How to reduce restaurant no-shows
VIEreserve guides · November 2026
Most no-shows aren't deliberate. People forget, plans change, or cancelling feels like more effort than not turning up. So most of the fixes are about reminding guests at the right time and making it easy for them to tell you.
1. Send a reminder before every booking
A short reminder a day or so before, with the date, time and party size, catches the people who've forgotten. Include a link to change or cancel.
2. Make cancelling easy
If cancelling means phoning you mid-service, many guests won't bother. A link in the confirmation and reminder emails gets you the table back in time to rebook it.
3. Ask for deposits where it matters
Not every table needs a deposit. Use them for large groups, set menus and your busiest nights, and explain the rules before the guest pays. See how to take deposits for Christmas bookings.
4. Confirm big bookings personally
For large parties, a quick call or email a few days before to confirm numbers is worth it, and the kitchen gets final numbers.
5. Keep a waiting list
On busy nights, a waiting list turns a late cancellation into a filled table.
6. Know your repeat no-shows
Record every no-show against the booking, so you can spot a guest who's done it before and ask for a deposit next time.
7. Put a short note on your booking page
A friendly line such as "If your plans change, please let us know so we can offer the table to someone else" sets expectations without sounding unwelcoming.
How VIEreserve helps
- An automatic reminder email before each booking, on both plans.
- Guests change or cancel from their confirmation email.
- Deposits for any service, paid into your own Stripe account.
- A waiting list, and walk-ins seated in a few taps.
- Mark a no-show in a tap, and undo it if the guest turns up late.
- Your notices and booking terms on your booking page.