The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: August first, with a bit of basic restaurant etiquette.

No-shows, people who make dinner reservations and then show up late or not at all, are a constant problem for restaurants, especially the better ones. No-shows cost restaurateurs a lot of money each year in lost business or wasted surplus food. Some restaurant industry estimates put no-show losses as high as 50 million dollars a year.

To combat the no-show problem, restaurateurs are taking drastic measures. Many routinely require deposits or credit card guarantees to hold reservations for parties of six or more. Others take a phone number and call to reconfirm your plans. Some have learned a lesson from the airlines and intentionally overbook, assuming not everyone with reservations will show up. Now restaurants are fighting back. Some charge cancellation fees. Others make a point to call no-show diners at the end of the evening to find out why they didn't make it.

Late night phone calls are obviously unpleasant for everyone concerned, but restaurant owners are adamant. As one noted, "It's no more unpleasant than being stuck with empty tables, and perhaps it will help them remember to honor their reservations the next time. It may be bad PR, but otherwise we turn away good customers."

So, next time you make a restaurant reservation and your plans change so you'll be more than 15 minutes late, or won't be able to come at all, just call and let them know. It's no more than common courtesy. And it may just save you the inconvenience of getting a midnight phone call from an angry restaurant owner.

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