Restaurateurs Düsseldorf decided to fight those customers who make reservations and then do not come, according to the Association of Hotels and Restaurants of the Federal State of North Rhine – Westphalia (DEHOGA NRW). The introduction of fines was discussed even before the pandemic, but during the lockdowns, this initiative was forgotten. And now, when the situation in gastronomy has more or less stabilized, restaurateurs have returned to solving the problem. It’s about both about booking tables and ordering dishes that potential guests suddenly cancel, causing damage to restaurants.
For no show and late failures will follow sanctions
Representatives DEHOGA NRW in December 2022, a survey was conducted among 270 restaurateurs in North Rhine-Westphalia: more than 90 percent of those surveyed suffered financial losses more than once due to the cancellation of reservations in their restaurants. Patrick Rothkopf, President DEHOGA NRWexplained to the media that no-shows or late refusals lead to problems with the payment of staff and to unnecessary spending on the purchase of products that no one needs.
Similar innovation is already operating effectively in some neighboring countries, such as France. The principle is simple: when ordering a table or dish, customers provide their credit card details, from which, in case of no-show, a penalty is charged in the amount of the average bill per person in this particular institution. In addition, some restaurants in Germany have already introduced a prepaid system.
Several restaurants in Düsseldorf have already started operating under the new rules: no-show fines range from 30 to 50 euros. Whether colleagues in other German cities will follow their example is still unknown.