How do you reduce restaurant no-shows, and can you charge a fee?

Friday, 7 pm, and the table for four sits empty. Nobody called, and the walk-ins you turned away have gone elsewhere. Almost every place that takes bookings knows this. This guide covers what helps beforehand and what's legally possible. The legal part applies to Germany as of November 2026, and on one key point it isn't fully settled, as we say openly below. Other countries have different rules, so don't apply the fee section elsewhere.

How big is the no-show problem?

We found no solid figures for Germany as a whole. The best available source is a December 2022 survey by the North Rhine-Westphalia branch of DEHOGA, the German hospitality association, of more than 270 restaurateurs. About three quarters said no-shows had increased in recent years. 78.3 percent reported losses of up to 10 percent of annual revenue, and just over a fifth reported more. These are self-reports from businesses that chose to answer, not measurements, so work out your own number instead.

How do you reduce restaurant no-shows?

The best approach is a combination: a clear confirmation, a reminder one or two days ahead, an easy way to cancel and a fixed time you'll hold the table. Fees and deposits come after that, for large groups and busy nights. The table ranks the options by effort. The ratings are our judgement, not measurements.

The DEHOGA guidance sheet on no-shows also recommends a reminder one or two days ahead. In the NRW survey, about 35 percent of businesses used reminders, 11.1 percent fees and 7.1 percent prepayment. We found no restaurant studies on reminders. The closest is a Cochrane review on healthcare appointments: across four randomised trials with 3,547 participants, text reminders increased attendance compared with no reminder (risk ratio 1.10). That's a different setting, so read it only as a hint.

We advise against overbooking unless you know your numbers. The trade magazine Hogapage also urges caution: at worst, a guest with a booking arrives at a full house.

What do you tell guests, and when?

Everything important belongs in the confirmation, not the complaint afterwards. Copy and adapt these texts:

Keep the reminder free of offers. Germany's Federal Court of Justice treated a satisfaction survey in an invoice email as advertising, even though the invoice itself wasn't (VI ZR 225/17). A plain booking reminder is different, but tacking on "try our new menu" can turn it into advertising.

Can a restaurant charge a no-show fee in Germany?

Yes, in principle, if the fee was validly agreed beforehand and isn't higher than the usual loss. We did not find a ruling from Germany's highest court specifically on table bookings. The consumer advice centre of Lower Saxony wrote in July 2026 that such fees are generally permitted but court decisions aren't uniform. DEHOGA gives its view as an industry association in its 2019 sheet. They look at the same topic from different sides.

The DEHOGA sheet separates two cases:

The claim rests on section 280(1) BGB, which doesn't apply if the guest isn't responsible for the breach. Whether sudden illness counts depends on the case, and the consumer centre calls it legally disputed. You also have to keep the loss low (section 254(2) BGB) and try to give the table to someone else.

The consumer centre sees fees as easier to justify for set menus and large groups, and as questionable where tables fill up again quickly. So expect some guests to refuse, and be ready to show your loss in court if it comes to that.

What belongs in a cancellation policy?

A flat fee in pre-written terms must stay within section 309 no. 5 BGB. From that and the DEHOGA sheet:

1. Visible upfront. Guests must be told expressly before booking and be able to read the terms. Online, use a clear link and ideally its own checkbox. By phone, say it and confirm by email. On the bill is too late.
2. A reasonable amount. It can't exceed the loss you'd normally expect. DEHOGA gives non-binding examples of €10 to €30 per person at a traditional country restaurant and €50 to €150 at a high-end gourmet restaurant. What counts is your prices and average preparation costs.
3. Allow counter-proof. Guests must expressly be allowed to show there was no loss or a much smaller one.
4. Free cancellation up to a set time. DEHOGA suggests not setting it too far before the booking.
5. The right name. Call it a cancellation fee or flat charge, not a contractual penalty.
6. Data protection. Refer to your privacy notice.

The sheet includes model terms, which DEHOGA says you must adapt to your business. Your regional DEHOGA branch can help if you're a member, as can your chamber of commerce (IHK). Ask your tax adviser how a retained fee is taxed.

Is a deposit worth it?

A deposit is the one option where you don't have to chase the money, but it does put some guests off. DEHOGA recommends handling it through a payment provider with a payment link, rather than simply noting down card details. The deposit then comes off the bill. It makes most sense for groups, holidays and set menus. A regular who's been coming for years shouldn't need to pay a deposit for a table for two on a Tuesday. DEHOGA also says to weigh up regulars against walk-in trade.

What mistakes should you avoid?

• Emailing a demand for a fee nobody mentioned beforehand.
• Claiming the average bill as your loss. DEHOGA says that doesn't work for a simple booking.
• Charging even though you resold the table.
• Shaming guests publicly, for example by name on social media. It brings more trouble than the empty table.

How do request and confirmation work when guests book online?

With NFCeez it works like this. In the app you set once which tables and occasions you offer and the first and last reservation time. Every booking ends by the time you close, and nobody can book on a day you're closed. On your Smart Page, guests choose the day, time, party size and occasion and get a six-digit booking number by email. The request appears on your phone straight away, even on the lock screen. One tap confirms or declines it, and your guest hears back. Your service team sees the day's bookings on its own shift screen.

The limits: the reminder the day before and your hold time are still yours to handle, with the texts above. NFCeez takes no payments, so deposits and cancellation fees don't run through it. The table reservations page shows what a request looks like.

Your next step

Starting today, count every empty booked seat for four weeks. Meanwhile, use the two texts above and state your hold time. Decide on fees only with your numbers in hand. Our article on online table reservations covers requests from the web.