Reduce no-shows with reminders, easy cancellation, a clear policy stated at booking, a deposit or card hold for larger parties, and a waitlist ready to fill the table. Start with reminders. They cost little and work for many restaurants. Deposits come next. Zorveta One supports deposits for large parties and events.
Start with measurement
For a month, count bookings, no-shows, late cancellations and walk-ins. Without a baseline you cannot tell whether a change worked. Note the day and party size, because no-shows cluster on Fridays and among larger parties.
Reminders
Send a reminder a day before and another a few hours before, with a one-tap way to confirm or cancel. Make cancelling easy. A guest who can cancel in ten seconds is a guest who frees the table for someone else, which beats a no-show.
Policy wording
State your policy plainly at booking, before the guest confirms, and again in the reminder. A good policy answers four questions: how late can I cancel without a fee, what is the fee, what does the fee cover, and who do I contact. Keep it short. Example: tables are held for fifteen minutes. Please cancel at least twenty-four hours ahead so we can offer the table to someone else.
Avoid surprise charges. Guests accept a fee they were told about. They dispute one they were not.
Deposits and card holds
For large parties, special nights and tasting menus, a deposit or card hold commits the guest. It tends to cut no-shows, and it also reduces bookings a little, so use it where the cost of an empty table is highest. Deposits and no-show fees in Zorveta One work for tables and events, and reminders and confirmations sit alongside them.
A legal note
Rules about cancellation fees, deposits and refunds vary by state. Have your policy reviewed by someone qualified in your state before you charge a guest.
Backup: the waitlist
No-shows happen even with the best policy. Keep a waitlist so that a no-show at seven opens a table for a walk-in at seven fifteen. A text to the next party can seat the table fast. See notify and seat and how to run a waitlist.
Track results
After a month, compare your no-show count with your baseline. Change one thing at a time. Read about the reservations and waitlist tools it offers.