Restaurant cancellations halve in two weeks as consumer confidence climbs

Consumers are now more likely to honour their eating out reservations than they were when venues just re-opened, according to CGA.

The data experts' latest consumer Pulse Survey of 1,250 consumers found that cancellations during the week beginning 13 July had dropped from 23% to 11% by the end of the month, while no-shows – where consumers don’t cancel their booking or contact the venue – dropped slightly from 24% to 22%.

For the same period, the survey found that only 53% of consumers who had booked tables in the week beginning 13 July turned up to eat, but by the end of the month, two weeks later, the percentage had risen to 66%.

Charlie Mitchell, CGA research and insight director, said: “With pre-booking now becoming a near-essential part of the eating and drinking out experience, and with a high rate of no-shows and cancellations during the first weeks of opening, it’s encouraging to see that far more consumers are turning up to their reserved bookings than previously.

He added that, moving forward, operators still needed the number of no-shows to continue to fall. “Prominent campaigns, media coverage as well as improving confidence look to have had a positive impact at persuading consumers not to cancel at a time when pubs, bars and restaurants can ill-afford empty tables.

The data follows a united call for 'no more no-shows', after hundreds of customers failed to turn up for bookings in the opening weeks last month.

Image: Shutterstock