Cancelled bookings and no-shows to cost diners big bucks

Queensland restaurants are fighting back against no-show diners, slapping them with big fees for failing to turn up or cancelling late. These are the venues taking a hardline stance.

Brisbane restaurants are charging diners up to $100 per person if they cancel their bookings within 24 hours or fail to turn up for a reservation.

COVID blamed for closure of German beer hall Munich Brauhaus in South Bank

South Brisbane’s GOMA restaurant to reopen with fresh concept

The pricey measures come as eateries fight back against a no-show culture among customers, which leave restaurants out of pocket and struggling to make ends meet.

Newstead’s E’cco Bistro takes an $89 holding deposit on bookings, with the fee then charged if the reservation is cancelled within 48 hours and the restaurant can’t fill the table.

E’cco owner Philip Johnson said since introducing the policy after COVID began, he has seen no-shows disappear.

Mary Randles and Philip Johnson at their restaurant E’cco Bistro, Newstead, which takes an $89 holding deposit on bookings. Picture: Liam Kidston.

“They really don’t want to lose that $90 so they’ll do right thing and cancel in advance or move the booking,” he said.

“Another thing it does is, if the numbers (of people in the booking) go up and down they actually ring up and tell you which before they probably wouldn’t do. It’s actually making people a bit more accountable.”

New food festival Summer Celebrations to launch in Noosa

With the restaurant operating at just over half its usual capacity under COVID restrictions, Mr Johnson said the policy helped ensure the restaurant didn’t lose money.

Fine diner Otto Ristorante in Brisbane’s CBD has also introduced a cancellation fee, charging $100 per person if diners cancel their reservation within 24 hours or fail to show; while popular French restaurant Montrachet in Bowen Hills takes a booking guarantee of $65 per person, with the fee charged if the table is cancelled within 12 hours or there is a no-show.

Otto Ristorante in Brisbane charges diners who fail to show for their booking $100. Picture: Mark Cranitch.

With venues across the state operating at reduced capacity because of COVID number restrictions, ensuring tables are filled is more important than ever to guaranteeing businesses survive.

Restaurant Dan Arnold in Fortitude Valley introduced a $50 per person cancellation fee late last year and said it was the best thing did.

“We went through a period of many no-shows and people cancelling last minute and if we’ve catered to dietary requirements and things like that, there’s a lot of wastage. It was a policy that we decided to implement that would help us cover our costs when issues like that arise and, funnily enough, it’s stopped all the no-shows,” Mr Arnold said.

Chef Dan Arnold charges a fee to diners who cancel late or fail to turn up for their booking, which he says had helped prevent no-shows at his Fortitude Valley restaurant. Picture: Annette Dew

Mr Arnold said people would often book multiple restaurants on the one night and then decide which one they would go to, leaving the others in the lurch. The practice can cost restaurants thousands of dollars in lost wages and wasted food, with restaurateurs estimating each cancelled table is a loss of at least $150.

Queensland farmers and producers take home victory in produce awards

Mr Arnold said 99 per cent of customers were more than accepting of the fee, with his restaurant booked out weeks in advance.

“Covid has helped a lot because … the general public are now starting to realise what not showing up can do to a business,” he said.