Revenue
How to cut no-shows with deposits, card guarantees and reminders
The four tools in OmniDine that make guests turn up or let you know early, and when to use each one.
6 min readUpdated 21 October 2026
An empty table on a Saturday night is revenue you can't get back. OmniDine gives you four tools, and the trick is to match each one to the booking.
| Tool | Best for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit (fixed or per person) | Busy dates, large parties, events | Guests who've paid are far less likely to skip, and you hold cash upfront. |
| Card guarantee | Everyday dates | No upfront charge to put guests off, but a no-show fee can be charged later. |
| Email and SMS reminders | Every booking | Texts are read more reliably than email, so forgotten bookings drop. |
| Change and cancel links | Every booking | Guests release the table early instead of not turning up, so you can resell it. |
Use your own data to decide
Every booking is marked completed, no-show or cancelled, and guest profiles count no-shows per guest. Reports show your no-show rate and fees charged. If no-shows cluster on certain days or party sizes, ask for a deposit there and keep everyday bookings friction-free.
Settings: deposit per person, minimum party size and card-guarantee no-show fee.
When a table is released
If a guest cancels a full date, the public waitlist offers the table by email or text, and the first person to book gets it. Unpaid checkouts only hold a table briefly, so abandoned bookings don't block real ones.
See it on your own floor plan
Reservations is free for one venue, with no card needed. Add the till for £10 a month when you're ready.