Credit Cards for Restaurant Reservations?

Not surprising - just saw a couplea print articles talking about the rise of NO shows for restaurant reservations - having to give a CC number keeps everyone on their toes. And if giving your CC # isn't to your liking, you can always just show up at the door and take your chances.

Don't know how wide spread it is but we have been asked for cc number in both Chicago and New York when making reservation along with the notice of a fee is the reservation is not kept. It has been a couple years since we were in Europe so don't know what is currently happening there.

I live in France and I've never encountered this practice.

In Munich still mostly ask CC for the high-end restaurants.

I would be inclined to avoid such restaurants

I encountered this just a couple of weeks ago at a Michelin-listed (but not starred) restaurant in Cordoba, Spain. Just like timed tickets for museums, it did make me reluctant to book too far out unnecessarily. But I did look at their availability and estimated that it wouldn't be hard to get a table with short notice on a weekday. As it worked out, I made the reservation before 10am for a 2:30 lunch on the same day, no problem. (Lunch being the only meal they serve...)

I think it is different in Europe as many more restaurants are smaller places where a lost table seating can have much more of a financial impact than it would on a larger, or chain, restaurant. On my last trip in October to Germany and Austria, two places had such a requirement with a fee of something like $25 for a no-show.

Some of the Michelin places I have tried, including a couple in NYC, have a much higher no-show or <24 hour calcellation fee. Like $50 - $100.

Here in my town in Mexico, we have many excellent restaurants serving the large expat population and visitors (mostly from Guadalajara, about an hour away) who come for weekends and holidays. Many of these restaurants do special-occasion events where reservations are required. Occasionally we hear that groups reserve tables and then don't show up, leaving these restaurants high and dry, having turned away other prospective diners. For that reason I think it's smart to require a credit card to hold a reservation, especially for groups of six or more.

I certainly understand the reasons behind a restaurant going that route. Here in the United States, restaurateurs have definitely defended the switch to credit card-required reservations with many reasons, both statistical and anecdotal. I guess the heart of my question is less about why (or if they should), and more about if it is happening at all, especially in Italy, France, and Spain. In your recent experiences, are mom-and-pop restaurants, bistros, cafes, osterias, trattorias, brasseries, etc. (i.e. not Michelin-level) requiring credit cards when making a reservation? Thanks to all who have replied so far -- looking forward to more on-the-ground reports.

Not just smaller restaurants in Europe, but much longer dinner seatings, like all evening, so fewer walk- ins to rely on filling a no- show.