Los Angeles Restaurant Tweets Names of No-Shows
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@redmedicinela/Twitter(NEW YORK) — Ever skipped out on a reservation? A few Tweets from a restaurant in Los Angeles might have you thinking twice before you don’t show up.
“Hi Kyle Anderson (323), I hope you enjoyed your gf’s bday and the flowers that you didn’t bring when you no-showed for your 815 res. Thanks,” Tweeted Noah Ellis, managing partner of Red Medicine, after the reservation didn’t show up on Saturday night.
“Also, big thanks to Carlos MacManus, Colin Rolfs, Allison Joyce, Sam Java, Daniella Brown, and Matt Lopez for no-showing btwn 730p-930p,” Ellis continued. “All the nice guests who wonder why restaurants overbook and they sometimes have to wait for their res should thank people like those below.”
Ellis’ posts spurred a Twitter conversation on restaurant reservations, and most agreed with what he did.
“On Saturday, we lost numerous prime tables as no shows, which besides hurting our business, really wasn’t fair to the guests who took a 6:15 p.m. or 9:30 p.m. reservation instead of the 7:30 p.m. or 8 p.m. they wanted. I was frustrated,” Ellis told ABC News.
Ranked as one of the best 100 restaurants in the United States by Opinionatedaboutdining.com, Red Medicine management has been trying to figure out the optimal way to keep diners happy and business steady.
After trying several other methods, like taking a credit card for each reservation or only accepting walk-ins, Ellis realized, “There’s no winning.”
“Emergencies happen, but most diners who no-show most likely don’t think twice about it. We’d like diners to realize that one short call to cancel can make a big difference,” he said.
Starting last August, three Michelin-starred Alinea began selling restaurant ticket reservations for their $200 tasting menu. For now, Red Medicine will continue to take reservations.
“The ticketing systems are interesting, but we do most of our business a la carte, and I’m not sure we have the consistent demand to justify it,” said Ellis.
As for the diners who were outed in the Twitter rant, only one replied with an explanation.
“We responded and invited him back in,” Ellis said.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio