Culprit no-show: restaurateurs demand cancellation fees for non-appearance!

Culprit no-show: restaurateurs demand cancellation fees for non-appearance!

In domestic gastronomy, the topic of “no-show” is currently being discussed hotly. Gastronomy businesses are increasingly confronted with guests, do not use the reserved tables and thus ensure considerable financial losses. Host Christian Pircher from the well-known "Leopoldau Alm" reports of a bitter loss of 4,500 euros when a 170-member wedding party simply did not appear. The demand for a uniform cancellation fee throughout Austria is getting louder so that restaurateurs no longer remain at the expense. today reports that 12 % of Austrians surveyed have not been published without cancellation, and that a particularly large number of younger people reserve.

"We are missing a uniform framework," says Thomas Peschta, gastro chairman, who emphasizes the introduction of cancellation fees. For many restaurateurs: inside it is incomprehensible how guests often do not realize the great effort the planning and organization requires optimal utilization. The WKO emphasizes that companies can enforce a cancellation fee even without their own general terms and conditions (AGB), which could give many operators security.

cancellation fees in practice

A current example comes from the "Konstantin Filippou" restaurant, where fees of 200 euros per person are collected at dinner and 80 euros at lunch with short -term cancellation. The "Edvard" restaurant does not shy away from requesting a fee of 100 euros per person for cancellations less than 48 hours in advance. In the higher price classes, the 5-course menu for 140 euros, the 7-course menu for 182 euros and the 9-course menu is even available for 216 euros.

A fair and transparent communication via cancellation guidelines is essential, according to the experts. Genkin lawyers explain that restaurateurs can also lower the no-show share by implementing waiting lists and memories before reservation dates. Because the hospitality should remain preserved even in difficult times - a consideration that connects both guests and operators to a certain framework.