A study has been taken by The Observer, which shows that more than 90 of the leading 100 restaurants in the UK charge a fee for ‘no-shows’ and late cancellations. What counts as a late cancellation varies between venues and can sometimes be as far as two weeks in advance.

Some guests are being charged hundreds of pounds, despite the fact that they’re unable to make the reservation, with the charges ranging between £20 and £375 for no-shows.

The three Michelin star restaurant in Notting Hill, Core by Clare Smyth, has a policy of £150 per head for guests that cancel, whilst The Ledbury in London, which has two Michelin stars, passes on a hefty £195 bill for guests that cancel within 48 hours of their booking.

However, this rule goes beyond London, with places like The Black Swan at Oldstead being known to keep the £50 deposit per head if you cancel within 14 days of your booking.

The highest figure comes from a restaurant based in Machynlleth in Wales, called Ynyshir. Charging guests £375 per person for dinner, with each sale being ‘final and non-refundable. If people are no longer able to make the date, they can reschedule but will need to give a minimum of two weeks’ notice.

Chefs have hit out at customers previously for failing to turn up to reservations, concerned about an already fragile industry, with celebrity chef Tom Kerridge speaking up about the issue.

Directing his rant at the 27 guests who didn’t show up to his London restaurant, Kerridge’s Bar & Grill, one night, he said ‘Your behaviour is disgraceful, shortsighted and down right unhelpful…all of you ‘no shows’ in all restaurants up and down the country are adding to the issues already being faced…YOU are putting people’s jobs more at risk’

After continuing to explain that it costs the restaurant with staffing, he brands those who never turn up as ‘the worst kind of guest’.

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Source: SquareMeal