Believe It Or Not, This French Restaurant Has A ₹1,500 Fine For No-Show

News18

14-06-2025

Last Updated:
The French restaurant introduced the policy after repeated frustrations with no-shows and unexpected extra guests.
A French chef's strict new policy is sparking debate online. At his intimate 20-seat restaurant, L'îlot in Amboise, chef and owner Olivier Vincent has introduced a fine for guests who arrive with more or fewer people than listed in their original reservation. The move comes after repeated frustrations over no-shows and surprise additions.
In a Facebook post, he announced that customers who fail to inform the restaurant about changes in party size will be charged €15 (nearly Rs 1,500) per missing or extra person. The caption read, 'Without warning obviously….."
'After about ten emails with one person, she told us there would be eight, then nine, and finally, they arrived at seven without warning, without apology," he told the outlet.
He explained that a simple heads-up could prevent chaos in a small restaurant that relies on every seat being filled.
'Everyone has their phone on them, 24/7, in their pocket. If we are able to reserve, we are able to call to say if we will be less, or more, or that we are not coming," Vincent said.
'If we are here, it is to work. It is not to have tables, not to have customers," he added.
But not everyone agreed with the rule. Some people said it was unfair to diners who might have to cancel at the last minute because of emergencies or unexpected situations.
One user wrote, 'And if you have a problem in the kitchen and the service is too long you refund €15 too."
Another said, 'Getting left outside the restaurant (it's happened to me before)… Well, I might as well go somewhere else then. It seems pretty counterproductive to me."
'Even if abuses exist, you are going a bit far. Imagine an on-call doctor who can't join their family for dinner, or someone who has a family emergency," someone else added.
There were many who supported the move. 'I think it's completely normal, people just have to give enough notice, it's a lack of good manners, that's what reservations are for. You have guests, you count 8 people, two don't come without warning, you've done the shopping and the cooking accordingly," a person wrote.
They added, 'Personally, the next time I don't invite them. This is his livelihood; he loses two places, so I completely understand his approach."
According to Vincent, the problem occurs almost every week, causing a significant disruption for a small restaurant operating with just 20 seats. L'îlot, which enjoys a 4.7-star rating on Google, is known for its 'inventive gourmet plates" served in a relaxed setting with an open kitchen.