Enter your booking volumes for the period, the average value of a booking, and how many were no-shows or late cancellations. Add your deposit or cancellation fee policy to see how much revenue is actually being lost after recovery.
A no-show is not just lost revenue on that booking — it is also lost opportunity cost, since a table or room that could have been sold to someone else was held instead. For accommodation, an unsold room on the night is revenue gone forever; for restaurants, an unfilled table during a busy service is one of the most expensive losses in hospitality.
Taking a card deposit or pre-authorisation at the time of booking is the single most effective deterrent to no-shows. Even a modest deposit (e.g. £10–20 per head) significantly reduces no-show rates because it creates commitment at the point of booking.
A clear, communicated cancellation window (typically 24–48 hours before arrival) allows you to release the table or room for resale. Charging a fee for cancellations inside this window — rather than treating cancellations and no-shows identically — creates a fair, graduated policy that most guests accept.
Automated SMS or email reminders sent 24 hours before the booking are proven to meaningfully reduce no-show rates by prompting guests to actively cancel if plans have changed, rather than simply not turning up.
Larger bookings (8+ covers, or multi-night accommodation stays) carry disproportionate risk if they no-show. Many operators apply a mandatory deposit above a certain party size or booking value regardless of their standard policy.
This calculator provides estimates based on the figures you enter. JWBIZ Ltd accepts no liability for policy or financial decisions made on the basis of this tool.