Guide
How to reduce restaurant no-shows – 8 simple tips
A guest books a table and doesn't turn up. The table stays empty, even though you could have given it to someone else. A few simple rules make this happen less often. Here are 8 tips for cafés, bars and small restaurants.
Most of the tips cost nothing.
In short
How to reduce no-shows: the 8 tips
Most of the tips cost you nothing but a few minutes. They make it easy for guests to come – or to cancel in good time.
- Confirm every booking in writing.
- Ask guests to confirm their contact details.
- Remind large groups the day before.
- Make cancelling easy, even at night.
- Say clearly how long you hold the table.
- Keep a few tables free for walk-ins.
- Keep a short waiting list.
- For guests who often don't turn up: clear rules.
What is a no-show?
In hospitality, a no-show is a guest who books a table and then doesn't come, without cancelling. A cancellation, even a late one, isn't a no-show: you know about it and can give the table to someone else.
Reasons
Why guests don't turn up
There's rarely bad intent behind a no-show. Usually it's forgetting or not wanting the hassle.
Some guests book weeks ahead and no longer have the date in mind. Others change their plans and find cancelling too much trouble: the line is busy, or it's the middle of the night.
Sometimes something went wrong. The guest heard a different time, or their phone number was written down wrongly. And some guests book at several places just in case and then go to only one.
For almost every one of these reasons there's a simple fix. The table shows which.
Forgot
- What helps
- Written confirmation with a calendar entry, a call the day before for large groups
Plans changed, cancelling too much hassle
- What helps
- Cancelling by link or email, around the clock
Heard the wrong time
- What helps
- Confirm date, time and number of guests in writing
Wrong contact details
- What helps
- Ask guests to confirm their phone number and email
Booked at several places
- What helps
- Say kindly that you're keeping the table free for them
Confirm
Get every booking confirmed
What a guest has in writing, they forget less often. And you know you can reach them.
Confirm in writing
Send every guest a short confirmation with the date, time, number of guests and your address. Ideally with a calendar entry they can save with one tap. This also clears up mix-ups: anyone who heard “7pm” instead of “5pm” notices straight away.
Ask guests to confirm their contact details
Ask for a phone number and an email address. On the phone, you repeat both back. Online, the guest confirms their email with one click. That way you know the details are right and you can reach them if anything comes up.
Remind large groups the day before
A short call or message the day before is enough: “Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow at 7pm, table for eight.” For small tables it's usually not needed. But with a large group, an empty table is expensive.
Cancelling
Make cancelling easy
A guest who cancels isn't a problem. A guest who simply doesn't turn up is.
If cancelling is quick, guests are more likely to cancel than to just stay away. So give your guests a simple way: a link in the confirmation, an email address or a phone number with voicemail. Ideally one that also works at night and on your day off.
Add a short line to the confirmation, such as “Plans changed? Just let us know.” It shows that cancelling is welcome.
And thank guests for every cancellation, even a late one. Anyone who has to justify themselves for cancelling might not bother next time.
A cancellation is a chance
When a guest cancels, you have the table back. You can give it to someone on your waiting list or to guests who drop in.
Clear times
Say clearly how long you hold the table
Guests are more likely to stick to rules they know beforehand.
- How long do you hold the table if a guest is late? For example 15 minutes.
- Do you give the table out twice in one evening? Then say until when it's booked, for example until 8pm.
- Put both in the confirmation, not just in the small print on your website.
- Stay friendly: “Please be on time, we'll hold your table for 15 minutes” sounds better than a threat.
- Call if a guest still isn't there after 10 minutes. Often they're already on their way.
Plan B
When a table stays empty anyway
You'll never stop no-shows completely. But with a plan B, the table won't stay empty for long.
A few tables for walk-ins
Don't take bookings for every table. One or two free tables catch walk-ins. And they save you when a booking stays longer than planned.
A short waiting list
If an evening is fully booked, note down guests who'd still like to come: name, number of guests, phone number. If someone cancels or doesn't come, you call the next ones.
And overbooking?
Some places take more bookings than they have tables and count on some not showing. That's risky: if everyone does come, you have to turn away guests who booked. For a small place, a waiting list is usually the better choice.
Rules
Your no-show policy: deposits and more
It can happen to anyone once. But if a guest keeps not turning up, you need clear rules.
