Ah, the plight of the restaurateur. To reserve a table for someone you don’t even know or don’t reserve and hope that people will come in through the door — without the security of having a table ready.
When reservations are taken in advance, it helps the restaurant plan with regards to product and staffing to better run the business. You can direct customers to other times that are available to potentially turn the tables over. You can also make sure that your regular clients can get that special service: their favourite table at the time they want, a special table setting, or some food and bevies ready for their arrival. It’s the little things that count.
Then there are the dreaded factors of reserving a table for people — cancellations, and no shows. If you can’t make it, cancelling is great and highly advisable because it allows for the restaurant to book the table or give it to that couple that just walked in at 7:30 p.m. on a Friday. But cancelling five minutes before your reserved time, although appreciated, makes it difficult for the restaurant to re-book. It is, however, better than the evil no-show.
Yes, I know that you all think that this practice of not showing for a reservation died out in the resto-heyday of the eighties, but I assure you that it is alive and well. The practice has an increased occurrence towards the weekend — Friday and Saturdays especially. As you would think, the restaurant quite often will lose out completely on a no-show as we have let the table sit for an (unwritten) customary 15-30 minutes "late grace period." After that, the table is released from purgatory, and sat at its earliest convenience, which is usually the next night.
This past Saturday was the latest event for myself, and one that was most interesting, as I was able to catch Mr. Reservation on the phone, after my grace period.
I booked a table for six people at 7 p.m. when Mr. Reservation called at noon. I called Mr.Reservation at 7:30 p.m.. I always ask to make sure that I did not write the reservation down on the wrong day.
"Oh no, we were going to come in today, but then when we got together, we decided not to go out. I was going to call…"
I turned away four potential tables that night that could have had Mr. Reservation’s table, had he actually decided to call and cancel, even five minutes before 7 p.m. Loss of potential sales is $3-500. To me it’s not the money, but it is the fact that I had to say no to people who wanted to come out.
Now what can be done about this? Restaurateurs have many methods to help stop the no-show. Calling to confirm the reservations on the day is what would be done with most places with a hostess. In New York, a credit card is taken to reserve, with the knowledge that if you do not call to cancel, you will be charged a fee — usually $30-50 per person. I have done this once — on Valentine’s Day — and I actually called the no show with regards to their naughtiness but I never charged the card. The time it takes to record the number, and explain the reason, makes this type of reserving an ordeal for both parties.
For me I think it is common sense — you call to book the reservation, you call then to cancel, or change your booking. My gosh can it be that simple? I know that 98 per cent of the dining population reserves correctly, and we encourage you to keep up the good work! If we could just get through to the other 2 per cent.
Shuckingly yours, Patrick
Patrick McMurray is the owner of Starfish Oyster Bed & Grill and The Ceili Cottage. He is also a World Champion Oyster Shucker. Catch his blog weekly at PostCity.com.
