by Vijaylakshmi
While ‘ghosting’ might be a Gen-Z term one associates with the dating culture, it’s also a thing restaurateurs deal with often when it comes to reservations made by customers. Many fine diners, pubs, and cafes in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore have started charging a reservation fee to curb the number of cancellations, but are Kolkata connoisseurs willing to pay the same? CT speaks to stakeholders to know how they deal with ‘ghosting’, cancellations and how it affects their business.
A lot of restaurants often keep other reservations or walk-in customers on hold when it comes to large bookings. Cancellations in this regard can affect the overall sales as well as lead to food wastage. “Generally, we take an advance for large bookings,” says Shashvat Dhandhania, owner, To Die For. Raajiv Nathany, co-owner, LMNOQ, shares that they don’t usually charge a fee as their cancellation rates are low. “However, we do ask for a small amount when it is for a larger group,” he adds.
While some restaurateurs think it’ll be unethical to levy a reservation fee, some are considering its introduction in the near future. “A lot of guests don’t bother to pick up the phone when they don’t show up. Though we don’t charge a fee, we refuse reservations, especially on weekends, since the number of no-shows are higher,” says Saket Agarwal, owner, Sorano and Mehico. Naman Dhandania, creative director, Fabbrica, thinks it’s necessary at this point to introduce a non-refundable deposit against all reservations.
Most restaurateurs are of the opinion that charging a reservation fee here would disappoint the customers. Nikhil Chawla, owner of Marbella’s and Poach Kitchen, says, “I’ve heard of this concept in other cities, but it seems like a far-fetched concept for Kolkata.” Shashvat says they have faced issues after refusing to take an advance from a regular customer, who failed to show up later. “The practice of charging a reservation fee is common in the West, but still very nascent in India and might be seen in a negative light by customers initially,” adds Naman.