Have a friendly word with the guest next time. For example, ask them to confirm their booking by phone the day before. Many understand straight away.
Some restaurants ask for a deposit for large groups, on holidays or for special evenings, or agree a no-show fee. If you want to do this: tell your guests clearly before they book, not afterwards. Also say when they get their money back if they cancel in time.
For most cafés and small restaurants, though, the tips above are enough. A deposit also puts off guests who would definitely have come.
A legal question
Whether and how you can charge a deposit or no-show fee is a legal question in the UK and Ireland too. If in doubt, ask your trade association or a lawyer before you bring in rules like these.
With momoscreen
Fewer no-shows with momoscreen
With momoscreen, guests book straight from your QR menu. Confirmation, calendar entry and cancel link are already built in.
In the QR menu: “Reserve a table”
Guests confirm their email
The guest picks the day, time and number of guests and enters their name, phone number and email. Then they get an email “One more click”. Only when they tap “Confirm request” there does the request reach you. That keeps out spam and mistyped email addresses.
In the app: “Reservations”
You confirm – with your rules
Tap “Confirm” on the request. Choose the quick reply “Please be on time – table held for 15 min” or write a few lines yourself, for example until when the table is booked. Then “Confirm & send”.
TipThe guest gets the confirmation in their own language, with your address and a calendar entry to save.In the guest's confirmation
Cancelling by link
Under “Plans changed?” there's the button “Cancel reservation”. The guest cancels with two taps, up to the booked time. After that it no longer works online, and the page shows them your phone number if you've entered one.
In the app: the bell
You see the cancellation in the app
The bell shows, for example, “Emily R. cancelled their table”. While momoscreen is open, a short message pops up as well. The table no longer counts towards “guests expected”.
TipYou don't get an email for cancellations. Keep momoscreen open, for example on a tablet at the counter.In the app: “Add reservation”
Give the free table away
If someone calls or a guest from the waiting list is ready, you add them yourself. With an email address and “Send confirmation to the guest”, they also get the confirmation with a calendar entry and a link to cancel.
Good to know
- Guests can only book during your opening hours, in 15-minute steps. With the setting “Last reservation” you decide how long before closing.
- A table is only booked once you say yes. The email to the guest says so too.
- You'll find the guest's phone number and email under “Contact” in every reservation. That makes it quick to call large groups the day before.
- momoscreen doesn't send a reminder before the visit and has no deposit or no-show fee.
- Reservations cost nothing: no subscription, no fee per guest.
Questions
Quick answers
What many owners ask when another table has stayed empty.
What is a no-show in a restaurant?
A guest books a table and doesn't come, without cancelling. The table stays empty, and you could have given it to someone else. A cancellation, even a late one, isn't a no-show.
How do I get guests to confirm their booking?
On the phone, you repeat the date, time, number of guests and the guest's phone number. Online, the guest confirms their email with one click. Then they get a written confirmation from you, ideally with a calendar entry. For large groups, a call the day before helps too.
How long should I hold a booked table?
That's up to you. What matters is that the guest knows beforehand, for example “We'll hold your table for 15 minutes”. If they don't come and can't be reached, you give the table away after that.
Can I charge a deposit or no-show fee?
That's a legal question and depends on where you are and on what you agreed with the guest. If in doubt, ask your trade association or a lawyer. If you bring in something like this, always tell your guests clearly beforehand.
What should I do if a guest keeps not turning up?
Have a friendly word and ask them to confirm their next booking by phone the day before. If they still don't come, you can also politely decline their next request.
Do online bookings help reduce no-shows?
They can: guests get everything in writing, have the date in their calendar and can cancel by link, even at night. And a mistyped email address is caught before the request reaches you.
Read on
Goes well with this
- Table reservations with momoscreen and Google MapsTurn on reservations in your QR menu, confirm requests and give your guests a booking button on Google Maps.
- Table reservations with momoscreenGuests book from your QR menu and through Google Maps. You confirm every request yourself. Free, with no fee per guest.
- Add your menu to Google MapsAdd your menu link from momoscreen to your Google Business Profile. Then guests see your current menu right on Google.
Fewer empty tables. Free.
Sign up for free, add your opening hours and menu, switch on reservations. Confirmation, calendar entry and cancel link are already included.
No subscription, no fee per guest.