They eat in a restaurant, ask for the bill and are forced to consume up to $73 because of the “no-shows”

There’s a saying that every part of the pig is put to good use—and apparently, when it comes to a dinner bill, that logic extends all the way from appetizers to the check. But what truly caught Yarno and his friends off guard, as reported by the French newspaper La Dépêche, was that this restaurant took the concept a step further—forcing them to consume more in order to pay more.

It all unfolded one evening in Ghent, Belgium. The group had gathered at the Yalo Urban Boutique Hotel, where they enjoyed a meal together, sharing several dishes and ordering two bottles of rosé wine. Everything seemed fine—they toasted, relaxed, and eventually requested the bill. But when the waiter arrived at their table, he wasn’t holding a receipt—he was delivering a demand.

A growing trend

This policy—clearly stated on the establishment’s website—is part of a wider trend gaining traction in Belgium and other European Union countries: enforcing a minimum spending requirement for reservations. In the case of the hotel Yarno visited, the minimum was set at €65.

As reported by La Dépêche, restaurant industry leaders argue that the policy is purely financial, aimed at ensuring profitability thresholds are met. However, others in the sector fear the move could have unintended consequences, potentially discouraging customers instead of driving business.

A policy here to stay?

One way or another, this trend seems to be settling in for the long haul. According to the Brussels Horeca Federation, minimum spending requirements are on track to become a standard practice—driven primarily by rising labor costs and, more notably, the growing issue of no-shows. These are customers who make reservations but fail to show up, leaving restaurants with empty tables and lost revenue.

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