Restaurateurs to discuss how to tackle increasing "no-shows"

Tuesday 20 February 2024

Restaurateurs are set to meet to discuss the growing problem of "no-shows" and agree a new “standard practice” for the industry, such as requiring deposits for table reservations.

Co-CEO of the Jersey Hospitality Association, Marcus Calvani said the issue of so-called "no-shows" – customers not turning up for reservations without giving notice of their cancellation – had become more frequent over the past decade.

His comments came after restaurateur Claudio Abreu raised the issue on social media, stating that the negative impact no-shows were having on both small and large businesses was “massive”.

He said that, over the course of a single week, more than 70 guests had not shown up to bookings at his Liberty Wharf restaurants The Rigatoni and Izakaya.

Pictured: Restaurateur Claudio Abreu, who owns The Rigatoni and Izakaya, raised the issue on social media.

Mr Calvani revealed that the JHA was arranging a meeting to agree a new “standard practice” for restaurants, such as requiring deposits for table reservations.

The situation reflects recent figures published in the UK, where the number of customer no-shows had doubled in a year – with approximately one-in-eight reservations not being honoured.

"It’s heartbreaking when you throw away food"

Mr Calvani explained: “This has been slowly getting worse over the last decade and has really started to become a serious problem in the last few years.

“It’s heartbreaking when you throw away food because people have not turned up and you’ve had to turn potential customers away.

"Some people have genuine reasons, but for others it’s just sheer bad manners and thoughtlessness.”

Pictured: Jersey Hospitality Association Co-CEO Marcus Calvani said restaurateurs would discuss a new "standard practice" to combat no-shows.

Mr Calvani noted that “times are not easy” for the hospitality industry, which he said was already battling “very tight” margins.

“When businesses are only making single-digit profit margins, no-shows can be the make or break if they are allowed to continue," he said.

"It is for this reason that we have actioned our association to have a restaurant sub-sector meeting and for all restaurateurs to agree a new ‘standard practice’ for our island."

"This behaviour is progressively getting worse"

“As the hospitality industry, the last thing we want to do is implement anything that isn’t necessary to protect the businesses," Mr Calvani continued.

"Deposits for reserving tables and even guarantees on charges for no-shows have become common practice around the world and sadly it seems that we will have to follow in Jersey as a result of this behaviour progressively getting worse."

Pictured: The issue of no-shows has reportedly grown in the last decade. 

He added that it had also become “standard practice” in the lodging, air and sea travel industries for customers to pay upfront, but that this was “not something that we believe is needed yet in restaurants”.

“However, it’s vital to protect the island’s hospitality offering and our business owners’ livelihoods," said Mr Calvani.

"Without these protections, businesses will cease to exist"

He concluded: "Simple manners, courtesy and respect could have avoided this even being a topic; it’s a shame that the trust has been lost and that the minority are spoiling it for the majority.

“We absolutely want to deliver the highest level of hospitality for all guests, but without these protections businesses will cease to exist and our quality of life in the island will be seriously negatively impacted.”