The Effects of Restaurant Cancellation Policies and No‐Show Awareness Campaigns on Reservation Behaviors

ABSTRACT This study addresses the persisting issue of restaurant reservation no‐shows by applying the availability heuristic principle to analyze booking behaviors. Three experiments identified cancellation policy features and factors influencing booking and no‐show behaviors. Findings confirmed that a cancellation barrier (i.e., strict policy and complex cancellation method) decreases no‐show intentions and negatively affects booking intentions. This research suggests that a lenient cancellation policy, an easy cancellation method, and an awareness campaign can encourage positive guest booking behavior and reduce no‐shows. Applying the availability heuristic principle to restaurant management, the current research enhances the understanding of psychological factors affecting guest decisions and identifies effective strategies to reduce no‐shows while supporting favorable booking behavior.