Your numbers
Share of booked covers that never show up and never cancel. Commonly 5-20%.
Average revenue per seated guest (food + drink).
Reminders alone typically cut no-shows 15-30%; deposits/card-on-file cut them further.
What no-shows cost you
You could recover
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How the calculation works
The estimate is deliberately simple and transparent so you can verify it:
no-show covers / month = monthly covers × no-show rate %
lost revenue / month = no-show covers × average check
annual lost revenue = lost revenue / month × 12
recoverable / year = annual lost revenue × reduction %
residual loss / year = annual lost revenue − recoverableThis treats a no-show as fully lost revenue, which is usually accurate because, unlike a cancellation, there is no chance to rebook the table. It does not subtract variable food cost (a no-show incurs none) or add knock-on effects like wasted prep and idle staff, so for most venues it is a conservative figure. Use your own numbers and confirm against your POS.
Why no-shows are worth fixing
A no-show is the most expensive kind of empty table: the seat was sold, then vanished with no warning and no chance to resell it. Two levers cut the rate. Automated reminders nudge guests to cancel in time (so you can rebook) or simply turn up, and deposits or card-on-file give them a reason to honor the booking. Read more in our guide to reducing no-shows and how prepayments and deposits work, or see the best systems for reducing no-shows.
Related reading: No-show rate explained · No-show (glossary) · No-show fee · Reduce cancellations
Frequently asked questions
What is a restaurant no-show? +
A no-show is a guest who makes a reservation and neither shows up nor cancels, leaving a table empty that you could have sold. Unlike a cancellation, a no-show gives you no chance to rebook the table, so the lost revenue is usually total.
What is a typical restaurant no-show rate? +
No-show rates commonly fall between 5% and 20% of reservations, depending on venue type, location, and whether you take deposits or send reminders. Fine dining and high-demand venues that take deposits tend to sit at the low end; casual restaurants with free, friction-free booking sit higher. Use your own rate in the calculator above.
How do I calculate the cost of no-shows? +
Multiply your monthly covers by your no-show rate to get no-show covers, multiply that by your average check to get lost revenue per month, then multiply by 12 for the annual figure. The calculator above does this and also shows how much you could recover by reducing no-shows.
Do reminders and deposits actually reduce no-shows? +
Yes. Automated SMS and email reminders typically cut no-shows by around 15-30%, and requiring a deposit or card-on-file can reduce them much further because guests have something at stake. The right mix depends on your venue. Adjust the reduction slider above to model your own scenario.
Cite this calculator
Writing about restaurant no-shows? You're welcome to reference or link to this tool:
Restaurant No-Show Cost Calculator — https://restaurantbookingsystem.com/tools/no-show-cost-calculator/