Have you ever failed to show up to a restaurant?

Such a ticketing system was put in place by the superstar chef Grant Achatz, who opened up his second restaurant Next in 2011 with that design: tickets are prepurchased on the Web and no refund is available. In return, prices are held down to about 50-75% of what one would normally pay (no reservations staff, no cancellations, etc.)

I can't recall ever failing to honor a reservation, though I have had to cancel a few owing to emergencies of various sorts, and yes I am prepared to prepay.

I think I can safely say that I have never cancelled a reservation without phoning the restaurant. However, I object to a financial penalty unless the restaurant also guarantees seating me within 15 minutes of the reserved time and will compensate me otherwise.

Jules Verne in the Tour Eiffel has had such a policy for at least a few years though my clients got their money back as the air conditioning wasn't working and the maitre d' admitted he would leave if he could.

Never failed to show. Nobody is good enough to pre-pay. Where would my guarantee be if I didn't like it or wasn't seated promptly?

guarantee be if I didn't like it or wasn't seated promptly?

If you didn't like it that would mean you wouldn't pay? I've paid for plenty of meals I didn't like. We prepay for LOTS of things. Don't know of any Broadway show, opera, sought-after concert ticket etc I didn't pay in advance for. If you are concerned about being seated promptly, prepaying would leave to less overbooking, and should reduce wait times. Certainly a penalty for restaurant not seating promptly (if one showed promptly) would be reasonable. I can see zero downside for prepayment from anyone who actually always shows up

First of all, if you buy theatre tickets you can typically cancel with no charge more than 24 hours ahead.

I've never "just not shown up" either, it's elementary politeness to call. In fact we did just last week when forced to cancel a dinner with friends.

But I don't want to prepay either, or make a deposit. It complicates the entire affair, and would lessen the pleasure, maybe by undermining the illusion that the restaurant is the host, and is actually glad to welcome the guests...

But I've had several restaurateurs in Paris tell me that a lot of tourists make 4 or 5 reservations, and then just go to the one that's the most conveniently located. So you can really see where the problem is. None the less no one has asked for a deposit yet, although it's common practice to ask for a phone # (and not give you a reservation if you don't give one).

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It has happened to me on rare occasions but I always phoned the restaurant. I can see plus and minus issues but I'm not a total fan of the concept.

guarantee be if I didn't like it or wasn't seated promptly?

nty of meals I didn't like.

ght-after concert ticket etc I didn't pay in advance for.

o less overbooking, and should reduce wait times. Certainly a penalty for r estaurant not seating promptly (if one showed promptly) would be reasonable .

When I was younger, I worked in restaurants. I took reservations. We had an expectation of a 10% no show rate. We lived with it. I find it rude behavi or but it isn't my job to punish rude behavior. There are no guarantees for a business that deals with the public and prepaying for a reservation woul d tell me to go somewhere else.