More restaurants to make customers fork out for not turning up

More restaurants are to start charging for no-shows this year.

Some have already started taking non-refundable deposits from customers in a bid to tackle the problem.

The Restaurants Association of Ireland says it has written to its members to advise them to have a booking policy in place.

The Sunday Times reports that no-shows mean that restaurants are losing out because they have already spent money on food and staff.