Latest news with #OlivierVincent
Telegraph
05-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
My problem with being a restaurateur? Flaky customers
We are a small- to medium-sized neighbourhood restaurant, probably averaging 40 to 45 covers per night, serving simple but – we hope – delicious food. It's casual, but there are tablecloths and we hope to give nice service. But we sometimes have a problem: flaky customers. It's one shared by Olivier Vincent, the chef and owner of a 20-seater restaurant called L'îlot in the Loire Valley. For him, it's reached such a breaking point, he's decided to impose fines: if a group does not contain the exact reserved number of guests, they are now charged €15 (£12.92) per missing or additional person. It sounds heavy handed, but I wasn't surprised to read that Vincent had taken action – on missing customers, at least. For small, independent businesses, too many or too few customers showing up for a booking can have a big impact, in different ways. If you book a table of eight and turn up with six, we could have reconfigured and given that table to someone else. Or someone might have turned up hoping for a walk-in of two and we've turned them away, which is sad for us because it's horrible turning people away. If the big table had just called and said, 'I'm really sorry but we're going to be six now,' it's annoying, but at least you can reset the tables. A table turning up with too many people is annoying in a different way. I think we've had a table of nine that has suddenly been 14, which is 50 per cent more. Sometimes there is just genuinely not the space. Meanwhile, the people on the table are starting to get annoyed at you for not having room. What are we supposed to do? Sometimes people don't understand that as a restaurant you have a responsibility to all of your diners and not just one table. A table of eight turning up with 12 or 13 changes the dynamic of the room. A huge table will sometimes take over the restaurant in a way that isn't fair on the rest of the diners. I feel like restaurants are the final frontier of understanding that if you commit to coming you ought to pay. If you buy a theatre ticket and you can't make it last minute, you're not going to get your money back. The same with a massage or a ticket for an exhibition. For some reason that psyche doesn't apply to restaurants. Partly it's because you haven't paid for your meal upfront, although some restaurants now make you do that. People feel aggrieved about the notion of having to pay something to a restaurant if their plans change. I sometimes wonder what people think restaurants make, money-wise. When you look at a waiter, or a chef, does anyone think they are living a life of luxury? None of us are rolling in it. Mostly we do this because it's a passion. One or two people not showing up might not seem like a big deal, but actually it is a big deal financially. A table of 10 dropping to a table of six is a 12.5 per cent service charge of those four people that none of the staff are going to see. I don't think people realise that someone's pay cheque is instantly reduced if fewer people than expected turn up. The problem is definitely getting worse. A lot of customers lie about their reasons for not showing up, too. It is hard for us to negotiate that. Some restaurants make it very clear there are no exceptions. I don't know if I agree with that. Sometimes people genuinely have had an emergency. But sometimes people have a table of eight but one of their party is sick so none of them come, which is ridiculous. Part of the problem is people being reluctant to call on the phone. When we opened Cafe Deco I refused to have an online booking system, because I was so depressed by the fact people were so scared to pick up the phone and speak to a human. I hated the few experiences I'd had when I'd gone in to book a restaurant and been directed to the online database. Ultimately we had to move to a booking system because having to ring was putting off so many people coming. If you don't have to speak to someone, you don't have to take responsibility. If you're doing something that you know is going to be annoying for a restaurant, maybe if you don't have to speak to someone it's not so bad for you. The generation who started dining out before everything was digitised are better at ringing. It's the younger customers who are less considerate and less understanding of their commitment. We have a cancellation fee; if you cancel with less than 24 hours notice, you'll get charged. For tables over six, we take a £30 deposit per head up front, which incentivises people to figure it out. If you turn up with more people than your booking, it's really annoying but we're not going to lose money unless we have no space and they all walk out, so we have no plans to implement a fee for that. It's important to say that these cases are still the exception, rather than the rule. It just happens a bit too often. It doesn't give us the chance to give you the best experience, which is what our job is, and what we aim to do every time.
News18
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Believe It Or Not, This French Restaurant Has A ₹1,500 Fine For No-Show
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.
NDTV
14-06-2025
- NDTV
French Restaurant Fines Diners Rs 1,500 For Dining Mistakes, Sparks Outrage
A small restaurant in Amboise, France, has stirred controversy after its owner announced a new policy to fine customers for arriving with a different number of guests than stated in their reservation. Olivier Vincent, chef and manager of L'ilot, a 20-seat eatery, introduced the 15 Euro (approximately Rs 1500) charge per missing or extra person to tackle what he calls a "weekly" issue. Frustrated by frequent no-shows or unexpected additions to booked tables, Vincent said the move is meant to make customers more responsible and respectful of restaurant operations. In a Facebook post, he informed patrons that the new rule would be enforced moving forward. In a statement (translated from French) on Facebook about the new rule, Olivier explained, "The L'Ilot restaurant announces a change. From now on, if you do not come to the number of guests for whom you have booked, 15 euros will be charged per person. Missing or in addition. Thank you for understanding." The caption of the post simply states, "Without warning, obviously.....". Olivier told the Daily Mail that the charge could easily be avoided by people calling the restaurant to let them know about the change in numbers before arriving, especially as most have "their phones on them 24/7". Hundreds of people commented on the social media post to share their thoughts on the fine, with some claiming the restaurant is 'right' to do this, but others suggesting the charge is 'problematic' as it doesn't account for emergencies. Aurelie Civrais said, "I understand the background of the message, but the form may not be the right one. Emergencies exist. You are not going to give yourself great publicity. Even if the abuse exists, you go a little too hard. Imagine an emergency doctor who can't join his family for a meal or someone who has a family emergency."
