We’ve all done it.
You’re not exactly sure what you feel like for dinner, so you make a reservation for two restaurants and decide to make a call on the night.
Maybe you forgot to cancel the losing one, or maybe you just can’t be bothered making up an excuse. But when your stomach is full after a delicious meal, who really cares?
You – or at least you will from now on.
Listen: A New York restaurant requires an application to dine at. Post continues after audio.
Restaurants affiliated with Dimmi, Australia’s largest online reservation service, have blacklisted 38,000 diners for not showing up for the reservation in the last year alone, up from 3,159 from, 2015-16 according to the website’s annual ‘No Show’ report.
Getting blacklisted is as simple as failing to show up at your booking, which will mean you won’t be able to book at that restaurant for one year.
(Hear that? It’s your stomach shrieking in fear).
According to data from the report, the service’s new Payments system which stores customers’ credit card details to take pre-payments is acting as a strong deterrent.
Top Comments
Oh, wow...didn't realise this was a thing. I'm 36 and have never done it. If running late to a reservation I call to advise of this. If circumstances beyond my control (illness etc) mean I cannot keep the booking I call, explain and apologise.
It's called.....manners.
We’ve all done it.
You’re not exactly sure what you feel like for dinner, so you make a reservation for two restaurants and decide to make a call on the night.
Not only have I never done this, it has never even occurred to me to do this.
Completely agree fightforyourlife - I've never booked 2 restaurants, nor have I ever not turned up at one if I've reserved a table.
Exactly. Who is this 'we' she's talking about?
Yeah, I've never done this, nor ever heard of anyone who has!
never done this, and never thought about doing this