Spanish Restaurants Take a Stand Against UK Tourist No-Shows
Spanish bars and restaurants are implementing a significant crackdown on UK tourists who fail to honor their reservations, a practice known as "no-shows" that has plagued the hospitality industry. This phenomenon has been identified as one of the primary challenges facing restaurant owners, leading to substantial financial losses across establishments.
Major Losses in Palma Prompt Action
The Majorca Daily Bulletin reports that eateries in Palma are taking a firm stance against no-shows after experiencing huge losses. According to the Restaurant Results in Summer 2025 report by Delectatech, a company specializing in hospitality sector data, the restaurant landscape remains bleak due to a combination of no-shows and a prolonged rise in prices.
Data from TheFork indicates that in 2025, the average rate of ghost bookings in Spain decreased to 3.3 percent, showing an improvement from the 3.6 percent recorded in 2024. Despite this slight progress, restaurants are not relenting in their efforts to combat the issue.
Strict Measures Being Implemented
Restaurants across Spain are now enforcing rigorous booking policies to mitigate losses. Currently, 21 percent of restaurants require a bank footprint as a reservation guarantee, a figure that has doubled since 2023. Additionally, seven percent apply card prepayment, which has tripled in implementation over just two years.
Furthermore, TheFork platform has introduced a predictive anti-no-show tool that proactively identifies high-risk reservations. This feature analyses various variables, including customers' booking history, their behaviour on restaurant pages, and the type of establishment chosen.
Positive Outlook from Industry Leaders
Jay Kim, Country Manager Iberia at TheFork, commented on the progress, stating, "Closing 2025 with a no-show rate of 3.3%, compared to 3.6% the previous year, shows that the measures taken are working and that the sector is moving in the right direction to end this practice. At TheFork, we will continue to actively combat this practice in order to offer restaurateurs effective solutions that enable them to protect their profitability and manage their business with greater security."
Tourist Reactions to the Crackdown
In response to these new policies, tourists have expressed mixed opinions. One tourist remarked, "It is so fascinating how Spanish restaurants are fighting this phenomenon. Which literally in every other place in the world is a thing."
Another tourist shared a more critical perspective, saying, "I will NOT ever pay or use my credit card to reserve a table. If I like the restaurant and made the booking, it means I wish to eat there knowing I will get the food and service I expect. I use TheFork as much as possible and restaurants know I can be trusted when using the Fork reservation service. Sadly I know of people who book 3 to 5 restaurants on the same date and time and decide on the night which to go to and I find this disrespectful."
The ongoing efforts by Spanish restaurants highlight a growing trend in the hospitality sector to address no-shows through technological and financial safeguards, aiming to ensure sustainability and profitability in an increasingly challenging environment.
