A restaurant has left people divided after announcing a major change that would impact customers who had pre-booked a table.
Chef Olivier Vincent, of Restaurant l’îlot in Amboise, France, revealed that they’d be issuing fines to customers who turned up to eat with a different number of people than stated on the booking.
A 15 euro (£12.75) charge per person would be added to the bill for more or less people than the restaurant had been expecting, if no advance warning had been given.
The chef claimed they’d been experiencing ongoing issues with the wrong number of people turning up and a breaking point came after a frustrating message exchange with a diner who kept changing the number on the booking and then turned up on the day with an entirely different number of people.
In a statement (translated from French) on Facebook about the new rule, Olivier explained: ‘The l’îlot restaurant announces a change. From now on, if you do not come to the number of guests for whom you have booked, 15 euros will be charged per person. Missing or in addition. Thank you for understanding.’
The caption of the post simply states: ‘Without warning obviously…..’
Olivier told the Mail that the charge could easily be avoided by people calling the restaurant to let them know about the change in numbers before arriving, especially as most have ‘their phones on them 24/7’.
Hundreds of people commented on the social media post to share their thoughts on the fine, with some claiming the restaurant is ‘right’ to do this, but others suggesting the charge is ‘problematic’ as it doesn’t account for emergencies.
Aurelie Civrais said: ‘I understand the background of the message, but the form may not be the right one.
‘Emergencies exist. You are not going to give yourself great publicity. Even if the abuse exists, you go a little hard. Imagine an emergency doctor who can’t join his family for a meal, or someone who has a family emergency.’
Raphaël Coppeland felt similarly, saying that the way the restaurant had gone about making the change was ‘problematic’.
He posted: ‘Your approach is problematic even if you’re right down the drain, especially if unreported absences or last-minute modifications impact your revenue and organisation.
‘The announcement seems to blame the customers, which can create a feeling of frustration or injustice. It doesn’t take into account the unplanned or the forgetfulness, which can actually happen.
‘Some customers may interpret this as a lack of trust or an attempt to “force” consumption, rather than a necessary management and in the face of such a policy, some customers may prefer to turn to more flexible establishments or perceived as more welcoming.’
He urged the business instead to ‘think twice’ about what they were doing.
While Ývøuñ Åy said he was ‘cautious’ of the restaurant’s very ‘commercial’ decision, commenting: ‘Convoys do not always arrive at the same time, and especially, those who deserve to honor their reservation are not solidly responsible for the lack of tact (or even cases of force major) of others.’
But Olivier simply responded to criticism, saying: ‘We’re not happy about getting to this point. It’s a fact.’
Many people were fully supportive of the new charge, including a fellow restaurateur named Morgan Bonnard. She posted: ‘Totally agree with you. This type of situation is sadly becoming prevalent. Between ghost bookings, last minute cancellations, and customers arriving very late hoping to be served anyway, it’s become a real puzzle.
‘For a small establishment, every table matters. A service isn’t just about the dishes that come out, it’s about careful organisation, a team in the kitchen, precise timing — and when it derails due to reckless behavior, the lack of profit is very real.’
Laurent Roussoulières pointed out: ‘When you book a plane ticket, train or something, you get a part refunded but a part remains with the company, it’s exactly the same, in fact, it’s not that much that you probably don’t take that kind of transport. On a table of 4 not honored with an average ticket per person of 35 euros we are on a dry loss of 140 euros for traditional type restaurants. On gastronomic we table more on an average ticket of 60 euros minimum excluding wine and drink is 240 euros of dry losses, 60 euros for 4 it’s just common sense in my opinion.
‘Being a cook, seeing an empty table all a service while it’s booked, it’s head-breaking… Because we also place orders based on reservations, especially on small structures.’
And Laurence Meunier added: ‘I think it’s quite normal, people just have to warn early enough, it’s a lack of living skills, that’s what reservations are for.
‘You have guests you count eight people, two don’t show up without warning, you’ve done the groceries and cook accordingly. Personally next time I don’t invite them. That’s how he earns his bread he loses two places, so I completely understand his approach.’
According to Google, Restaurant l’îlot serves ‘inventive gourmet plates prepared in a down-to-earth restaurant with an open kitchen’.
It’s garnered a 4.7 out of five rating, with hundreds of five star reviews for the food.
One claimed they served the ‘best dinner in France’, while another praised the establishment for being ‘friendly and welcoming’. Others thought the flavours in the dishes really ‘sang’ and the meals were ‘amazing.
This comes after diners in the UK recently shared their upset over rising service charges.
While we’re using to seeing a 10 or 12.5% charge on our bills, some restaurants have quietly raised this to 15% and it’s been claimed by experts that it could go up to as much as 20 or 25% in future, in line with American tipping culture.
A number of popular restaurants have already started adding a 15% charge to bills so it’s not difficult to see how this could quickly increase.
In London, European restaurant The Wolseley has a discretionary 15% service charge as well as a mandatory £2.50 cover charge.
Similarly, Fallow in St James’s Market, a popular brunch spot, adds a 15% service charge to bills and a £1 charge to be donated to support the UN Women UK.
The story is also the same at Gordon Ramsay’s Lucky Cat restaurants in Mayfair and Bishopsgate, plus Bob Bob Ricard and Bebe Bob in Soho.
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