MasterChef star Dean Banks hits back at 'no shows' to his Edinburgh fine dining restaurant

MasterChef: The Professionals finalist Dean Banks has vented his anger on social media after a series of ‘no shows’ at his Edinburgh restaurant, The Pompadour.

Chef Dean Banks wrote on Twitter: “So frustrating when you have 3 x no show tables in one evening. What is wrong with people?”.

While his restaurant holds card details to allow cancellation fees to be charged, Chef Banks said that the individuals had emptied their accounts, so the money couldn’t be taken.

He added: “We shall now be taking nonrefundable deposits because of some twats!”.

Chef Banks is not the only Edinburgh restaurateur to complain about people not showing up to booked tables.

In 2021, the managers of Dine Edinburgh were forced to introduce credit card charges after losing 80 bookings in the space of a week.

Co-owner Paul Brennan took to Twitter, and wrote: “Why do people think late cancellations and not showing is acceptable?

Dean Banks outside The Pompadour in Edinburgh

“Today we had 24, yesterday 29, 17 on Monday.

“The additional food costs and wages is unsustainable when we are trying to rebuild a business and save jobs. Credit cards on tables of 4+ from Monday.”

An independent East Lothian bistro also urged the public to keep their bookings, after it had 549 no-shows in one month last year.

Earlier this week, Dean Banks at The Pompadour was awarded three AA Rosettes at the AA Hospitality Awards 22-23.

Chef Banks, who was a MasterChef: The Professionals finalist in 2018, supports claims that bookings in restaurants should be charged in the same way as plane tickets.

The restaurant has received many accolades since it opened in the Waldorf Astoria owned-hotel in June last year.

Chef Banks, who was a finalist on Masterchef: The Professionals in 2018, previously ran St Andrews restaurant Haar.

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