Top chef threatens to fine customers who fail to show for reservations

People are supportive of his decision

Chef Mark Greenaway will now charge a penalty cancellation fee (YouTube)

A top chef has had enough of customers failing to show up to their reservations - and is now implementing a penalty fine to discourage the habit.

Mark Greenaway, 41, the chef and owner of Restaurant Mark Greenaway in Edinburgh claims his restaurant’s survival is on the line, despite being regularly named one of the best restaurants in the country, due to no-shows - and will now fine customers a penalty fee of £30 for lunch or £50 for dinner if they don’t give 24 hours notice.

According to Greenaway, he came up with the idea for a fine after his restaurant saw 450 cancelled or missed books in one month - a rate that is “unsustainable” for a small restaurant like his, which only seats 42.

But Greenaway is not the first chef to implement a fee - many other restaurants also charge cancellation fees to prevent no-shows, with some charging as high as $225 (£161) a person.

The chef shared the details of his restaurant’s new penalty fee on Facebook, where he also criticised customers guilty of not showing up for their reservations.

He wrote: “As of March the 1st, we will be taking debit or credit card details for all bookings, and a fee of £30 for lunch or respectfully £50 for dinner will be deducted per person for any tables that don't turn up or no show on the day.

“This is something we have toiled with, believe me, and not something that we want to do but as an independent restaurant we feel the time has come that we can’t simply ignore what is going on in the industry so we feel we now need to act to put an end to this lunacy of customers booking tables and simply just not turning up.

“We already have a confirmation policy in place and confirm all tables of all sizes every day, however, this changes nothing it would seem.”

Greenaway continued his post, writing: “Hopefully this will discourage the glut of customers that seem to book two or three restaurants at a time and make a decision on the evening of where they are going to eat, this attitude must stop, and it must stop quickly,” before promising his customers that the restaurant is taking these steps out of necessity to “safeguard the future” and not “simply to be difficult.”

And it seems the restaurant’s tough stance has not discouraged future customers - as many expressed their support for the penalty on social media.

One person wrote: “I agree with you Mark, this is an outrage and good for you to make a stand!”

Another responded: “100 per cent a correct decision Mark.”

The restaurant wants to discourage no-shows and cancelled reservations

Others pointed out that the new policy is only fair, considering the service Greenaway provides.

“Travel agencies and hotels take deposits or the full pay in advance. They offer an experience, as you do too. Go for it, hopefully, more restaurants do that and customers will value the time and work of hospitality professionals more,” said one person.

The Independent has reached out to Mark Greenaway for a comment.