The issue of no shows ranks alongside staff shortages, high rents, and red tape as the biggest scourges of the restaurant industry in this country. Mention the issue to any restaurateur, and watch the temperature of their blood slowly rise to a simmer.
Some people deem it perfectly acceptable to make a booking in a restaurant and simply not show up, without having the decency to inform the restaurant. My views on this issue are well documented, so I do not intend to go over old ground. However, the changing economic landscape brings with it a possible solution, especially for small restaurants. This solution, not previously an option due to limited demand, is to stop taking reservations.
This article outlines the policy of many of Soho's most popular restaurants, most of which only have in region of 30 seats. For restaurants of this size, a table of six no show represents a 20% reduction in revenue for a single night. If this becomes a regular occurrence, it poses a serious risk to the viability of the business. It makes sense therefore to offer tables on a first come basis, and fill your restaurant with loyal customers who want to be there.
Barrafina - worth every minute of the inevitable queue. Source-website.
Opinion is clearly divided on this issue however, and it will not suit every restaurant. As a diner and a former restaurateur, I can see both sides of the argument. I remember when l'Gueleuton first opened in Fade Street. They operated a no reservations policy and in order to get a table, the strategy was to start queuing at about 5.30pm, and when they opened at 6pm, either take a table or put your name down for later. I was a regular in that queue in all weathers, and by 6pm, there were usually 100+ committed souls with me. Their policy was clear from the outset, and I generally had no problem with it whatsoever. Occasionally, I'd find myself at the back of a large queue, and therefore subjected to the incredulous head shake from the guy on the door once I reached the top. On such occasions, I was less of an advocate of the policy. The trebling of the restaurant's capacity, coupled with increased competition and the economic downturn, meant that getting a table subsequently became less of an issue.
The fact is that a no reservations policy can only really work in an economic environment where demand exceeds supply. In central London, this is always the case. In central Dublin, I feel that the time is now right for certain restaurants who want to eliminate the no-show problem, and are brave enough to implement the change. Small restaurants, who are regularly over subscribed (for example 777, Bastible, San Lorenzos , Etto) could definitely make it work, in my opinion.
From a personal point of view, if I were to open an informal restaurant in Dublin City Centre right now, I wouldn't want to run the risk of no-shows. I understand the arguments against the policy, but until such time as people stop making reservations and not honouring them, small businesses must do what is best for them to survive and thrive.