Vine & Fire, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant in Waterloo, Liverpool, has issued an emotional plea to customers after 31 diners failed to turn up for their reservations on June 21 without giving advance notice. The independent venue, which opened in March, said the no-shows left multiple tables empty and significantly impacted the business.
Owner and chef Josh Stanton's appeal
Owner and chef Josh Stanton opened Vine & Fire on St Johns Road in March after more than a decade working in kitchens across the region. Despite a successful launch and glowing reviews, the restaurant has now appealed to diners to let staff know if their plans change. In a message shared on Instagram, the restaurant said: "Just a gentle note to say it's really hard when people don't turn up for their booking without letting us know. Today alone, we had a few big tables that never showed up – adding up to 20 people in total." A later update revealed the situation had worsened, with 31 diners failing to arrive by the end of the day.
Impact on small business
The restaurant added: "This is really disappointing. For a small business like ours, every booking matters so much. Empty seats hit us harder than you might realise." The message struck a chord with fellow business owners and customers, many of whom shared similar experiences and offered support. Others praised the restaurant's food, hospitality, and service while encouraging people to honour reservations or cancel them if they can no longer attend.
New booking system to reduce no-shows
Vine & Fire thanked customers who keep their bookings or give notice when plans change, saying: "Thank you so much to everyone who keeps their reservation or lets us know if plans change. It means the world to us." In response to the growing problem, the business is introducing a new booking system in the coming days to reduce no-shows. The restaurant specialises in Mediterranean small plates inspired by cuisines from across Europe. Josh previously said he wanted to avoid being tied to a single style of cooking, stating: "I can do anything in Europe food-wise." The chef and his father built much of the restaurant themselves before opening in March. Speaking earlier this year, Josh described the response from customers as "fantastic" and said he had been overwhelmed by the support from local diners. "We've been very busy," he said. "I did not expect to be where I am now six weeks in. The amount of feedback we're getting is unreal. Everyone is loving it."
