90 of the UK's top 100 restaurants have charged for no shows

90 of the UK's top 100 restaurants including The Ledbury, Core by Clare Smyth, and the Black Swan at Oldstead, have charged for no shows and late cancelleations.

According to a study conducted by the Observer newspaper, 90 of the UK’s top 100 restaurants have implemented charges for "no-shows or late cancellations, with some applying cancellation fees as early as two weeks prior to the booking date.

The survey examined 100 venues listed in the recent National Restaurant Awards, revealing that more than 90% of them imposed charges ranging from £20 to £375 for non-attendance.

In the article on the paper’s website, reporters found that Brett Graham’s two Michelin-starred The Ledbury in Notting Hill charges a no-show fee of £195 per head.

Similarly, three Michelin-starred Core by Clare Smyth charges a £150 fee for late cancellation, with diners losing their £50 deposit at the Black Swan at Oldstead if cancelling within 14 days.

These penalties are not limited to high-end establishments; even local venues where a satisfying meal can be enjoyed for £30 are adopting such measures.

Understanding the situation restaurants are wrestling with, one Facebook user said: "Having worked in the industry for over thirty years I can vouch for the annoyance of having an empty table that could have been sold, making money especially in these hard times for the trade."

Agreeing another user said: "Charging for no shows is totally acceptable.....adding 'discretionary' 15% service charge to your bill, which seems to be common practice in London now, is not"

Supporting the decision but criticising some of the restaurant’s specific policies, another users said: "It's ok to charge for that, the only thing is I find being charged for cancelling 14 days in advance a bit extreme."

Reacting to the overwhelming positive support from social media users, one Facebook user said: "As a chef of 43 years exactly yesterday! Thank you so much for all the positive and understanding replies!"

However, one user disagreed with the decisions from restaurants stating: "Guess I won’t be booking at top restaurants any more then!"

The process of reserving a table has undergone significant changes in recent years, with apps that enable multiple reservations for the same time on a given night, unscrupulous diners can make last-minute decisions about where to dine, leaving other restaurants with empty tables.

The introduction of fees for late bookings or no-shows, deducted from the debit or credit cards provided during the reservation process, to this practice.

Restaurants face substantial losses when tables remain unoccupied, which in light of the current cost of living crisis, a staffing crisis, and a price mark up on goods and service, is causing headaches for operators and business owners.