To Charge or Not To Charge?

Charging guests for booking a reservation that they don’t show up for is becoming more popular.  Ten years ago, this was a practice in the big cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. When this practice began, I must be honest I told my customers not to do this charge because it could cost them clients. When restaurants began charging guests the three-percent credit card fee, I was against that as well. Again, times are changing and so is my opinion about what charges are appropriate to put back onto the guest. However, I also believe that a number of restaurants have gone too far when it comes to charging a number of other items to the guest. 

What Products or Services Should Restaurants Charge For?Let’s start with the reservation charge. For now, I have recommended to my clients to only utilize the reservation charge during holidays (Mother’s Day, Christmas, New Years, Easter, etc.). One of my fine dining clients did not do this charge this year on New Years and…