No Show Reservation Fees

I see some restaurants asking for a Visa charge when you make a reservation and if you don't show up or fail to advise them that you can't make it a certain time ahead, they run the charge and allocate the table to someone else. Is this common in other areas, or perhaps just in larger cities?

I can certainly see the frustration from the side of the business, when their fully booked evening collapses when a few people are no shows, especially if they are a small restaurant. At least the threatened charge should ensure that customers call ahead if something comes up and they can't make it

I never worried about no shows in my law practice as clients were usually anxious to see me as they had pressing issues to consult on, although I did get a bit annoyed when the odd client would get a cell phone call in the middle of a meeting, When they inevitably apologized when they took the call, I told them there was no problem at all and that at $200 an hour they should talk as long as the wanted to - that usually cut the calls to about 2 minutes and I never charged anyone.

[Jenise]

It's becoming more common--but so is the rate at which assholes make future reservations "just in case" and then blow them off without notification. The restaurants involved are often the high ticket, hard-to-get-into places where people book them months out because you can't get in otherwise and never at the last minute. It kind of feeds itself.

Yes, Bill, it's fairly common and for the reason Jenise gave. It's not only the 'spur of the moment/big roller' types but also the reservation bots... they have to be more careful about keeping the rez they swiped.

Totally for it. If I'm going to Broadway, a concert, or a movie it's going to cost me to change mind at last minute. Why not earing out?

10 or so years ago there was a guy at a wine dinner whose daughter was a PA for a big hedge fund or VC guy. She had a list of the "hot restaurants" and when reservations opened up. Part of her job was ensuring he had 3 reservations for every night he thought he might want to dine out. That way he and his wife (and friends - unsure if reservations for 2,4, 6) would have options. The restauirant not so much. Of course it also decreases the chances of plebes like me being able to try that restaurant.

While most in NYC have a 24 hr policy, my understanding is that many are pretty understanding if you call a few hours ahead and say you're sick or whatever. Others give a credit on a future meal. But in any case I don't really have a problem with the fee.

Hey, hair stylists and nail techs have been charging for missed appointments for years, and rightly so. I am glad to see the restaurants following this way of doing business. If one makes an appointment, they should call when they will not make it. This is only the respectful thing to do. I wonder if those same folks who do that also do not arrive at a friend's home when invited for dinner.

I heard a story on NPR this weekend about the increasing practice of what you might call reservation-flipping (like house-flipping but with reservations). Or reservation scalping. Folks who have no intention of eating at the restaurant make reservations, or have their bots do it. Then they sell the reservation at one of the online reservation sites at an exorbitant price.

-Paul W.