La Dolce Tavola – Booking & Group Policy
BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS
IMPORTANT INFORMATION – PLEASE READ BEFORE BOOKING
Thank you for choosing La Dolce Tavola.
As a small, independent restaurant, every reservation matters to us. We carefully plan our staffing, food preparation and table availability around confirmed bookings.
Late cancellations and no-shows can have a significant financial impact, particularly during busy periods when we may have turned away other customers.
We kindly ask all guests to read and understand our Terms & Conditions before confirming a reservation.
1. RESERVATIONS & DEPOSITS
All reservations are subject to availability and confirmation by La Dolce Tavola.
A £10 deposit per person is required to secure a reservation unless an alternative card guarantee arrangement is offered during booking.
Deposits are deducted from the final bill when guests attend their reservation.
Where a card guarantee is offered instead of an upfront deposit, the applicable cancellation and no-show conditions will be displayed before the reservation is confirmed.
If a required deposit or card guarantee is not provided within the specified timeframe, the reservation may be released. We will make reasonable efforts to notify the customer beforehand.
The booking organiser is responsible for providing accurate contact details and confirming the correct number of guests, including children and babies.
2. STANDARD CANCELLATION POLICY
January – November
We understand that plans can change and ask guests to notify us as early as possible if they need to cancel or amend their reservation.
Cancellations made at least 24 hours before the reservation will receive a full deposit refund and will not incur a cancellation charge.
For cancellations made less than 24 hours before the reservation, reductions in guest numbers or failure to attend, a charge of up to £10 per affected guest may apply.
This charge reflects a reasonable estimate of the financial loss arising from last-minute cancellations, including the difficulty of filling tables at short notice.
Where the restaurant successfully replaces a cancelled booking or avoids part of the anticipated loss, this will be taken into account when determining the charge.
Any charge will be limited to the restaurant's reasonably recoverable loss.
Where a deposit has already been paid, the charge will be deducted from that deposit rather than charged again.
Any refundable balance will be returned to the customer.
3. IMPORTANT – DECEMBER & CHRISTMAS BOOKINGS
EXTENDED FESTIVE CANCELLATION POLICY
December is one of our busiest periods, and many of our customers book their Christmas celebrations several months in advance.
Once our restaurant reaches full capacity, we must turn away other guests, who often make alternative arrangements elsewhere.
As a result, cancelled Christmas reservations can be extremely difficult to replace, even when several weeks' notice is provided.
For this reason, all reservations taking place between 1 and 31 December are subject to an extended 28-day cancellation period.
December Cancellation Conditions
- Cancellations made at least 28 days before the reservation will normally receive a full deposit refund.
- Cancellations made less than 28 days before the reservation may incur a charge of up to £10 per affected guest.
- The same conditions apply to reductions in guest numbers and no-shows.
- Bookings made within 28 days of the reservation date are subject to these conditions from the time of confirmation.
Charges will reflect the restaurant's reasonably anticipated financial loss, taking into account the likelihood of replacing the reservation and any costs saved.
Where a cancelled booking is replaced, any reduction in the restaurant's loss will be reflected in the amount retained or charged.
No cancellation charge will exceed the restaurant's reasonably recoverable loss.
We strongly encourage guests to book responsibly and notify us of any changes as early as possible.
4. CHRISTMAS MENU & PRE-ORDERED MEALS
Our Christmas Menu is available by pre-order only.
Christmas Menu selections must be submitted at least seven days before the reservation.
The agreed menu price and any applicable pre-order cancellation conditions will be confirmed before orders are accepted.
Cancellations & No-Shows
Christmas meals are prepared specifically for confirmed guests.
Where a guest fails to attend and their pre-ordered meal has already been prepared, we reserve the right to recover the reasonable loss resulting from the cancellation.
Where the complete meal has been prepared and made available to the customer, the charge may be up to the full agreed price of the pre-ordered food, taking account of any costs saved and other relevant circumstances.
Collection of Pre-Ordered Meals
To minimise food waste, prepared meals will be available for takeaway collection at the originally reserved time, on the same day.
Please contact the restaurant to arrange collection.
For food safety reasons, collection must take place within the timeframe agreed with the restaurant.
Important Payment Information
Any deposit or cancellation fee already retained will be deducted from the amount payable for the same cancelled meals.
We will not charge twice for the same loss.
Any additional charge for pre-ordered food will be subject to the conditions and maximum amount disclosed and agreed when the pre-order was placed.
Where no meal has been prepared, any cancellation charge will be limited to reasonably recoverable losses, rather than automatically being the full menu price.
