A no-show is a reservation that is not cancelled and the guest never arrives. For a restaurant, that means an empty table, poorly planned purchasing and staffing, and less time to resell the availability.
1. Make cancellation easier than calling
Every confirmation should include a clear cancellation action. The more guests have to search for contact details or wait for an answer, the more likely they are to postpone and forget.
2. Ask for confirmation at the right time
A reminder sent too early is forgotten; one sent too late leaves no time to fill the table. Start with a window that fits your service and measure how many cancellations arrive after the reminder.
3. Use deposits and prepayments selectively
Tasting menus, events, large parties and high-demand evenings carry greater financial risk. A deposit or prepayment makes the commitment explicit. It may be unnecessary for a weekday lunch for two.
4. Write clear conditions
State the amount, cancellation deadline, refund method and what happens in case of a no-show. Clarity reduces disputes and increases trust.
5. Record the outcome of each service
Tracking arrivals, cancellations and no-shows reveals which days, times and party sizes need more protection. Without this information, every risk receives the same rule.
6. Measure three indicators
- no-shows as a share of confirmed reservations;
- cancellations received early enough to resell the table;
- the value of tables protected by deposits or prepayment.
7. Work out what they cost you
As long as no-shows stay a vague annoyance, it is hard to decide how much to protect your tables. The calculation takes two steps: lost revenue first, then the actual loss.
Lost revenue = no-shows in the month × average covers per booking × average spend per cover.
Actual loss = lost revenue × contribution margin, meaning what is left once the variable costs of that cover are paid. Rent, floor staff and utilities are paid either way, so they are not subtracted: an empty table does not save them.
| Item | Example |
|---|---|
| No-shows in the month | 12 |
| Average covers per booking | 2.5 |
| Average spend per cover | €35 |
| Lost revenue | €1,050 |
| Contribution margin | 70% |
| Actual loss | €735 |
The figures above only illustrate the method: replace them with your own, because average covers, spend and margin vary widely between restaurants. The result tells you what fixing no-shows is worth each month, and therefore how much effort it justifies.
If the recovery is worth a few tens of euros, reminders and easy cancellation are enough. If it runs into the hundreds, deposits and prepayments on the most exposed services are worth considering.
How Mobee helps
Mobee keeps confirmations, cancellations and arrivals in the same workflow and lets you use prepayment for services that need it. Explore the features or view the plans.
Keep reading: what to look for when choosing reservation software or how to set up online reservations in your venue.