Uptick in restaurant, pub reservations met with wave of no-shows: survey
People are also keeping visits short.
Consumers’ increased planning into their eating and drinking out since lockdown eased is being met with a wave of no-shows, CGA’s new Consumer Pulse survey has revealed.
The survey of 500 adults in England shows that a quarter (28%) of consumers visited venues with no reservations in the 10 days after hospitality reopened on 4 July.
People also appear to be keeping visits short, with 67 minutes being the average dwell time in venues.
The research also shows that 5% of all adults in England have made a table reservation and did not turn up without informing the venue. Another 5% made a table reservation, only to cancel.
However, the survey also reveals an acceptance amongst consumers for mandatory deposits on pre-booking, with over half (58%) of English adults “happy” to pay a £5 per head deposit when making reservations. This is a figure that jumps to 78% for those consumers who had admitted to cancelling or not showing up for a reserved booking. 19% of the total sample, in contrast, suggested that such a scheme would be “off-putting.”
“The pandemic has triggered a seismic shift in consumer behaviour from spontaneity to planning,” commented Rachel Weller, CGA’s Head of Consumer Research and Marketing. “This has positive implications for operators who can provide a smooth booking process and great experience—but unfortunately it will also increase the number of no-shows. Highlighting the damage this can do to recovering businesses, and convincing people that it is safe to eat out, may ease the problem.”
