While Swiss guests are generally very reliable, international guests account for a disproportionately high number of no-shows. Statistics show: The no-show rate for Swiss guests is around 2%, whereas for guests from abroad, it is as high as 7.5%. This difference is particularly noticeable during peak tourist seasons .
Sascha Menzi, manager of the Zurich restaurant Gertrudhof, was one of the first in Switzerland to use the new foratable feature: only international guests are required to provide credit card details when booking online. No-show fees of CHF 50 per person are automatically charged if they fail to show up.
"Since we introduced this measure, the problem has practically disappeared within this group of guests," Menzi said in an interview with Blick.
For domestic guests, a standard reservation is still sufficient – the difference is automatically detected and clearly communicated.
Christian Rizzo, operator of the Zunfthaus zur Haue in Zurich, has also introduced a no-show fee – and reports in the NZZ that it has provided noticeable relief for his operations. The change took some getting used to at first, but the team now benefits from better planning and higher occupancy.
The new foratable feature allows restaurants to apply no-show policies specifically to tourists, based on the guest's phone number. This keeps the reservation process simple and accessible for local regulars, while providing targeted protection against high-risk bookings.
With this feature, foratable is setting a new standard for fairness and efficiency in the restaurant industry. If you want to reliably welcome your guests and avoid financial losses, you will always find the right solution with us.
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