Eateries in appeal to customers
TOP restaurants have taken to social media to share their disappointment after a number of diners again failed to show up.
Ten diners didn’t turn up for their booking at Milkwood, a popular independent restaurant in Cardiff, on Friday evening. The restaurant only has 32 covers and took to Twitter to plead with diners, asking them to call ahead if they can’t make it.
Cerys Furlong, from Milkwood, wrote: “Tough to lose 10 covers so far this evening due to no shows... really upsetting for the team and tough on a restaurant that has just 32 covers a night. Please people, a simple phone call to cancel is the least you can do #supportindependents #restaurants.”
Other restaurants in Wales have responded to the tweet, calling the incident “devastating”.
Nearby restaurant La Cuina replied to Milkwood saying it had nine cancellations on the same night.
It wrote: “So sorry to hear! We also experienced ‘abnormal behaviour’ yesterday as 9 tables cancelled for tonight, after we had been turning down bookings for days. Something not quite right here. Never experienced such thing!”
Beach House restaurant in Oxwich Bay has recently introduced a system where they now take customers’ card details when they book a table.
Head chef Hywel Griffith said: “Feel for you guys, it’s horrible and devastating, only way to stop it is card details. We have had 2 or 3 no shows since we started it earlier this year, so practically has eradicated the problem.”
Mr Griffith added: “We have been taking card details for around six months now, if a customer doesn’t show up or doesn’t cancel within 48 hours then we will charge £20 per customer. Obviously if someone was to cancel under 48 hours with a genuine problem then we wouldn’t charge them.
“No-shows really do affect businesses... I don’t think some people realise that by not showing up, you could shut businesses down.”
Unfortunately, no-shows at restaurants seem to be a common occurance.
In April this year, WalesOnline reported 12 people failed to show up at the Hare and Hounds in Aberthin, near Cowbridge. The restaurant has 10 tables and can seat around 40, although on this particular night they had rearranged some tables so they could fit 60.
Restaurants in Wales say people not showing up for tables they’ve booked is a serious threat to their survival.