Huge increase in restaurants taking credit card details but some diners still turned off

Bookatable by Michelin has has said the number of restaurants taking credit card guarantees through its platform has increased from 14 in 2017 to 375 in 2018, but it says operators have seen an average fall in covers of 25% after making the move.

This fall is not however seen across the board and Bookatable has found that diners are less reluctant to provide details if they are booking a table in a fine dining restaurant for a special occasion.

Michel Cassius, chief executive of Bookatable said: “We know that when restaurants require diners to use the credit card guarantees service that we offer to hold a table, it can have a negative impact on overall bookings.

"We’ve seen in some instances a 66% drop off when diners realise they have to submit their details. On the other hand, when it’s a large group booking or if it’s at an exclusive restaurant for a special occasion, diners generally don’t mind. So, alongside credit card guarantees, to assist restaurants managing this better, Bookatable has introduced an automatic reminder for diners when a booking is coming up, and this has helped reduce no-shows by 15%.”

Earlier this year a number of restaurants announced their intention to start taking card details as no-shows added pressure in already tough trading conditions.

Chef Mark Greenaway introduced a deposit scheme after recording 450 cancellations or no-shows in just one month at his eponymous Edinburgh restaurant.

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