Guides · etiquette

Restaurant reservation etiquette: the unwritten rules, written down

Reservations run on a quiet contract between you and the restaurant. Keep your side and you'll be the guest every host is glad to see. Here's the whole etiquette, including the one that matters most: the no-show.

The no-show is the cardinal sin

An empty reserved table on a busy night is money a restaurant can't get back — the seats were held for you and turned away from someone else. If you can't make it, cancel. It takes ten seconds and it's the single most respectful thing a diner can do. Restaurants remember both no-shows and the guests who always cancel gracefully.

Cancel or change as early as you can

A cancellation two hours out can still be rebooked; one at the reserved minute cannot. If your plans wobble, tell them the moment you know. Most systems — KwickTable included — make it a tap.

Show up on time, and complete

On time means the reserved time, not fifteen minutes after. Many restaurants hold a table only 15 minutes before releasing it.
Complete means your whole party, or close to it. Being seated with two of six because "the rest are coming" ties up a large table and throws off the floor.

Right-size the booking

Book for the number who are actually coming. Reserving a six-top "just in case" and arriving as three costs the restaurant a table it could have filled. If your number changes, update the reservation.

Special requests: ask, don't assume

Birthday, anniversary, a quiet corner, a high chair, an allergy — put it in the reservation note. When the booking is part of the POS, that note reaches the server, not a dead field in an app. (More on that in dining with allergies.)

Why this is easier on a POS-native system: cancelling, changing party size, and leaving a note all flow to the restaurant's floor instantly, so your courtesy actually lands where the staff will see it.

Common questions

How late is too late for a reservation?

Assume the table is held about 15 minutes past your time unless you've called. If you're running late, message the restaurant — with a POS-native system that note reaches the host stand.

Is it rude to cancel a reservation?

The opposite — cancelling is the courteous move if you can't come. The rude thing is the silent no-show. Cancel as early as you can.

Should I tip differently if I used a reservation app?

No. Tip on the service as always; the booking tool doesn't change that.