4 Steps to Stop No-Shows Ruining Your Christmas Party Bookings

The festive season is one of the busiest, and often most exciting, times of the year for restaurants, bars, and other hospitality venues. But with all the buzz around generating Christmas party bookings, there’s one thing that can quickly dampen the holiday cheer: no-shows. 

No-shows are frustrating, costly, and unfortunately, all too common. They’ve previously been estimated to cost the UK hospitality industry £17.6 billion a year, and with rising costs in 2025, their impact is being felt more than ever. 

During the festive period, every booking counts. You’re likely turning away walk ins and additional bookings to hold spots for large parties, and when these bookings don’t show up, it’s not just a missed opportunity: it’s lost revenue. 

Here are the steps that you should think about to minimise the risk of no-shows: 

How to achieve 100% attendance for your Christmas Party Bookings

1. Collect Deposits

Making a reservation has never been easier. Unfortunately, this also applies to not showing up to a booking too.    

Storing card details to charge a no-show fee, or taking a deposit, or full payment up front, can go a long way to reduce no-shows. It shows commitment from the guest and gives you peace of mind. With ResDiary, you can set deposit rules for different party sizes and booking types automatically. 

2. Send Booking Reminders 

It is often easy to overlook the fact that customers are human too, living in a busy, hectic, and dynamic world where so many things can be unintentionally forgotten.  

With Christmas party bookings now happening so far in advance, automated emails can help to remind your customers about their booking and build up their excitement. A quick reminder email or SMS a few days before the booking can make all the difference. It keeps your venue top of mind and gives guests a chance to confirm or cancel in good time. 

Messages about the reservation in advance will remind your customers of the details of their party booking, and including an active link to allow the guest to easily switch the time or edit the number of attendees can also save you lots of money and hassle.  

It seems simple but can be forgotten without a system in place.  

With ResDiary’s automated communication method, restaurant staff members can cut down admin time from making phone calls but can be assured that partygoers know where to go. These are fully customisable to fit in with your branding and the occasion.

3. Take Pre-Orders 

Nothing takes the shine off a festive event more than long waits for food and drinks - but sadly this is what can happen when large parties are not encouraged to pre-order.

Not only that, but it can put pressure on your kitchen teams, bar staff, and waiting staff, and can even lead to menu shortages. This all culminates in a negative customer experience, which is definitely not what you want. 

When guests pre-order and choose their meals in advance, they’re more likely to show up (another way to reduce no-shows!) and it also helps your kitchen prep efficiently and reduce waste. Win-win. 

Plus, pre-orders take stress off teams by helping with managing stock and controlling running costs by doing all the admin. That way, you and your team are free to focus on delivering an excellent service, in venue dining experience, and encouraging repeat business. Win-win-win! 

With a booking and table management system like ResDiary, you can track and compile guest orders ahead of their visit, print place cards with their details, and accept full payment in advance. A great way to take the stress out of large party bookings and ensure your parties not only show, but book again in the future. 

4. Make it Easy to Cancel or Amend Bookings 

Life happens. Plans change, people get unwell, and sometimes customers just can’t make it.  

That’s why giving guests an easy way to update their booking (without calling during service) helps you manage your diary and refill tables if needed. 

When guests can manage their own reservations online, it reduces the pressure on your front-of-house team and gives you more time to focus on service. More importantly, it gives you a chance to refill those tables quickly and make those slots available again, especially during the high-demand festive season. 

With ResDiary, guests can modify or cancel their bookings directly through your website, booking widget, or confirmation emails, with real-time updates coming straight to you in your diary. Plus, with automated waitlists and booking rules, ResDiary can even help you fill cancelled slots instantly by offering them to other interested diners. It’s a simple way to reduce no-shows, keep your tables full, and make life easier for everyone involved. 

Summary

No-shows are an expensive problem for the hospitality industry, costing an estimated £17.6bn per year. And with festive season bringing in more bookings than usual for most venues, it’s essential to protect your Christmas party bookings and the revenue that comes with them. 

The key steps to preventing no-shows this festive season are: 

• Collecting deposits
• Sending booking reminders
• Taking pre-orders
• Making bookings easily editable 

If you prepare effectively for the festive period and implement these tactics in advance, then you can get ahead of the game and make no-shows a non-issue. 

Plus, with tools like ResDiary, you can automate these processes, keep your tables full, and deliver a smoother, more profitable festive season for both your team and your guests. Explore ResDiary’s  features to discover all the ways you can optimise your operations. 

For more insights into how to make the most of the festive period, download our report Beyond the Booking - Festive Season Success Unwrapped today: