The government makes a plea against the ‘absences’ of the restaurant and the customers who stay longer in the ‘buying rounds’

THE GOVERNMENT IS urging people not to be a ‘no-show’ restaurant by not showing up for reservations without canceling if they cannot attend.

Speaking at a briefing today, Deputy Secretary General of the Department of Taoiseach Liz Canavan said it was a “great weekend” for restaurants that reopened, but added that people should also reconsider making a reservation if they will spend time with someone. vulnerable during Christmas. .

To prevent the spread of Covid-19, Canavan said that “every contact counts” and that people should “think about what their options are.”

“If you want to spend time with someone you love at Christmas, and that person is more vulnerable to Covid-19, then don’t meet friends for lunch, maybe meet outside for a walk and have coffee.” she said.

According to the guidelines for reopening restaurants, reservations are limited to six people per table with a space of one meter per table and a limit of 1 hour and 45 minutes for sessions.

Canavan this morning called on restaurant and pub owners about this rule, asking them not to allow “customers to stay a little longer at a table because they are happy to stay there and are buying rounds.”

⚠️Update-No Shows

The restaurant owner (54 seats) texted me last night to highlight the fact that he had 18 no-show customers the first night it reopened

All the guests had confirmed their arrival when they were phoned in the morning.

“We had not requested deposits due to the times we are in”

– Adrian Cummins 🇮🇪🇪🇺 (@adriancummins) December 5, 2020

Over the weekend, the Irish Restaurant Association complained about ‘no show’ booking reports, where customers did not show up despite confirming that they planned to attend.

Similar complaints were made during the summer when the restaurants reopened.

Canavan addressed this issue this morning and asked people to cancel a reservation if they can’t.

“Restaurants and pubs that operate as restaurants have reported a positive first weekend of reopening,” he said.

“People are reminded to do their part and follow the guidelines and remember that if they cannot make a reservation, please call. It has been a difficult year for restaurants, so let’s not increase the pressure and loss of income by becoming a no show. “