Want to help restaurants in a tough time? Don't be a no-show

It's a little thing that can make a big difference for local restaurants fighting to stay afloat in this time of COVID-19 restrictions: Show up for your reservation. 

As London eateries try to cover their expenses while dealing with new safety rules and room restrictions, a significant problem is groups who make a reservation then don't bother to show up or call to cancel. 

Angela Murphy is the chef and owner of Grace restaurant on Dundas Place. She says one no-show can be the difference between breaking even on a given night. 

"It's a huge problem that we're facing right now," she said. 

Here's how the math works. Grace has capacity for about 90 seats but with Sect. 22 restrictions imposed by the Middlesex-London Health Unit, all local restaurants have to limit seating to six at a table with two metres of spacing between patrons who aren't in the same group. 

Once that spacing is imposed on their floor plan, Grace has seating for about 32 people, less than half the normal capacity. It typically takes two hours to turn a table, but most patrons don't want to eat at 5 p.m. or at 9 p.m. So a no-show booking for 7:30 or 8 p.m. often can't be filled in time to make up for the lost revenue. 

"A table of 10 no-showed on the weekend," said Murphy. "We couldn't re-book the table so we lost out on that revenue, which was essentially a third of our already-reduced-by-a-third revenue."

Murphy said she understands that plans change — especially these days — and that bookings sometimes must be cancelled if someone gets sick or their vehicle breaks down. 

She's just asking that patrons who have to cancel make an effort to call if they know they won't make it.  

"It's just really important to call so we can book that table and save that business," she said. "It's just a little thing that can really help people survive this."

Murphy said Grace is taking other steps to try and make up for lost restaurant revenue. They've started a mini Christmas market outside. Inside, they're selling pantry items from their food suppliers, everything from nuts and cheese to fresh vegetables and coffee. The pantry business started started back when indoor dining was barred outright as a way to keep a bit of revenue flowing, not only to the restaurant, but also to the suppliers the restaurant relies on. 

Another challenge: Christmas bookings way down

Jerry Pribil says no-shows aren't his main problem, unless you're talking about the lack of people calling to book Christmas parties. 

Pribil owns Chaucer's Pub and Marienbad restaurant. Between them, the two establishments have three bookable rooms for private parties and Christmas work gatherings. In non-COVID times those bookings were a reliable source that could help cover the costs of the slow months that follow Christmas. 

Not this year. 

"At this time last year, the last weeks of November and the first three weeks of December, we had all our Fridays and Saturdays booked. Right now, I've got two small gatherings booked." 

Pribil said his focus right now is not on profit, but simply on making enough to cover expenses in hopes that cases will drop and restrictions ease. 

In late September, Pribil was one of a handful of London restaurant owners who issued a public plea to Londoners for support in the wake of an outbreak among students that put an immediate chill over their business. 

Pribil said Londoners have responded, with a reduced but regular clientele he says is helping him keep the doors open while hoping for better times ahead. Even customers that aren't able to come in have been ordering takeout. Every bit helps.

"We are so grateful for the support we are receiving from locals," said Pribil.