OpenTable campaign highlights impact of no-shows

An OpenTable campaign called “Show Up for Restaurants” aims to inform diners on the impact of no-shows during a crucial period in restaurant recovery.

A new survey from OpenTable suggests 27 per cent of Canadians intend on eating out more frequently than before the pandemic and to – support local restaurants (56 per cent), enjoy a change of scenery (55 per cent) and take a break from cooking at home (40 per cent). Now with COVID restrictions lifting, 46 per cent of Canadians are excited to have the option to dine at a restaurant.

Almost one in 10 Canadians say they haven’t shown up for a reservation in the past year. What many don’t realize is that cancelling is better than simply not showing up. It’s possible for restaurants to lose their entire profit margin for that shift if a table of six doesn’t show up for a reservation.

To support restaurants through this period of recovery, OpenTable has launched “Show-Up for Restaurants” to spotlight the impact of no-shows and to encourage diners to modify or cancel their reservation when plans change. It has added new tools and features to help restaurants prevent no-shows.

• A New Way to Tag Diners: This new tool allows restaurants to label a diner as a potential no-show based on previous reservation activity. The tool allows restaurateurs to tag the diner with a new label, so they can be proactive about confirming attendance with the diner as their reservation approaches.
• “Four Strikes and You’re Out”: OpenTable’s policy suspends diners who don’t show up for a reservation four times per calendar year. This policy is in addition to a number of features that OpenTable offers to mitigate no-shows, such as email and SMS reminders, prepaid experiences, availability alerts, customizable cancellation policies, credit-card required reservations holds and more.
• Communicate Directly with Restaurants In-App: OpenTable’s new Direct Messaging feature allows diners to communicate with restaurants before and after making a reservation, without ever having to make a phone call. Direct messaging empowers restaurants to serve up better hospitality by reducing cancellations and no-shows and building stronger connections that keep guests coming back.

The company also is launching a tool that tags a diner as “Verified for Entry” once they’ve met entry requirements, such as proof of vaccination.