Customers Who Fail to Show Up Cost UK Restaurants £17.6 Billion a Year
Customers dining out on a terrace near the Thames in London.
© Shutterstock

Customers dining out on a terrace near the Thames in London.
© Shutterstock
No shows deeply damaging
Customers who fail to turn up to pub and restaurant reservations in the UK are estimated to cost the hospitality sector £17.6 billion a year, according to new research. The report by Zonal found one in seven customers hadn't turned up for their booking since April.
Among 18-34-year-olds, the rate was as high as one in three people failing to show up. “No shows have been a blight on the industry for many, many years, but with tens of thousands of hospitality businesses in such a fragile state following prolonged periods of closure and heavily-restricted trading, they are currently deeply damaging to venues," said Kate Nicholls, the CEO of UK Hospitality.
Missed reservations more likely post-Covid
The research found one in every eight customers is more likely to be a no-show than they were before the Covid-19 pandemic. Londoners were reportedly the worst offenders in the UK, with 24% admitting to not notifying a bar or restaurant that they weren't planning to turn up. The main reasons customers gave for not turning up were plans changing, someone in the group cancelling and someone falling ill with Covid-related symptoms.
FIND OUT MORE
-
First UK certified sustainable wines releasedThe first certified sustainable UK wines have been released after the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain scheme was set up last year.
-
KFC Warns UK Customers of Food ShortageKFC has warned UK customers over food shortages after weeks of disruption.
-
Haugen: Alpine-themed Restaurant to Open in London's Olympic ParkThe UK-based restaurant group D&D London is to open an Alpine-themed restaurant in Stratford, East London, in September 2021.
-
Restaurant Home Delivery Set to StayThe pandemic changed many habits, according to a UK report, restaurant home delivery is one that is likely to stay.
-
Three New Masters of Wine (MW) AnnouncedThe prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine has announced three new Masters of Wine (MW), two from the UK and one from New Zealand.
-
Falstaff Restaurant of the MonthEach month, Falstaff highlights a restaurant somewhere on this globe, reviewed by one of our professional eaters.
-
Shane Osborn Opens Third Restaurant in Hong KongNetflix star and chef Shane Osborn has opened a third Hong Kong restaurant, Moxie.
-
The Seven Best Seaside Restaurants in the WorldWhat could be better than a fresh sea breeze and delectable of food? Falstaff has come up with the seven best seaside restaurants in the...
-
Gordon Ramsay to Open Second Restaurant at London's SavoyBritish chef Gordon Ramsay is opening a second restaurant at The Savoy, focusing on seafood.
-
Marco Pierre White to Open New Restaurant in London's West EndA Marco Pierre White restaurant will open in London's West End in October.
-
Six of the Best New Japanese Restaurants in LondonRight in time for the Paralympics in Tokyo, Falstaff presents six of the best new Japanese places in London
-
Dry Extract Interview: Oded Oren of Restaurant Oren, London, EnglandDry Extract is Falstaff’s mini-interview feature. We ask top professionals in the world of wine, food and travel to answer thirteen...