Strict reservation policies shake up Toronto’s dining scene, Canada Reviews

As Toronto continues to rise as a globally recognized food destination, reservations are a necessity, if not the only way, to get seating at some of the most in-demand hot spots around town. But just as they’re becoming more and more necessary, restaurants continue to add new policies to their reservations, making it even harder to secure a table.

From booking fees and required credit card numbers to limited reservation windows, third-party portals and steep fees for no-shows, Toronto’s restaurants are tightening the reins.

Yorkville’s Osteria Giulia charges $75 per guest for no-shows or cancellations within 48 hours, with reservations opening just 14 days in advance. Osteria Giulia’s strict policies, including potential forfeiture for significant party reductions, are listed before the booking link to ensure customers agree up front.

Turkish brunch destination Pasaj has a similar policy, though at a smaller price point of $25 for no-shows and cancellations made within 24 hours. Although it might be a costly fee, owners Dee and John Ülgen felt they had no choice.

“When we weren’t charging anything, we would have 90 or 100 reservations but only 20 per cent were showing up,” Dee says. “It’s a huge, huge difference because you prepare yourself for a busy day and then you end up in a much less busy day, and, of course, there are walk-ins, but that can only fill up so much. So it was a huge disadvantage to us.”

Since implementing credit card requirements and no-show fines two years ago, the Ülgens have reduced no-shows from 80 per cent of reservations to just one to five per cent.

“If someone has to cancel, we understand and try to accommodate,” says John. “But we need to know, so we can free up the table for customers seeking last-minute reservations.”

The owners implemented an advanced booking limit after noticing that the further out reservations were made, the more likely they were to be forgotten.

Hemant Bhagwani, owner of Bar Goa, which charges a $25 no-show and cancellation fee (even for its prepaid 7-course omakase), believes booking more than 30 days in advance is excessive, a limit most restaurants won’t exceed.

“It’s common for people from out of town to book last-minute reservations,” says Bhagwani. “But when we call to confirm, their phones don’t work or they’ve forgotten they even made the booking.”

Although adding a no-show charge seems like a simple fix, it doesn’t please everyone — especially out-of-town diners like Kennedy Vekeman, a Nova Scotia resident who often plans trips to Toronto to try the city’s trendiest spots.

“When I travel, I like to book three or four weeks ahead to get it sorted,” she says. “If I can’t reserve while planning my trip, I’d think twice about going. If it’s not a must-try, we’d probably skip it.”

Bhagwani notes a drop in reservations since requiring credit card info, creating a cycle where increased walk-ins can’t be seated due to his small dining room’s limitations, undermining the effectiveness of reservations.

“There are days where we win some, and there are days where we lose, and we just try to strike a good balance,” he says.

Bhagwani observes that while popular, smaller restaurants are adopting stricter reservation policies, such measures need to be more widespread, especially for special occasions like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, when diners often book multiple venues and show up at just one, leaving others empty.

“We tend to lose more patrons on busy nights and special occasions, so stricter measures are needed,” Bhagwani suggests. “We should consider charging the full amount or the total of the omakase up front, treating reservations like ticket sales.”

With the consensus that no-shows persist without financial repercussions, it looks like stricter reservation policies may be the inevitable result of our own actions.