Restaurant ‘no-shows’ down in Quebec six months after new law

Quebec’s legislation to crack down on “no-show” diners is having mixed results according to some restaurant owners.

The law, which went into effect last July, allows restaurants to charge $10 per person when diners fail to show up for their reservation.

Tuck Shop co-owner Jonathan Metcalfe said the law gave restaurants some leverage in dealing with the problem. He said his restaurant, which has 40 seats and does two sittings a night, can’t afford no-shows.

“If four people don’t show up on a given night for one table, it makes a significant difference, not just in margins and profitability, but in operations,” Metcalfe said.

But, he said, the number of no-shows is down since July.

“What we have seen an increase in, is people calling to cancel their reservation, which is really what restaurants want,” Metcalfe added.

It’s a finding echoed by members of Quebec’s Restaurant Association.

“It’s not that they have applied the $10 penalty. It’s more that consumers have changed their behaviour with the new rule. For us, that’s what we wanted with the new rule. It’s not charging a penalty, it’s to have consumers dining in,” spokesperson Martin Vezina said.

While it’s good news that no-shows are down, James Graham-Simpkins, from Joe Beef Group, said the law doesn’t have enough teeth and the $10 per person penalty doesn’t allow them to recoup their losses.

“If someone reserved for 30 people, but only three people show up, you can’t apply it,” he said. “You can’t charge them for the 27 people that didn’t show up because that’s the way that the law is written.”

Simpkins said each restaurant should be able to implement its own policies, including how much they charge when people don’t show up.

“It’s not a public service that we run and if someone doesn’t show up to their reservation a few times, well, you know, maybe the next time they want to reserve, we might tell them that it’s full,” he said.

Simpkins says most reservation apps make it easier than ever to cancel, and some apps have cracked down of users making more than one reservation for the same night.

Fortunately, he said, most of their customers are considerate.

“It’s like going to your friends house, to your parents house for dinner or whatever it is, you know, if you can’t make it, it’s not a big deal, just let us know,” he added.