5. GROUP BOOKINGS
For reservations of more than 12 guests, please contact the restaurant directly.
Larger parties may need to be accommodated across two or more tables.
Where this is necessary, we will explain the proposed seating arrangements before confirming the reservation.
For operational reasons, specific seating arrangements cannot always be guaranteed.
Multiple Reservations
Separate reservations must not be made to bypass our group booking requirements.
Where we reasonably believe that several reservations relate to one larger party, we may contact the organiser to discuss suitable arrangements.
If we cannot accommodate the combined group, we will explain the available options.
6. GROUP PRE-ORDERS
For bookings of nine or more guests, a food pre-order is required at least 72 hours before the reservation.
During December, pre-orders must be submitted at least seven days in advance.
Pre-order forms are available on our website.
The booking organiser is responsible for ensuring that:
- All guests have selected their meals.
- The correct number of guests is confirmed.
- Allergies and dietary requirements are clearly communicated.
- Pre-orders are submitted by the specified deadline.
Changes after the deadline are subject to availability and agreement by the restaurant.
For parties of 20 or more, a set menu may be required. This will be agreed before the booking is confirmed.
7. SERVICE CHARGE & GROUP PAYMENTS
A discretionary 12.5% service charge is added to the bill for parties of eight or more.
This charge is optional and can be adjusted or removed upon request.
Service charges are distributed to our team in accordance with applicable UK legislation.
Group Payments
For larger parties, we kindly ask the booking organiser to coordinate payment.
Where a bill would otherwise require more than four separate transactions, we ask the organiser to collect the individual contributions and arrange a final combined payment.
Please discuss any special payment requirements with us in advance.
8. TABLE ALLOCATION & DINING DURATION
We make every effort to accommodate specific seating requests.
However, table preferences cannot be guaranteed.
All reservations are subject to an allocated dining time, which will be communicated before booking confirmation.
We kindly ask guests to respect their allocated time to ensure that subsequent reservations are not affected.
Extended dining arrangements may be available upon request.
Where a minimum spend applies to an extended reservation, the amount will be clearly communicated and agreed before the booking is confirmed.
9. LATE ARRIVALS
Please arrive on time for your reservation.
If you are running late, kindly contact the restaurant as soon as possible.
Reservations may be released if guests arrive more than 15 minutes late without notifying us, where this is reasonably necessary to accommodate other bookings.
We will make reasonable efforts to contact guests before releasing their table.
Late arrivals may have a reduced dining time where another reservation is scheduled afterwards.
Any applicable no-show charge will be assessed in accordance with our cancellation policy and the circumstances of the booking.
10. CHILDREN, BABIES, PUSHCHAIRS & HIGHCHAIRS
Children and babies are welcome at La Dolce Tavola.
However, due to limited space, we have restricted availability for pushchairs and highchairs.
Please contact us before booking if you require a highchair or intend to bring a pushchair.
Children and babies must be included in the total number of guests when making a reservation.
Pushchairs must not obstruct walkways, emergency exits or access routes.
We will make reasonable adjustments to accommodate guests with accessibility or other individual needs where required.
11. OUTSIDE FOOD, CAKES & DRINKS
Only food and drinks purchased from La Dolce Tavola may normally be consumed on our premises.
This includes birthday cakes, desserts and other food items brought from outside.
Birthday Celebrations
We are always happy to help make special occasions memorable.
Guests may bring a birthday cake for presentation, photographs and candles with prior agreement from the restaurant.
However, outside cakes cannot be served or consumed on the premises.
If guests wish to enjoy their cake elsewhere, they must provide their own suitable takeaway packaging.
Unfortunately, we cannot provide packaging for outside cakes.
We offer a selection of desserts from our own menu and would be happy to assist with your celebration.
Exceptions will be considered where reasonably required for medical, dietary or accessibility needs.
12. FOOD ALLERGIES & DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
The health and safety of our guests is extremely important to us.
Our kitchen handles a variety of ingredients containing allergens.
Although we follow food safety procedures designed to minimise allergen cross-contact, accidental contact between ingredients may occur.
Guests with food allergies, intolerances or specific dietary requirements must inform a member of our team before ordering.
We also encourage guests to notify us of their requirements when making a reservation.
Allergen information is available upon request.
Our team will discuss ingredients and preparation methods where necessary to help guests make informed choices.
If we are unable to prepare a particular dish safely for someone with an allergy, we will explain this before accepting the order.
We cannot guarantee that all dishes are completely free from unintended traces of allergens.
Nothing in this policy limits our legal responsibilities for food safety or liability arising from negligence.
13. GUEST FEEDBACK & COMPLAINTS
We take great pride in our food and service and want every guest to have an enjoyable experience.
