GuideGuest Communication
Fewer No-Shows Without Putting Guests Off
An empty table on a Saturday night quickly costs £120 in sales, often more. And most of the time a short reminder would have been enough.
The matching prompt in Prep List develops three measures ranked by impact, writes texts for booking, confirmation and reminder, and advises whether a fee makes sense for you.
What you get
- Three measures ranked by impact
- Texts for booking, confirmation and reminder
- A message to guests who did not turn up
- An assessment of whether a fee makes sense
What the result looks like
No More No-Shows, Said Kindly
The ready-made prompt is part of Prep List.
Already tailored to your restaurant, together with 499 more for reviews, menu, team, Instagram and events.
Get Prep ListGood to know
No-show fees only work if they were clearly agreed before the booking. Card guarantees are mainly used on busy nights and for groups.
- A reminder the day before, asking for confirmation, is the simplest and most effective measure.
- Keep the tone friendly, not threatening. Saying that another guest can enjoy the table works better than any rule.
- A no-show fee only holds up if it was clearly agreed before the booking was made.
Frequently asked questions
Can I charge a no-show fee?
Only if the guest was clearly told about it and agreed to it before the booking. Have the wording checked against the rules where you trade.
What about taking card details to guarantee a booking?
It is mostly used on busy nights, for set menus and for groups. For ordinary bookings it tends to put people off.