Louisiana Restaurants May Start Charging You $100 for Breaking Reservations

At some point in our lives, we've all made reservations at a restaurant for things like Valentine's Day, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Graduations, or other special occasions.

Sometimes, due to unforeseen circumstances, these reservations have to be broken.

It's now becoming increasingly popular for restaurants to start charging customers who break reservations, and it's beginning to catch on in Louisiana.

Why Restaurant Reservations Are Important

Restaurant reservations are important for quite a few reasons, benefiting both the customers and the restaurant.

Obviously, a reservation is important to the customer because it guarantees a table.

For special occasions or dietary restrictions, reservations also allow customers to communicate their needs in advance, ensuring a smoother and in some cases, a safer dining experience.

Reservations benefit the restaurants as well, enabling restaurants to manage their staff, table allocation, and kitchen operations more efficiently.

Good communication is always key in relationships, even the relationship between the restaurant and dinner.

Restaurant Reservation Fees

Across the U.S., a growing restaurant trend is something called a "Reservation Fee".

It's becoming more and more common for a restaurant to ask for a credit card number when placing a reservation, and it's going to continue to become more common.

From CBSNews.com -

"Operating on razor-thin margins, restaurants can suffer financially if a large party decides on a whim not to show up for a booking.

While charging $25 or so a head for no-shows doesn't make operators whole in the event of a last-minute cancellation, it does help them soften the blow.

The fees also encourage guests to honor their plans."

Some high-demand restaurants, especially those with long wait lists might charge a cancellation fee if the reservation is not honored or canceled within a certain time frame.

"Reservation Fees" will vary from restaurant to restaurant, and can even vary at a single establishment based on customer demands of a certain dining time.

None of us want to see the price of dining out get more expensive than it's already become, and restaurants see the "Reservation Fees" as a way to help keep prices down.

When you and your guests do show up for your reservation, the "reservation Fee" is typically deducted from the final bill.

The "Reservation Fee" policies vary as well, with most restaurants having a 12-hour policy before the time of the reservation to cancel the booking and get their deposit back.

From CBSNews.com -

"When a big party cancels, or only partially shows up to the table, it can lead to food waste and excessive spending on labor costs — because of servers not having enough work for the evening. It all adds up to a substantial hit to restaurants' revenue."

Obviously, "Reservation Fees" won't be an issue for you as long as you stay on top of your situation and be courteous in cancelling a reservation as promptly as you can if needed.

What do you think about restaurant reservation fees?