Overview
- Vine & Fire, which opened on St Johns Road in March, reported that 31 people booked for tables did not arrive on June 21.
- Owner and chef Josh Stanton posted on Instagram asking customers to cancel if plans change and described no-shows as “really hard” for a small business.
- The post first said about 20 people failed to turn up and was updated several hours later to state a total of 31 no-shows by the end of the day.
- The plea drew public support from local customers and other independent businesses, many of whom shared similar no-show experiences.
- The restaurant says it will roll out a new booking system in the coming days to reduce future no-shows, a common fix that can include confirmations or deposits though specific measures have not been detailed.