don't hold the reservation.  It's incredible that people are so uncaring.  It really costs us a fortune.  This past Saturday the restaurant was a third empty at 9 PM and we turned away many reservations.  Any of you industry folk have any ideas?  I'm clueless, and honestly don't think there's anything to be done, except to start charging people's credit cards and let them go through the hassle of disputing it. But I have a feeling that many of the card numbers given aren't real anyway. We're even considering overbooking, but none of us likes that idea.

[Rosie]

American Express will back you up but that's not the way to go. Don't take reservations,  have a waiting list or overbook.

[Junior]

Glenn, I would start overbooking your tables.  Has this happened to you on consecitive weekends (trend) or has it only happened once or twice.  The world is full of uncaring people who don't think to call and cancel or just be plain rude and not show up.

Overbooking a room has it's benefits and it's downfalls.  A benefit people will see that you are a busy place on that coveted Saturday night or on the flipside; that you are so busy the wait is unbearable and they don't come back.  Either way, what do you have to lose.

[Jinmyo]

Glenn, overbook and tell people when taking the reservation that there might be a slight wait but that whatever happens you'll find them the best table you can.

[lizziee]

With a credit card number, a phone number and a name, it would seem to me that you can identify the no-show. Once identified, they can never get another reservation. Too bad that restaurants can't share that information and the no-show can't get a reservation anywhere.

[Rail Paul]

I'd talk to Visa and AmEx about how you can guarantee a seating. Turn it into a two way deal. We guarantee you a table within 10 minutes of the scheduled time, or you get a $20 credit. If you don't show, we charge you $20. And, you enter the credit card number when the reservation is made. Bad credit card, no reservation.

Hotels do that all the time. We guarantee you a room. You guarantee us payment.

[glenn]

I didn't explain correctly in my original post that we do overbook on the weekends.  What I meant in my original post was that we were considering overbooking even more than we do now.  We get burned now and then and have too many patrons show up and there's a wait.  I don't know what's worse, causing ill will by overbooking, or not overbooking enough and having empty tables.  It's a lose lose situation.

I'd talk to Visa and AmEx about how you can guarantee a seating.

I haven't checked their policies for a year or so, but in the past, master card and visa had no policy about guaranteeing a table at a restaurant.  They refused to enforce any agreement the customer entered in order to hold a table.  Some restaurants that require a credit card to hold a reservation refuse to take visa/mc for that reason.  American Express requires that the customer consent in writing (fax is ok) to be charged if he failed to show.  Plus there are other requirements, such as a clearly stated policy, etc.  We have such a policy for large reservations(12 or more) and don't have a problem with those types of reservations.  But the majority of our no shows are 2 and 4 tops, and we can't extend the written policy to such small parties for obvious reasons.

[tommy]

this might be a stupid question, but if you shoot those people, aren't you pretty much guarenteeing that they won't ever return?  i'm no expert, but that just can't be good for business.

how to the rest of the restaurants all over the globe handle this?  surely there's a book or something?

[bigbear]

tommy... You don't have to shoot to kill. Maybe you could just wound them a little.

[Stone]

When we did this thread some time ago, Fat Guy and some others concluded that the no-shows should be sued on a breach of contract/intentional infliction of emotional distress theory.

By the way -- what ever happened to the woman who was going to sue the theater because actors in a play were smoking?

[Jinmyo]

If they don't show up, how can you shoot them? :confused:

[Wilfrid]

By the way -- what ever happened to the woman who was going to sue the theater because actors in a play were smoking?

That was Ruby.  What did happen?

[Ruby]

When we did this thread some time ago, Fat Guy and some others concluded that the no-shows should be sued on a breach of contract/intentional infliction of emotional distress theory.

By the way -- what ever happened to the woman who was going to sue the theater because actors in a play were smoking?

Wow, Dstone, you've got a great memory! That was me who attended a New Year's Day evening performance of The Women where just about everybody on the stage, except for the 12-year-old girl, smoked real cigarettes on stage and ruined my evening.

Should I be 'cute' and tell you I got lots of money or free season tickets to the theater? No, I know you're curious so here's what I did. I was all set to go to Small Claims Court but a few days beforehand I had brunch with friends and told them the story. One friend works for the airline industry and he told me he's always being sent down to Small Claims (he's not a lawyer) to represent his airline. I was shocked by that as I thought the principal owners or their attorneys show up. He said they always send him and I'd probably get the price of my two tickets back. Well, that's not what I wanted because I blow more money than that. I would have donated the money to a good cause if I had won in court. What I wanted was to have someone like a hotshot attorney who had advised the Roundabout Theatre Company to not honor my request for a refund. I wanted them down in court - not a poor innocent office employee.  So I dropped it. I still think the Roundabout handled this horrendously and I'll never go to any of their productions.

End of rant and explanation of outcome.

[bigbear]

If they don't show up, how can you shoot them?

