Since netting a Michelin star earlier this year, VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Qu茅b茅cois-themed bistro St. Lawrence has been especially busy, with its chef crediting robust bookings to the confluence of extra buzz and the annual crush of holiday revellers.

In order to manage the flood of reservations, restaurateur J-C Poirier says bookings are capped at one month in advance and diners are asked to pre-pay for their meals.

B次元官网网址淭hat was an idea that came with the pandemic but it turns out that it is such a good model, and it works for our restaurant,B次元官网网址� says Poirier.

B次元官网网址淲e know what you order, we know how many staff we need. We also eliminated completely the problem of people not showing for the reservation or cancelling at the last minute for whatever reason.B次元官网网址�

Pent-up demand appears to be fuelling a hearty appetite for restaurant dining this holiday season, as pandemic-weary Canadians seek festive gatherings for the first time in three years.

Industry analyst Vince Sgabellone of the analytics firm NPD Group says thatB次元官网网址檚 especially thanks to families keen to venture out again, as well as sustained interest among the broader population that rebounded in the spring when public spaces reopened.

B次元官网网址淭hey miss the socializing, they miss the experience, they miss the food,B次元官网网址� says Sgabellone. B次元官网网址淭hey miss everything and they just want to get out of the house, especially with so many people still working from home.B次元官网网址�

With increased demand comes a flood of reservations but that welcome scheduling challenge is vulnerable to cancellations and last-minute change-ups, says Poirier. His restaurant imposed a $20 cancellation fee in 2019 but entire tables would still not show up.

B次元官网网址淚f you get an appointment at the dentist or even like yoga, if you donB次元官网网址檛 show up youB次元官网网址檙e going to be charged a certain amount of money,B次元官网网址� says Poirier.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know why it became a standard for the restaurant industry that itB次元官网网址檚 OK, we can just not show up for our appointment. For me, it had no logic in that so I wanted to do something in the hope that other restaurants will follow.

B次元官网网址淎nd I think most people now are taking at least a small amount of money on reservations.B次元官网网址�

Poirier says they are B次元官网网址渃ivilized and fairB次元官网网址� in cases where a guest calls to say they canB次元官网网址檛 make it. Most often he says that results in rescheduling to another date. The St. Lawrence website says credits are issued for cancellations with at least 48 hoursB次元官网网址� notice, but are not guaranteed otherwise. Refunds are only for B次元官网网址渇ew exceptions.B次元官网网址�

The Toronto eatery 20 Victoria has a pre-pay reservation system for its $175 set menu, which includes gratuity, says host and owner Chris White. He opened the restaurant in June 2021, roughly a year after his previous restaurant, Brothers Food & Wine, closed during the early months of the pandemic.

B次元官网网址淩eservations are a disaster all over town, I think. ThatB次元官网网址檚 all you hear from people B次元官网网址� is that you canB次元官网网址檛 get in anywhere,B次元官网网址� says White, who has noticed B次元官网网址渕ore parties of four and sixB次元官网网址� as the holidays approach.

He says he implemented pre-pay in part to support broader workload and compensation changes at the restaurant that eliminated tips, put employees on salary instead of an hourly wage and guaranteed health benefits.

But asking customers to pre-pay wasnB次元官网网址檛 easy, adds White, whose restaurant is open Tuesdays to Fridays, allowing staff a three-day weekend in a 42-hour work week.

B次元官网网址淚t was hard to come to terms with but for us weB次元官网网址檙e 22 seats and I spent years having an emotional, visceral reaction to people cancelling so cavalierlyB次元官网网址�. If you are a table of four who are double-booking at another restaurant or whatever the reason, youB次元官网网址檙e a quarter of our dining room,B次元官网网址� he says.

B次元官网网址淚 stopped being comfortable with that. I just thought from another angle through the pandemic, we just value our time differently.B次元官网网址�

White says COVID-19 restrictions forced the restaurant industry to reckon with long-standing labour problems including wage equity, work-life balance and mental health. He also welcomed a son in 2021, and family time became increasingly precious.

B次元官网网址淚t was a crazy time of reflection, right?B次元官网网址� he says of intermittent measures that either shuttered restaurants or limited capacity.

B次元官网网址淎nd as those weeks went on you saw angry hospitality workers at home realizing that theyB次元官网网址檝e been devalued. And thereB次元官网网址檚 consequences for that. It really was hard to digest.B次元官网网址�

Labour reform is a priority for Poirier, too, who says that in January the work week contracts to five days instead of six to better match staff family schedules. Health benefits will expand to include mental health coverage and the restaurant will match RRSP contributions. To support that, a prepaid ticket for a three-course meal will increase to $125 plus tax and gratuity, up from DecemberB次元官网网址檚 price of $89.

Poirier says the idea is not really anything new.

B次元官网网址淎 lot of people in fine dining in Europe were already doing that system. ItB次元官网网址檚 just here we didnB次元官网网址檛 have the culture. It was scary prior to the pandemic to impose that, but after that I said, B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檓 going for it,B次元官网网址� and IB次元官网网址檓 glad I did,B次元官网网址� says Poirier.

White acknowledges the practice may work better for some restaurants than others B次元官网网址� it likely helps to have a dedicated clientele, a prix fixe menu and to cater to a higher income bracket.

He wonders if the apparent rush back to indoor dining is as strong among lower income customers, and if enthusiasm will continue in the New Year when credit card bills arrive.

While overall restaurant traffic has not returned to 2019 levels, Sgabellone says dinner service surpassed pre-pandemic numbers in recent months, and family outings went B次元官网网址渦p quite considerablyB次元官网网址� at eateries ranging from fast food to full-service restaurants.

B次元官网网址淭he one silver lining perhaps of COVID is that more and more families seem to be eating together as a family with the kids, and more so than prior, those meal occasions include a restaurant meal,B次元官网网址� says Sgabellone.

Sgabellone says another group driving restaurant traffic is Generation Z, especially the 18-to-24-year-olds who are now working their first jobs but have discretionary funds because many still live at home.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e seeing this spike of younger adults flooding into full-service restaurants, where typically they would hang out at the lower-priced restaurants, the quick-service restaurants.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擟assandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press