The landlord complains about 4,500 euros loss: NO show fee in Austria!

The landlord complains about 4,500 euros loss: NO show fee in Austria!

Wien, Österreich - in domestic gastronomy it rumbles tremendously. The Viennese host Christian Pircher stands for many restaurateurs who suffer from unreliable guests. Between a difficult to calculate economy and the lack of personnel, the situation is particularly exacerbated by "no-show" reservations. Pircher now demands a uniform "no-show fee" to counter the problem. According to Merkur , the buried reservation of an Indian wedding group-which was considered for 170 people Come - for Pircher a financial damage of around 4,500 euros. He had already hired additional employees and appointed food based on this large booking.

The pressure on gastronomy increases, because the increasing food prices also increase the restaurateur. Extensive reservations can now quickly become a legal dilemma. The introduction of "NO-Show" fees is not new, but it becomes increasingly popular to put fake reservations. In Germany, restaurant operators such as the BI: BRODD in Ulm have already implemented such fees.

legal framework conditions

The legal bases for default fees are complex. A lawyer explains that the amount of the fee in the general terms and conditions (AGB) of the restaurant must be clearly anchored in order to have existed legally. In addition, a fee claim can be legal if it can be demonstrated that damage has occurred from the non -instigate claim. This gives the possibility of requesting compensation for lost income if the cancellation is made too late or not at all.

But how exactly does such a regulation look? Lawyer Alexander Rilling emphasizes that a flat -rate amount for non -appearance cannot be requested by law. Rather, the cancellation conditions must be clearly pointed out when reservation, so that later disputes are avoided. If you don't appear more often, you may also be excluded from the reservation, says the expert council.

customer loyalty and image

The question remains how the guests react to such fees. Christian Heller from the German Knigge-Rat speaks of the "Fear of Better Option"-a phenomenon in which guests do not meet their reservation for fear of more tempting alternatives. The restaurateurs are obliged to find solutions without endangering customer loyalty. Many are even considering increasingly relying on spontaneous visits instead of fixed reservations.

On the other hand, the introduction of fees could also lead to restaurants perceived as a “rip -off”, which could harm the image. This has to be carefully weighed up - because those who are stamped as unfriendly often have a hard time to regain trust.

How the situation will develop remains to be seen. However, it is clear that the gastronomy currently has to meet many challenges and have to be found solutions that both ensure economy and look at the guests benevolently. According to the Consumer Center Lower Saxony It is worth communicating for restaurateurs, cancellation conditions and also to check legal claims.

The debate about the "NO-Show" fee will continue and could have an impact on the guests' reservation behavior in the future. An open dialogue could be the key to a harmonious coexistence. Because how do you say so beautifully? A good conversation can often work wonders.