Numbers of cancellations and no shows begin to drop
Data collected from 1,250 consumers shows that cancellations dropped from 23% for the week commencing 13 July, to 11% on the week commencing 27 July.
Meanwhile, no shows during the same time period dropped slightly from 24% to 22%.
The survey also found that whilst only 53% of consumers who had booked a table in the middle of the month turned up, this figure increased to 66% by the end of July.
“With pre-booking now becoming a near-essential part of the eating and drinking out experience and with a high rate of no shows and cancellations during the first weeks of opening, it’s encouraging to see far more consumers are turning up to their reserved bookings than previously,” says Charlie Mitchell, CGA research and insight director.
Mitchell adds that, moving forward, operators will need the number of no shows to continue falling.
"Prominent campaigns, media coverage, as well as improving confidence look to have had a positive impact at persuading consumers not to cancel at a time when pubs, bars and restaurants can ill-afford empty tables."
The data follows a united #NoMoreNoShows campaign launched by the industry last month, where a number of business leaders made personal pleas to consumers to honour their bookings.
