Aibu to think all restaurants should ask for deposit

[SchrodingersImmigrant]

Because there are some people seriously fucked up in a head and thousands of others lacking basic decency?

There appear to be some trolls now who book tens of covers in different restaurants as a prank. Leaving them empty or partially empty. Starting different emails for each booking, doing the booking. Wth. That's some dedication to hurt already hurting businesses, isn't it.

It's bad at the best of times with people booking and not turning up (many restaurants have big issues with this across all price brackets). There was someone saying last year that their friends book two restaurants for a weekend and decide that evening which one they fancy more...

AIBU to think they should all ask for deposit? Some already do, but some seem to be worried about trying for some reason.

YADNBU. What a prickish thing to do to a business. I’d have no issue paying a deposit when making a booking.

They should definitely take deposits.
Judging from how grateful they are when I cancel a reservation in advance over the phone, I have always assumed that the number of no shows must be very high and not so many people bother cancelling.

Really nice restaurants in high demand in New York have asked for card details for ages when booking. They still have waiting lists.

I would give my card details if it was a place I'd been before and really wanted to go to.

Before this, there were at least higher possibilities of walk ins. Now? Dead. We have well known places on a well know street closing temporarily because it's less loss than trying to keep open.