What are the effects of casually and impolitely not turning up for a booked meal?
Dining out in New Zealand has never been easier. From cuisine to affordability, there's so much choice and for a growing number of us it's become an integral part of our busy lifestyles.
But there's something else on the rise in the Kiwi restaurant scene and it's driving owners and chefs to despair.
According to local restaurateurs, diners are cancelling more often, or just not turning up to bookings at all.
Auckland restaurant Baduzzi revealed they had 14 no shows in one lunch period last week.
Herald Focus spoke to Baduzzi owner, Michael Dearth, chef Glen File, and Restaurant Hub's Mark Gregory about how no shows are affecting New Zealand's otherwise booming food industry.
Michael believes no shows have a far greater impact than consumers realise, hitting businesses on many levels.
Chefs are frustrated at the amount of people who are choosing to simply not turn up. Photo / Focus
"There's an economic sort of punch or hit that you take. People have this misconception about restaurants and this romantic sort of vibe of what restaurants are and how much money people actually make.
"It's one industry especially in New Zealand that the margins are really super tight."
Food wastage is another concern for Dearth. Some of his chefs have to bin food that's had hours of preparation put into it after people simply don't turn up.
"I hate throwing out food. I hate wasting food."
Michael believes the no show trend is growing, but they do have systems in place that can help stop repeat offenders from being able to book at all.
"We have a reservation system in place that allows us to see if its a habitual sort of offense. So we will say 'oh they no showed two times' and it will have a date."
While the restaurant owner is frustrated on the economic front, for the likes of Baduzzi's head chef, Glen File, the issue creates an infuriating sense of wasted productivity for his hard-working team.
Kitchens spend hours preparing, only for food to be thrown away. Photo / Focus
"They guys in the kitchen have been working really hard. We put a lot of effort into finding amazing products from amazing suppliers, so when you do come in for dinner we've got a story to tell you."
File says it's as simple as letting the restuarant know you're not turning up. That way others can take your spot and not miss out on food that has been prepared.
Mark Gregory, founder of Restaurant Hub, agrees that diners need to mind their manners to ensure they're not causing restaurants like Baduzzi to lose out.
"Good manners are free," he says. Whether you've booked online or called the restaurant directly, it shouldn't be difficult to let the establishment know you need to cancel your reservation, he says.
