How useful are paid reservations?

The table is reserved, the guests are not coming: a nightmare for restaurateurs. In the worst case, the table remains empty even though other guests want to take the table. This means less wine and food should be consumed and some foods should be thrown away unnecessarily.

Also known as a no-show, some restaurants take strict measures to minimize the risk of guest absences: Reservations are chargeable or guests are required to show a credit card when making a reservation; In this case, the penalty amount will be charged. if they don’t come without an excuse.

So far not very common in Switzerland

The measure is known mainly from abroad, for example in Los Angeles, New York and London. Most restaurants in Switzerland do not ask for any form of payment when making a reservation. But there are also individual companies here that declare war on those who do not come.

Restaurant Sens, located in Hotel Vitznauerhof and has two Michelin stars, charges CHF 225 per person in case of no-show or cancellation within 24 hours before dinner.

At Blick’s request, Sens restaurant confirmed that with the new measure, the number of unused has dropped sharply. The new arrangement was finally decided, as the waste of food as well as unexcused absences upset the intense preparations of the cooks.

Short-term cancellations or unexcused absences were also an annoying problem in Zurich Hotel Dolder’s restaurants. Since the transition to Tock, the online reservation system where guests pay a partial amount when booking, reservation non-use has almost disappeared. A Dolder spokesperson told Blick that the new system reduces food waste and makes it easier to schedule staff deployment.

Zurich restaurant The Artisan also decided to fine 20 CHF per person some time ago. Persons who do not come without notice although the table is reserved will be penalized. So far we have had very good experiences with the measure.

Trade like concert tickets

Abroad, there is already a new evolution in reservations: in trendy restaurants like New York or London, even reservations that are charged a fee similar to concert tickets are traded. A $50 reservation at a trendy restaurant could potentially be sold for profit in the gray market.