Our team checks on guests during their visit to ensure everything is satisfactory.
If something is not right, please let us know as soon as possible.
We kindly ask guests to raise any concerns with a member of staff or the manager while dining with us, wherever possible.
This allows us to investigate the issue and offer an appropriate solution at the time.
We understand that some concerns may only become apparent after leaving the restaurant.
Any complaints raised after a visit will be considered fairly and in accordance with applicable consumer rights.
14. RESPECTFUL BEHAVIOUR
We aim to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all guests and staff.
Abusive language, harassment, threatening behaviour or conduct that seriously disrupts other guests will not be tolerated.
Management reserves the right to refuse further service or ask individuals to leave where reasonably necessary and legally permitted.
This policy will be applied fairly and without unlawful discrimination.
15. ALCOHOL SERVICE
Alcohol is served in accordance with our premises licence and applicable UK licensing legislation.
Alcohol service is available until 11.30 pm, subject to our licensed hours.
We reserve the right to refuse alcohol service where legally required or reasonably necessary.
Proof of age may be requested.
16. DEPOSIT PAYMENTS
Where a deposit is required, payment instructions will be provided during the booking process or directly by the restaurant.
Deposits may be paid in person, through an approved payment system or by bank transfer where agreed.
Please retain confirmation of your deposit payment.
When making a bank transfer, please use the booking name and reservation date as the payment reference.
If paying by bank transfer, please notify the restaurant when payment has been made.
Deposits will be deducted from the final bill or refunded or retained in accordance with the applicable cancellation policy.
17. CARD GUARANTEES & PAYMENT AUTHORISATION
Where a valid payment card is required to guarantee a reservation, the customer will be informed of the applicable cancellation and no-show conditions before confirming the booking.
By completing the card guarantee process, the cardholder authorises La Dolce Tavola to charge applicable fees in accordance with the terms and amounts disclosed and agreed during booking, subject to applicable consumer law.
A standard cancellation or no-show charge will not exceed £10 per affected guest.
Charges relating to pre-ordered food may exceed this amount only where the additional payment obligation and maximum amount have been clearly disclosed and agreed separately.
All charges will be limited to reasonably recoverable losses.
Payment information will be handled through our authorised payment providers.
Personal information supplied during booking will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Notice.
18. CANCELLING OR AMENDING YOUR RESERVATION
If you need to cancel or amend your reservation, please notify us as soon as possible.
Accepted Cancellation Methods
You can cancel your reservation by:
- Using the cancellation link in your booking confirmation.
- Calling the restaurant directly.
- Sending a text message to our designated restaurant contact number.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND CANCELLATION REQUESTS BY EMAIL.
Emails are not routinely monitored during service, and we recommend using one of the methods above to ensure your cancellation is received promptly.
Where a cancellation has clearly been received by the restaurant through another communication method, we will take the actual time of receipt into account.
Please retain any cancellation confirmation for your records.
Requests to change a reservation date, time or number of guests are subject to availability.
Where an amendment would result in the original reserved table or places being cancelled, the applicable cancellation policy may apply.
19. CANCELLATIONS BY LA DOLCE TAVOLA
In the unlikely event that we are unable to honour a confirmed reservation, we will contact the booking organiser as soon as reasonably possible.
Where appropriate, we will offer an alternative reservation.
If we cannot provide the agreed reservation and no suitable alternative is accepted, any deposit paid will be refunded in full.
Nothing in these Terms and Conditions affects any additional statutory rights customers may have.
20. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS & CONDITIONS
By completing a reservation with La Dolce Tavola, the booking organiser confirms that they have been given the opportunity to read and accept the Terms and Conditions applicable to their reservation.
These include:
- Deposit and card guarantee requirements.
- Cancellation and no-show charges.
- Extended December cancellation conditions.
- Christmas Menu and pre-order requirements.
- Group booking arrangements.
- Applicable service charges.
- Dining times and table allocation policies.
The booking organiser agrees to the Terms and Conditions presented before the reservation is confirmed.
Where card details are provided, the cardholder authorises only those charges clearly disclosed and agreed during the booking process.
Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or restricts customers' statutory rights.
Any updates to these Terms and Conditions will apply to new reservations. Existing confirmed reservations remain subject to the terms agreed at the time of booking unless both parties agree otherwise.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING
As an independent restaurant, we genuinely appreciate every reservation.
Our booking policies help us plan ahead, minimise food waste, support our team and provide the best possible experience for all our guests.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
We look forward to welcoming you to La Dolce Tavola.
La Dolce Tavola Management