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
French Restaurant Sparks Debate with New Reservation Policy Charging for Missing or Extra Guests
A French restaurant posted about a new policy that will charge customers for every person added or missing from a reservation The fee, which is over $17, came after years of incorrect reservations, according to the restaurant's chef The Facebook post about the policy sparked outrage from some users who thought it wasn't lenient to emergencies and support from others who agreed that customers should "take responsibility" The internet is getting heated about one restaurant's reservation policy. Restaurant L'îlot, an intimate, 20-seat French spot in Amboise, France, took to Facebook to share an updated rule for customers with reservations. 'From now on, if you do not show up for the number of guests you reserved, you will be charged €15 per missing or additional person,' the digital flyer, signed off by the restaurant's chef Olivier Vincent, read in French. The notice was also taped to the restaurant's window. The fee, which is over $17, came after years of incorrect reservations, Vincent told local outlet France Bleu. 'Everyone has their phone on them, 24/7, in their pocket, on their nose. 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,' he told the outlet in French. Among the more than 300 comments, many Facebook users thought the restaurant was not understanding of outlying circumstances. 'Emergencies exist,' one person wrote. Others took to the comments to warn the restaurant that the policy is not 'great publicity.' Meanwhile, others backed the restaurant. 'For a small establishment, every table matters,' one person explained. Others stressed that customers should update a restaurant about a change in a reservation, as it is merely the polite thing to do. 'Everyone should take responsibility,' one person wrote and another wrote, 'It's called respect.' The restaurant did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request to comment. A restaurant in Georgia got the internet talking for its $50 surcharge 'for adults unable to parent.' Back in 2023, Lyndsey Landmann and her loved ones visited Toccoa Riverside Restaurant in Georgia. According to Today, Lyndsey, her husband, Kyle, and their two kids, were joined by four other families, adding up to 11 children at the table. At the end of their meal, the group was charged a $50 fee on their check for their children being 'too loud." There are several notes at the bottom of the Blue Ridge, Georgia restaurant's food menu regarding etiquette and payment. There are more traditional suggestions like 'be respectful to staff' but the one that caught Lyndsey's eye read: 'Adult surcharge: For adults unable to parent $$$' But when she saw the eatery's 'adult surcharge' warning on the menu, she thought that it was "a joke," she told the outlet. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Restaurant charges $17 fee for customers who commit this common dining practice: ‘Going a bit far'
People are expressing 'reservations' about this new policy. A French restaurateur has been ripped online after announcing a new fine on dining parties whose number of members didn't match their original booking. Olivier Vincent, chef and manager at L'îlot in Amboise, had reportedly become fed up with parties that either exceeded or fell short of the number of patrons they had reserved for, local media reported. The problem — which reportedly occurred on a 'weekly' basis, per the boss — was particularly damaging as his venue only has 20 seats. Vincent post, which has garnered 27,000 views in the first 24 hours, that diners who fail to arrive with the number of guests specified on their reservation 'will be charged 15 euros ($17.27) per missing or additional person.' 'Thank you for your understanding,' the Frenchman wrote. 'We're here because we need to make people responsible.' L'îlot currently boasts a respectable 4.7 stars on Google, where it's described as serving 'inventive gourmet plates prepared in a down-to-earth restaurant with an open kitchen.' According to Vincent, the incorrect booking issue had been ongoing since COVID, but things came to a head last Sunday when one customer exchanged multiple messages trying to change the booking. '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 recalled. Vincent said there's no excuse for this mistake in a day and age where '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,' he declared. 'If we are here, it is to work. It is not to have tables, not to have customers,' Vincent vented. 'We organize ourselves so that everything is serene. We have staff. We work with fresh products. We do not pay employees and suppliers with Monopoly tickets. My restaurant is a business.' However, the policy received mixed reviews with some critics claiming that it was unfair to diners who had to cancel last-minute due to unforeseen circumstances. 'A bit of a limiting business practice if there are only one or two people missing from a large table,' said one. 'Emergencies exist. You're not going to get great publicity for yourself.' They added, '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.' 'A last-minute unforeseen event,' said another. '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.' However, many were on board with the issue, which they felt was the perfect antidote to an epidemic of inconsiderate diners. '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,' said one defender. 'You have guests, you count 8 people, two don't come without warning, you've done the shopping and the cooking accordingly.' 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.' Meanwhile, a fellow restaurateur claimed that 'this kind of situation has unfortunately become commonplace.' 'Between phantom reservations, last-minute cancellations, and customers arriving very late hoping to be served anyway, it's become a real headache,' they wrote. 'For a small establishment, every table counts. Service isn't just about dishes coming out, it's about meticulous organization, a kitchen team, precise timing—and when things go off the rails because of careless behavior, the loss of revenue is very real.'
