How to reduce no-shows at your restaurant

Strategy 1Send automated reminders — twice

The single most effective no-show intervention is also the simplest: automated reminder emails. Send one 24 hours before the reservation and a second on the morning of the booking.

The 24-hour email should confirm the key details (date, time, party size, location) and include a one-click cancellation link. The morning-of email is shorter — a friendly reminder with the same details.

Posto sends both automatically. You can customise the text of each from Settings → Emails. Many operators add a line about their cancellation policy in the 24-hour email — a polite reminder that the table has been held for them.

Strategy 2Make cancellation genuinely easy

This sounds counterintuitive, but making it easy to cancel reduces no-shows. When cancellation requires a phone call during service hours, many guests will put it off and eventually not bother — leaving your table empty.

Every booking confirmation and reminder email should contain a clear, one-click cancellation link. The guest clicks, confirms, and receives a cancellation email. No phone call required.

When guests cancel in advance — even with only an hour or two to spare — you may be able to resell the table. An advance cancellation is always better than a no-show.

Strategy 3Require a credit card for large groups

A pre-authorised card deposit for parties of 6 or more is the most effective way to reduce no-shows for your highest-value bookings. The threshold you set depends on your restaurant — many operators use £5–15 per head.

Pre-authorisation (holding a card rather than charging it) is less friction for the guest than a full charge. The hold is released automatically if they dine. It is only captured if they do not arrive and you decide to claim it.

Some operators require a deposit for all bookings, not just large groups. This works well for popular services like Christmas dinner, New Year's Eve, or a popular Sunday tasting menu — services where demand genuinely exceeds supply. For a standard Tuesday dinner service, a deposit may deter casual bookings that would otherwise convert, so use judgment. See our guide on collecting deposits for more detail.

Strategy 4Confirm bookings and require re-confirmation for advance reservations

For bookings made more than 3–4 weeks in advance, consider sending a re-confirmation request 7 days before the reservation. Ask the guest to confirm they are still coming by clicking a link. If no response within 48 hours, flag the booking for follow-up.

This is particularly useful for Christmas and special event bookings. Guests who made a reservation in October and then had plans change are unlikely to proactively cancel — a re-confirmation prompt gives them a natural moment to do so.

Strategy 5Track your no-show rate and act on patterns

An average no-show rate for UK restaurants is typically 5–10%. If yours is higher, look for patterns: which service, which day, which lead time. A high no-show rate on late Friday bookings made the same day may mean you are releasing too many walk-in specials on social media. A high rate on bookings made 3+ weeks ahead may indicate your re-confirmation process needs attention.

In Posto, no-show status is tracked per booking. Your analytics page shows completion and no-show rates by date range so you can monitor the trend over time.