Deposit for table reservation Some Bad Godesberg restaurants require payment for reservations

Bad Godesberg · When it comes to restaurant reservations, it happens time and again that guests cancel at short notice. This has led some to require a deposit. Cancellations sometimes cause restaurants damages of up to 1,000 euros.

 At the Bastei restaurant on the second day of Christmas, there were 45 “no-shows” for people who had reserved tables. Owner Martin Stützer now wants to implement a cancellation fee.

At the Bastei restaurant on the second day of Christmas, there were 45 “no-shows” for people who had reserved tables. Owner Martin Stützer now wants to implement a cancellation fee.

Foto: Benjamin Westhoff

Around the Christmas and New Year holiday period, it is both profitable and exhausting for restaurateurs. Many restaurants and pubs have "reservation books" which are full. But the reservations are not a help when guests simply don’t show up without canceling.

"Recently, for example, a table for 14 people was cancelled at short notice - allegedly because the date was wrong. The customer was personally in the restaurant for the reservation and had looked at the reservation book together with us. When such a cancellation is made at short notice, a loss of 1,000 euros is quickly incurred," says Manfred Harbecke, operations manager at the Maternus restaurant. Still, Harbecke does not think much of the option of a partial prepayment on reservation, as other restaurateurs do. "That can quickly backfire," he says. He also adds: "But in this way the guest is made aware of the problem."

Dehoga campaign to sensitize guests

Bernd Niemeier, President of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (Dehoga) NRW, also speaks of an "increasing problem": "Of course, tables that are reserved are no longer available to other guests, and some are turned away. It is all the more annoying when no one comes or fewer guests come despite a reservation." In the past, his association has launched a campaign to promote greater sensitivity among guests. At the same time, they want to give the restaurateurs tips on how to approach the situation with their guests.

Many people are unaware of the financial and organizational effort involved in planning the capacity utilization of a restaurant. It is often not possible to spontaneously give the table to other guests. In such cases, the restaurateurs are then left with the costs for staff and food purchases.

Karl-Heinz Burkat from Schaumburger Hof, for example, has been taking advance payments for larger reservations for years now. "I take a deposit from the guests to have a guarantee that they will actually come," he explains. If the guests cancel 14 days in advance, the whole thing is of course "no problem". Similar to Dehoga boss Niemeier, Burkat sees "an increasing lack of commitment among people these days". Basically, he says he has had good experience with his approach so far. "Otherwise I wouldn't be doing this anymore either," he adds. Recently, his approach led guests who had booked a table with him to look for replacements on social media because they had to cancel their table for eight people at short notice.

Also for Bastei boss Martin Stützer the whole thing is "very unpleasant". So far he has not taken deposits for reservations. "But that will change in 2020," he says. The reason: On the second day of Christmas a total of 45 guests who had made reservations for different group sizes did not show up. "I've been doing the Bastei for 19 years now, but I've never experienced anything like it," Stützer says with irritation. "You simply have to sensitize people in the future," says the restaurateur, who now wants to charge at least a cancellation fee for such cases.

Partial prepayment as protection against "no-shows"

For Godesburg boss Marion Hauck, a partial prepayment to protect herself from the so-called "no-shows" would be "far too much administrative work". She simply relies on written communication for larger reservations of 20 or more people. "A reservation confirmation is then like a contract," she says. Dehoga uses two ways to combat the problem: "On the one hand, we want to make it clear to guests that reservations are not without commitment, and on the other hand, with the Dehoga leaflet we are giving our members tips on how to tackle the problem of “no-shows” when it gets out of hand," says Bernd Niemeier.

One tip, for example, is to remind guests of their reservation by e-mail or telephone one or two days before the agreed date. "This can help to communicate the commitment of the reservation to the guest," says the leaflet. However, a certain amount of extra time would have to be planned for this procedure, but it could be worth it.

Orig. text: Michael Wenzel

Translation: ck

Meistgelesen
Neueste Artikel
Zum Thema
Aus dem Ressort