Restaurant Cancellation Fees

limnam

I'm guessing it's Chapter one, although doesn't sound like them doing something like this and I hope not as it's one of my favorite places when in Dublin and this would get on my goat.

circular flexing

limnam wrote: »

I'm guessing it's Chapter one, although doesn't sound like them doing something like this and I hope not as it's one of my favorite places when in Dublin and this would get on my goat.

The pre-theatre menu at Chapter One is 45 euro, so probably not.

I do expect this to become more common though.

circular flexing

Midnight Sundance wrote: »

I think 5 days notice is excessive!!! Especially for a table of two !most hotels allow you 24 hours to give notice to cancel a room and a restaurant which can more than likely fill a seat with walk ins expects 5 days?!!
There are plenty more restaurants around, vote with your feet and choose one of them.
I can understand a booking fee for a large number but not for a table of two. Can’t see these type of restaurants staying in business too long if they decide to go down this route.

It's a big assumption that a table can be filled with walk-ins.

The costs of an empty hotel room to a hotel are probably less than the costs of an empty reserved table to a restaurant.

OldMrBrennan83

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DaveyDave

If they have lots of no shows then stop taking bookings or do walk in bookings only.

If a restaurant is busy enough to need a booking there's no reason they can't fill the space after a no show. If you don't have the courtesy to call and inform you're late after say 15-30 minutes then you should lose your table.

Last time I was in town we got stuck in traffic, one of our party called ahead saying we'd be 5-10 minutes late as we had to park the car and walk over. We will also generally book wherever we go no matter what time or day as you never know how busy it is.

Former Former

They wouldn't be doing it without good reason.

Even cancelling the day you're due to go probably means they've had to turn other people down.

5 days notice is a lot but the general principle is fine.

uck51js9zml2yt

C3PO wrote: »

This is becoming the norm now but the terms in this case seem a bit excessive! The restaurant is obviously sick of being stung! Be interested to know where I can get a nice dinner for two for less than €60 though?

I can tell you where to go in 3 different spots within a spit of Dublin for a great 3 course meal under €20.

davo10

DaveyDave wrote: »

If they have lots of no shows then stop taking bookings or do walk in bookings only.

If a restaurant is busy enough to need a booking there's no reason they can't fill the space after a no show. If you don't have the courtesy to call and inform you're late after say 15-30 minutes then you should lose your table.

Last time I was in town we got stuck in traffic, one of our party called ahead saying we'd be 5-10 minutes late as we had to park the car and walk over. We will also generally book wherever we go no matter what time or day as you never know how busy it is.

Bookings are necessary because a lot of people like to eat at a particular time, not wait in a que for a table. Also, groups like to sit together.

You can fill a no show table if you have someone literally standing at the door, you can't if there isn't.

Guy:Incognito

limnam wrote: »

I'm guessing it's Chapter one, although doesn't sound like them doing something like this and I hope not as it's one of my favorite places when in Dublin and this would get on my goat.

If you're booking and going , how does it make a difference?

weldoninhio

Ridiculous policy. So if you want a meal in Dublin nowadays you have to pay the price of the meal and be down €30 per person for a week or so. So if I book a table for 10, I’m down €300 for a week.

Bob24

I guess if they can afford doing it they are a popular/successful restaurant. But I would never book from them.

I agree with the principle of retaining credit card details and charging a fee in case of a no show, this is good for everyone except inconsiderate customers who make reservations and don't show-up so no problem with that. But having a 5 days cancellation policy is a joke, it should be at most a few hours.

davo10

weldoninhio wrote: »

Ridiculous policy. So if you want a meal in Dublin nowadays you have to pay the price of the meal and be down €30 per person for a week or so. So if I book a table for 10, I’m down €300 for a week.

I would suspect it's the same method used in hotels when you check in, they get authorisation to remove the deposit from your account rather than actually removing it. It is only taken from your account if you cancel/don't show up.

In general I don't have a problem with this, restaurants are there to provide a service for profit, if you don't show up or cancel short notice, then you should expect to pay. The 5 days is a bit to punitive though, 24 hrs should be enough notice.

Uriel.

weldoninhio wrote: »

Ridiculous policy. So if you want a meal in Dublin nowadays you have to pay the price of the meal and be down €30 per person for a week or so. So if I book a table for 10, I’m down €300 for a week.

No, some (a small fraction) restaurants seem to be introducing this policy. It's not across the board.

Tbh I can fully understand it for large group bookings. Taking you example: imagine a restaurant has a booking for 10 people on Saturday night at 9pm and there's a no show. They're down a sizeable amount of business that can't be replaced. No restaurant is going to be able to fill that slot at short notice.

I'd be a bit more annoyed having to pay for my meal in advance though in a situation where I'm going out as one half of a couple.

BabysCoffee

I don't agree with having to give 5 days notice but I do think you should be charged for not turning up without giving notice.

However on the other hand I think it is good practise for the restaurant to call and confirm your booking a few days in advance. Forest Avenue call a few days before you are due to eat with them and they don't seem to have to threaten you with a charge for cancelling on them.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

I do not see any problem with a cancellation policy being introduced. Perhaps having to cancel 5 days is too strict, but restaurants have to do something about no shows.