Maybe Ruby could get them to come to court. Shoot them there.

[Ruby]

On the topic of no shows, I can see where this could really hurt a small restaurant even if they overbook tables. How about asking for a personal check as a deposit that would be torn up or handed back when the party of two or four shows up. If someone really wants to bag a table, I can't see why they wouldn't stop by earlier or dispatch a messenger to leave a check with the restaurant. Of course, I'm thinking in terms of Manhattan which is fairly easy to navigate with public transportation.

On the flip side of the coin, as someone who's dined out for almost every waking meal in the last 100 years, I can tell you what's happened to me more than a few times:

1) I try to make a reservation and go through voice mail hell or get busy signals or an answering machine. If I'm lucky enough to book a table at a decent hour for me (not 5:30 or 10:30 p.m.) I have to call back at some point to reconfirm and then go through voice mail hell again. On more than one occasion, my party has arrived and the reservationist doesn't have our names listed. What happened? Dunno. Did they overbook and bump us? Where's my free airline ticket?

2) After going through #1 above with the phones, we arrive and the reservation is there. The table isn't ready and we're asked to cool our heels at the bar. Forty-five minutes pass. I'm half crocked by the time the table is ready and have been offered salty peanuts to keep my mouth busy. I don't taste or enjoy the food. To pacify our table, we are offered a free drink. One more and I'll be under that table I reserved!

3) Another scenario is the reservation is there but we are led to tables in Siberia or next to the smoky bar or toilets. Don't like it? Sorry, all our other tables are fully booked.

[Basildog]

I,m thinking of "naming and shaming" my no shows with a poster in the window.What else can i do??? I refuse to take credit card numbers.....pointless exercise that only puts the vast majority of "good " customers on the back foot.

FLASH OF BRILLANCE ALERT!!!!!

A thread on eGullet with names of no shows!!!!!!!

also a small review of the customers..we get reviewed, maybe its time you lot were !!!!!

God i'm brillant sometimes

[Basildog]

Mr Pace..table for 2 at 8pm Saturday night did not show..i called him up and he said that he had decided not to come down to Padstow....no call to us..a plague upon his house!

[glenn]

Mr Pace..table for 2 at  8pm  Saturday night did not show..i called him up and he said that he had decided not to come down to Padstow....no call to us..a plague upon his house!

Who was it that used to call no shows at 2 AM to ask them why they didn't keep their reservation or call?

[lizziee]

I think you should send Mr. Pace's name and his record to every restaurant within 400 miles (km) of yours.

[Basildog]

well its 2.32 am now..maybe i should give him another call heheheheheh

[lizziee]

Basildog,

Great idea! Just say, your table is still ready for you until 3:00 am

[stefanyb]

Who was it that used to call no shows at 2 AM to ask them why they didn't keep their reservation or call?

Andre Soultner, Lutece, NYC

[phaelon56]

Off topic here but the point-counterpoint discussion brings to mind the article I just read about a woman in the UK. She got so tired of the Jehova's Witnesses coming to her door every week for many years offering her their magazine that she finally jusy showed up at their worship hall during Sunday services and banged on the door to get in for 45 minutes, repeatedly offering them free magazines of her own. They didn't see the humor and called the cops... I think it's kinda funny.

Actually, this thread makes it abundantly clear why people seem almost stunned and so effusive thankful when I call to cancel or change reservations (which I always do if I can't make it or won't get there on time). In a previous life when I waited tables in a Syracuse NY bistro (this was in the early 80's when it was the only game in town), the only time we had a real problem with no-shows was on the few weekends each year when lots of students at nearby Syracuse University had their parents in town for the weekend. The majority of these folks were from downstate NY, Long Island and North Jersey - as it turns out, their practice was to reserve well in advance at multiple restaurants and then get consensus at the last minute for where everyone really wanted to go. They would choose one and stiff all the others. Our solution was to begin charging a deposit in advance for those weekends for all parties of more than two. When the group arrived they could either apply the deposit to the cost of the meal or just have it credited back to the card if they preferred to pay cash or with some other credit card. I realize that this sort of approach would ruffle feathers and might be very difficult to manage on an ongoing basis but it worked for us at the time.

[Basildog]

Only 5 years later, but i solved our no show problem with software from here

http://www.kernow-software.co.uk/

text reminders to guests have reduced no shows alot.I think they are still offering a free trial, give it a go!

[Jamie Lee]

I know its not fine dining, but a newly opened PF Chang's in a town I used to live in didn't take reservations, but you could call them before lunch service (don't remember about dinner) and get "on the list". They could usually estimate the time your table would be ready. You checked in when you got there, and then were called first call, first serve for most tables.

The FCFS method was I'm sure violated for large tables (I'm sure they wouldn't set a two top at a six top table.

I'm not in the biz, so I'm not sure if this would work, or even if they still do at PFC...

Thoughts?