hand, they must ensure optimal operational efficacy of the provision of these services, optimal prediction and control of the flow of customers (restaurant guests) and table turnover, as well as minimisation and mitigation of the risks of reservation cancellations which may lead to many financial and organisational problems connected with the number of staff, prevention of food waste, optimal activation of restaurant facilities and space, et al. On the other hand, reservation cancellation policies must motivate customers to use the option of booking reservations for a particular date and a specific number of customers. It is also extremely important to increase the customers’ awareness of the effects of restaurant reservations and their cancellations.3 Reservation cancellation policies (e.g. the time-frame for free cancellation of reservation - the ‘cancellation window’) must be organised in the way not to demotivate customers from taking advantage of reservations and discourage them from considering the possibility of using services of a restaurant because of its stringent cancellation policy and consequently search for alternative services.4 Customers must be provided with transparent information on the method and the time-frame of cancellation, as well as on the consequences of not acting in accordance with the reservation. At the same time, efficient reservation cancellation policies must also take into account specific and justified circumstances which have prevented the customer from cancelling the reservation in time. A particularly sensitive issue is optimal and just determination of the relationship between the provider of restaurant services and its customer who booked a reservation but did not arrive at the restaurant in due time without cancelling it. Therefore, there are widespread cases where restaurants require no-show fee from guests who booked their reservations but failed to arrive in due time. Already at the time of booking, customers are invited to honour their reservation and provide some insurance against untimely cancellation or no-shows, while the provider of restaurant services will be in the position to charge a no-show fee. Indeed, such behaviour org/10.1111/ijcs.70069 (accessed: 5/10/2025); Kim, L.E., Tang, J.: Tackling no-shows in fine dining: insights into cancellation policies and consumer awareness campaigns, Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management, 2024, pp. 423, 424; https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41272-024-00499-1 (accessed 5/10/2025). On the importance of systems for restaurant management and in particular on the impact on the business of restaurants depending on whether their services are offered on the basis of pre-booked reservations or by supplying them to “walk-in” customers. See Gregorach, J.B.: Restaurant revenue management: apply reservation mangement?, Technology & Tourism, 2016, pp. 331-346; https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40558-016-0065-0 (accessed: 5/10/2025). 3 See Kim, L.E, Tang, J., Kim M., Kim E.J.: o.c., p. 3. 4 See Kim, L.E, Tang, J., Kim M., Kim E.J.: o.c., pp. 10-12. Stringent cancellation policies may also have impact on the increase of negative restaurant evaluations. See Kim L.E., Tang, J.: o.c., pp. 431, 432. 116 TATJANA JOSIPOVIĆ
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