How to Implement Restaurant No-Show Deposits in Canada

When a party books a table for Friday night and simply doesn't show up, it hurts. The food has been prepped, the staff scheduled, and other walk-in guests turned away. In today's economy, Canadian restaurant operators are increasingly turning to no-show protection features to safeguard their seat inventory.

Options for No-Show Protection

There are two common ways to set up no-show protection in your reservation flow:

• Card hold or cancellation policy: Guests provide payment details and agree to a clearly disclosed fee that may be charged if they cancel outside the stated window or do not arrive.
• Prepaid Deposits: For high-concept events, holidays (like Mother's Day or Valentine's Day), or large groups, the guest pays a deposit or purchase price upfront, which is then deducted from their final bill.

How Dashi Reserve protects your tables

Dashi Reserve supports deposits and card holds through connected payment providers. The restaurant defines the amount, timing, cancellation window, refund handling, and guest communications. Payment credentials should be handled by the payment provider rather than stored directly by restaurant staff.

Policy and rollout checklist

• Display the amount, cancellation deadline, and refund terms before the guest confirms.
• Collect affirmative agreement and send the policy in the confirmation message.
• Train staff on exceptions, disputes, refunds, late arrivals, and accessibility needs.
• Start with high-demand services or large parties, then compare no-show and cancellation rates.
• Have Canadian legal and tax advisers review your wording and accounting treatment.

Sources and verification

Platform examples were reviewed against public provider guidance on August 13, 2026. This article is operational information, not legal advice.