Rivue - Credit Card # required for reservations?

I made a reservation at Rivue yesterday for the coming weekend through OpenTable, and a credit card # was required to make the reservation, along with a giant posting of their cancellation policy. If the reservation is cancelled OR the number of guests is reduced less than 24 hours from the reservation, there is a $25/person charge. So, say I'm going with friends, and I make the reservation. One person has an emergency and can't make it, Rivue is going to charge me $25??? Ridiculous.

I remember that when Seviche was Jicama, and they only took reservations for parties larger than 6, they would take a CC# to hold the reservation and charge you $25/per if you came with less than 6. I was okay with this, because they were having issues with groups making reservations for 6 knowing all along 6 wouldn't come, just to get a reservation. I am also okay with restaurants taking CC# to hold reservations for very high traffic nights like NYE. In contrast, Rivue takes reservations of any size, so what's up with requiring a CC# to hold it, and also those ridiculous fees, for a regular Saturday night?

I'm still going to go because I want to try it, but that REALLY peeves me.

Obviously, they do not need the business of large, ad-hoc groups of people. Their choice I reckon.

Obviously, they do not need the business of large, ad-hoc groups of people. Their choice I reckon.

Maybe, but my real point is that I find it obscene that they require a credit card # for a table of 2, and then if we have an emergency and have to cancel less than 24 hours from the reservation, I have to pay them $50 for all the effort it took them to hold that table? If the policy were "we charge no-shows" I would be a little more okay with this, but charging someone who cancels responsibly (or actually calls ahead to reduce their table size), albeit less than 24 hours before the reservation? Ludicrious.

Could it have still been in place from NYE? I know some restaurants have different stipulations for that time and it also could just be their OpenTable policy.

Try calling them, it very well may be different.

Could it have still been in place from NYE? I know some restaurants have different stipulations for that time and it also could just be their OpenTable policy.

Try calling them, it very well may be different.

Ooh, Amy, you're so smart! Good thought. *crosses fingers for Brad* I'll bet that's it!

Could it have still been in place from NYE? I know some restaurants have different stipulations for that time and it also could just be their OpenTable policy.

Try calling them, it very well may be different.

Amy - you may very well be right. Like I said, I still made the reservation and we're still planning to go (by that I mean we WILL go absent an emergency!). I'll just ask when we arrive whether that is the normal policy. If it is left over from NYE, I understand, but they need to update the policy now that NYE has passed. If that is their general OpenTable only policy, it still doens't make sense to me. If that's the case, I have to pay $25/person to cancel IF I made the reservation via OpenTable, but not if I made it by phone? Discrimination, I say.

Brad,

Personally, I wouldn't have reserved with that policy- pretty outrageous. I also understand charging for "no shows", but if you call ahead cancel that's ridiculous. Life's too uncertain ( particularly with kids) for me to risk that, and there are too many
( better ) restaurants in town to go who would welcome my reservation.

Deb

Brad,

Personally, I wouldn't have reserved with that policy- pretty outrageous. I also understand charging for "no shows", but if you call ahead cancel that's ridiculous. Life's too uncertain ( particularly with kids) for me to risk that, and there are too many
( better ) restaurants in town to go who would welcome my reservation.

Deb

I considered not doing it on principle. However, we'll be downtown that night already for a show, are staying downtown, and so I thought it was a good time to try the restaurant. It would have to be a fairly big emergency for us to change our plans, so that part won't likely be an issue, but I was not happy. I think that if I had to cancel for a legit reason and they still charged me, I would dispute the charge with the CC company.

Popular restaurant in LA do that all the time. But then this isn't LA. I'm not sure I'd put my cc# on the line to hold a table in this town with so many dining options.

I definitely have to agree with you Deb and Mark. I certainly wouldn't have made a reservation under those conditions. Maybe if the fee was lower ($5) or it was a specialty evening for the restaurant was particularly hard to get reservations at I might consider it but.... This is Louisville and we have many excellent restaurants that want our business without imposing ridiculous stipulations. I'll certainly give my business to them first in this tight economy.

Pretty crazy policy. Of course we get stiffed on reservations quite often-but I would not charge a CC unless it was for a RSVP wine dinner or event.

We just started implementing the credit card policy, but only on major holidays or " Louisville Holidays " ( derby ) never on normal days, just courtesy phone call confirmations
You would not believe how many people make reservations at several restaurants then decide that evening which one to choose.

...Could it have still been in place from NYE?...

I know it was in place this past August (no special time of year). I had exactly the same reaction to the policy as Brad did, but I went ahead with the reservation for two and kept it.

We just started implementing the credit card policy, but only on major holidays or " Louisville Holidays " ( derby ) never on normal days, just courtesy phone call confirmations
You would not believe how many people make reservations at several restaurants then decide that evening which one to choose.

When I made the reservations for your Thanksgiving Day buffet, the nice lady on the phone explained the policy in great detail. Since I had full intentions of keeping the reservations I had no problem with the policy. BTW, my family and I really enjoyed the buffet. I am glad you all added the breakfast part to your already huge spread.

A couple of weeks before the day my wife & I gave a credit card for a reservation for two at Jack Fry's for NYE. I was a little surprised but since I was sure we'd go or know before the deadline of a couple of days before it was not a big problem. I think the charge for stiffing would have been a "C" note. Given the size of the place & these times I can't really slam them for it. Don't know if that is usual policy as normally our selection criteria for a place to eat is calling from a list of about 300 local places sort of in order of preference and going to the first one without a wait. Great meal, BTW.