article_snippet: A Michelin-starred restaurant in London has become the first in the country where customers will have to pay before customers eat.
article_snippet: one-Michelin-starred chef Isacc McHale says the cost of cancellations can be damaging for businesses. '
article_snippet: But everyone has a problem with no shows and short-seated tables. '
article_snippet: The more ambitious your restaurant, the more money you spend on ingredients and staff, and you want to keep prices down.
article_snippet: We tend to have very high break-evens.'
article_snippet: The entire cost of the meal must be paid for in advance - although drinks and extra items can be settled on the day.
article_snippet: The system works very much along the lines of sport, theatre or gig bookings, and will see diners forfeit the price of diners meals if diners don't show up. '
article_snippet: By the time someone walks into our restaurant our have already spent a lot of money on ingredients and on getting the right amount of staff, so if they cancel it is very expensive for us,'
article_snippet: Diners used to lose deposits if Diners didn't show up but Diners want to give people good hospitality and it offends guests when people have to give people credit card details before people arrive.'
highlights_snippet: Customers will lose Customers money if Customers don't show up for Customers booking .