Chefs moot idea of 'tickets' for restaurant to curb no-shows

Chefs have mooted the idea of a pre-pay meal “ticket” system to combat the growing problem of no-show diners at their restaurants.

Chef Dean Banks supports claims that bookings in restaurants should be charged in the same way as plane tickets.

Under the scheme, restaurant-goers would purchase meal reservations in advance in the same way as customers buy tickets for theatre shows or aeroplane journeys.

Restaurants hard-hit by the effects of the coronavirus lockdown and subsequent social distancing regulations which have seen them forced to cut the capacity of their dining rooms are badly affected if a table has been booked, but the customers fail to turn up.

The idea was raised by TV chef Tom Kerridge who last week hit out when 27 people did not honour their reservations for his restaurant at the Corinthia Hotel in London last weekend.

St Andrews restaurateur and Masterchef finalists Dean Banks, who runs Haar restaurant in the Fife town, welcomed the proposal.

He said: “I really believe that a restaurant seat should be regarded in the same way as an airline seat. If you don’t turn up for your flight, you don’t get your money back and similarly, if you miss your dinner, it is your responsibility.”

He added: “I think it could work well in some types of restaurants, such as fine dining restaurant like mine, but I don’t think you’d find it works so well in a Wetherspoons.”

Haar already has a policy of taking customers’ credit card details when they book. If they cancel in the 48 hours before their reservation, they are charged a flat fee of £25 unless the table is re-booked – but if they do not contact the restaurant but fail to show up for their booking, the full tasting menu charge of £65 per head is levied.

Mr Banks said: “On my opening night, I had a table of 12 who didn’t turn up. Now, I have my no-show rate down to about 0.2 per cent.”

Celebrity chef Mr Kerridge said: “I do think we are moving towards a marketplace where there will be a lot more in the way of credit card details being taken - very similar to if you book tickets for the theatre or cinema or an airline.

“There isn’t an issue if you just let us know. If you are not going to be able to make it you give us plenty of notice - we can resell it, it’s not a problem.”

However, chef Mark Greenaway, who runs Grazing at the Waldorf Astoria in Edinburgh, which is due to open early next month, said he was not sure the idea would prove popular with diners.

He said: “I don’t think the customer is quite ready for that yet. Customers do for theatre tickets or events, but somehow they struggle with the idea of doing it for restaurants.”