If you don't like it book a different restaurant.

Bob24

BabysCoffee wrote: »

However on the other hand I think it is good practise for the restaurant to call and confirm your booking a few days in advance. Forest Avenue call a few days before you are due to eat with them and they don't seem to have to threaten you with a charge for cancelling on them.

Yes and no. I understand why they are doing it but on the other hand if people book restaurants and can't even remember they have a booking or bother telling the restaurant when they decide not to go, they 100% deserve to be charged a no show fee. But as said before this should be a few hour notice, not 5 days.

OldMrBrennan83

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sassyj

One of my favourite restaurants recently tweeted how they had 14 no shows and 16 cancellations on same day, this is why restaurants do it and I fully support it. Camcelling day of reservation or even day before does not give enough time to fill. And if there's a cancellation list, the people talking the tables will no doubt be doing a late cancellation on another restaurant. People are far too casual with reservations, not fair on restaurants.

splinter65

appledrop wrote: »

I think this is absolutely ridiculous. As a parent of toddler we don't get out as much as used too but issues can arise that you might not be able to make a well intentioned meal e.g child sick, babysitter cancelled.

I wouldn't go near any restaurant who had this policy.

But can you explain why you think the restaurant should be down €50+ because your babysitter cancelled?

Bob24

splinter65 wrote: »

appledrop wrote: »

I think this is absolutely ridiculous. As a parent of toddler we don't get out as much as used too but issues can arise that you might not be able to make a well intentioned meal e.g child sick, babysitter cancelled.

I wouldn't go near any restaurant who had this policy.

But can you explain why you think the restaurant should be down €50+ because your babysitter cancelled?

The problem is the 5 days notice. If the babysitter doesn’t show up and the parents are a no show at the restaurant sur it is a problem between them and the babysitter and they should compensate the restaurant. Very different story if there is an advanced notification, and the only debate is on how long the notice period should be.

OldMrBrennan83

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splinter65

Bob24 wrote: »

The problem is the 5 days notice. If the babysitter doesn’t show up and the parents are a no show at the restaurant sur it is a problem between them and the babysitter and they should compensate the restaurant. Very different story if there is an advanced notification, and the only debate is on how long the notice period should be.

I think that if there is a chance your baby might be sick or your babysitter isn’t going to be free or the taxis will be on strike and you’ll possibly have to cancel then this is not the restaurant for you.
The restaurant have the right to make whatever cancellation policy they want and it’s pointless complaining about it .
It’s not as if they’re breaking any laws.
They’ve obviously been stung too badly too often and if they’ve decided that this is going to work for them then just accept their desicion and move on.
Just accept that that restaurant is off your list of places to go.
People get very confused about consumer law and rights and entitlements I find.
I’m sure there are other places to go.

splinter65

Patww79 wrote: »

5 days really is an absolute joke. Whatever about a babysitter cancelling, you could have someone dead and buried in the space of 4 days. It really is unfair to expect people to give that much and this is the first way that restaurants will abuse this policy to make themselves more money. It'll only get worse too.

But they are entitled to make whatever cancellation policy they want.
You do know you don’t have an entitlement to book a table at any restaurant and set the conditions too?

OldMrBrennan83

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dudara

Patww79 wrote: »

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If I encountered a restaurant like that, I’d make sure to give them feedback on it. That way they would know that potential customers were deterred by it, and might decide to reduce it.

I have no issue with the concept.

OldMrBrennan83

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badboyblast

homer911 wrote: »

I agree with the concept, but the amount and notice period in this case is a bit excessive, particularly for a table for two - maybe it was reasonable for Valentine's Day?

Restaurants operate on very tight margins and staff, as a general rule, are not well paid. They cant afford to lose business through no-shows

For every 10 euros you give a restaurant, 6 euros is profit

ELM327

SusanC10 wrote: »

Update:- I decided to phone again and spoke to a Manager and explained my dissatisfaction with their policy. Also explained that we have eaten there before and enjoyed it and the circumstances of our Booking this time with the Show etc.
He explained why they have the Policy in question which is due to No Shows in particular from larger parties at weekends.
But he agreed to waive the Deposit and took my reservation without Credit Card Details over the phone. I in turn agreed to phone and cancel should anything unforeseen occur.

Happy with the outcome.

Btw - the Deposit is €30 per person and the 2 course Early Bird is €25 per person.

I'd have gone somewhere else tbh. Take business elsewhere to discourage this policy if you disagree with it.

ELM327

badboyblast wrote: »

For every 10 euros you give a restaurant, 6 euros is profit

No variance for location, vertical, type of restaurant, time of year, price, etc no?

67.3% of statistics are made up on the spot.

limnam

ELM327 wrote: »

No variance for location, vertical, type of restaurant, time of year, price, etc no?

67.3% of statistics are made up on the spot.

I was thinking that's very specific.

With the amount of restaurants going out of business down here in Cork I'd imagine that number is way off