James Martin criticises no-show diners after 92 people bail on reservations at friend’s restaurant

‘It’s an ongoing problem that needs to be addressed,’ says TV chef

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James Martin has criticised people who fail to show up to restaurant reservations during an appearance on This Morning after explaining that 92 diners did not turn up to reservations they’d made at one of his friend’s restaurants.

The TV chef was asked whether or not he’d had any bad experiences with no-shows.

“Fortunately only a few times, not to the extent of some people I’ve heard about,” he responded.

“One of my friends had 96 people booked for lunch and only four turned up.

“So you can imagine running a business like that. It’s very difficult in the hardest times, it’s really difficult getting food really let alone staff.”

Martin described no-shows as an “ongoing problem” in the restaurant industry “that needs to be addressed”.

As for finding a solution, the TV chef explained that it’s easier said than done.

“It’s a chicken and egg thing,” he said. ”It’s difficult to know what to do. There’s no answer for it.

“You’d hope that people have a little bit of common sense and a little bit of courtesy.”

Martin’s comments come after several high-profile British chefs have spoken out about the strain that no-shows are putting on the restaurant industry, which is already in a state of flux due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Last week, Tom Kerridge spoke about the subject after a group of 27 people failed to show up to his eponymous establishment at the Corinthia Hotel in London.

Writing on Instagram, Kerridge called the group’s behaviour “selfish” and “disgraceful” considering that so many restaurants are struggling to stay afloat due to Covid-19.

“Your behaviour is disgraceful, shortsighted and down right unhelpful,” he wrote in the caption beneath a photograph of Russell Crowe from the film 300.

“YOU are putting people’s jobs more at risk,” he continued.

“We put staff levels to the number of covers booked and when you fail to turn up, it now costs us, which in turn will force very uncomfortable and hard decisions about staffing levels.

“You are the worst kind of guest, and that is ‘selfish’. I hope you have good look at yourselves.”