The Effects of Restaurant Cancellation Policies and No-Show Awareness Campaigns on Reservation Behaviors

Abstract

This study addresses the persisting issue of restaurant reservation no-shows by applying the availability heuristic principle to analyze booking behaviors. Three experiments identified cancellation policy features and factors influencing booking and no-show behaviors. Findings confirmed that a cancellation barrier (i.e., strict policy and complex cancellation method) decreases no-show intentions and negatively affects booking intentions. This research suggests that a lenient cancellation policy, an easy cancellation method, and an awareness campaign can encourage positive guest booking behavior and reduce no-shows. Applying the availability heuristic principle to restaurant management, the current research enhances the understanding of psychological factors affecting guest decisions and identifies effective strategies to reduce no-shows while supporting favorable booking behavior.