Remember when making reservations at a restaurant was as simple as placing a phone call and leaving your name? There were no online bookings, deposits or bidding involved – you just said that you’d show up at a particular time, and in return, you were assured freedom from long lineups or worse yet, outright rejection from an overbooked establishment.

As with most things, restaurant reservations have evolved – some say for the better, while others are crying foul.

In the past, reservations were generally a win-win situation for diners and restaurateurs; for the most part, both parties would honor the reservations, but as with all honor-based systems, a few ‘bad apple’ types always popped up. You know the ones – those customers who would make bookings and not show up (depriving the restaurant of a paying table for the evening), or show up – late – and throw an epic tantrum, demanding to be accommodated in spite of their tardiness.

There’s even been rumors in the industry about unscrupulous restaurateurs making fake reservations at other restaurants in order to sabotage their competition – clearly, the restaurant reservation system has been long-due for an overhaul.

Thanks to the Internet, diners can now pre-book their tables weeks, months or even years in advance, all without ever speaking to another human being. While the advent of online reservations and mobile apps has made it easy for any restaurant owner to start taking bookings, this technological revolution has a downside – researchers at the University of Pennsylvania estimate that the no-show rates in large urban centers is about 20% and the national average hovers around 6%, leading to some big changes in how some establishments handle reservations.

Restaurants throughout the country are now holding deadbeat diners accountable by charging for no-shows. While this cost-recovery move was started by high-end Michelin-stared establishments like NYC’s Le Bernadin, now even the Mouse himself has got in on the no-show crackdown. That’s right folks – if you make a date with a Disney restaurant, you’d better keep it – or else plan on paying a fee.

The fact is, no-shows cost the restaurant industry billions in lost sales each year, and as operating costs continue to rise, owners are revamping their reservation policies to help keep their tables filled with paying customers.

Some establishments have even resorted to ‘social media shaming’ in an attempt to hold customers accountable for table bookings; Red Medicine, an upscale Beverly Hills restaurant, recently made national headlines for listing their Saturday-night no-shows on Twitter. While public reaction to this tactic (or perhaps show of frustration) was mixed, we’re pretty sure those deadbeat diners will think twice before skipping out on another booking!

Alternatively, many establishments are now selling prix fix menu tickets – in advance. The advantage? Everyone shows up, restaurants can manage their food orders and diners usually get a premium meal for a cut-rate price.

So like it or not, making a reservation at your favorite spot might soon require a financial commitment on your part – chances are good that you’ll be paying whether you eat or not!