I think the point is arrogance and indecision.

This is probably silly and old fashioned of me, but I treat a reservation like an appointment. The only reason to break it is illness (and I don't mean the sniffles), large transportation issues (like your bus bursting into flames in the middle of Fayette St.) or being arrested.

I will change a reservation, if the number of people changes, but I try to keep the changes infrequent.

Making multiple reservations and not canceling at least 24 hours in advance is just plain inconsiderate to others. Of course given all too many people incredible selfishness/self centeredness this really shouldn't come as a big surprise to anyone.

Also re: reservations, we dine out a decent amount and I am happy to say about 90% of the time we can do so without reservations and get a table in short order when we arrive. We generally only make reservations when we are planning ahead (for a special occasion), have a larger group, or for restaurant week when excess capacity is reduced.

I have seen some places charge $25 for no shows and they will take your credit card # when you make a reservation. if you call the restaurant even an hour before your reservation, it really does help them out a lot. I hope everybody has a great Restaurant Week.

I've said it before, I think, jason z, but I wouldn't mind a no show charge. I would hope that if someone had a really good excuse ("I'm sorry, you may have seen me on the 11 O'Clock News, we missed our reservation because of that alien ship that landed on N. Charles. Flattened all our tires, it did.), the restaurant would waive it. Of course, you'd want to keep track of who you waived it for, to catch the serial storytellers.

I don't think there is a problem with making multiple reservations, especially when dining with a group of people. I think everyone knows how hard it is to get a group to decide on a place(e.g. "I don't care, anyplace is fine with me" or "I can always find something on a menu"). But, please make a decision at least 24 to 48 hours in advance and cancel. Not only is this respectful to the restaurant and other potential diners, but, it is the proper thing to do.

This is why airlines charge cancellation and change fees. Restaurants should too.

When I worked at golf courses, we always took a credit card for a tee time. We certainly did charge people when they failed to show. Now, sometimes we were sometimes given phony numbers, but that was pretty rare.

I wish that OpenTable had a way of keeping that from happening. To accommodate the folks that make reservations for other people, perhaps they should penalize no-shows by making their points disappear. No shows get 2 demerits!!!

OpenTable should block users from scheduling reservations at the same time or in hour blocks.

RoCK beat me to it.
If its still in place, the Baltimore County-run golf clubs have an online tee time system that stores your credit card info once you create a login. And if you don't show for a tee time and don't call the pro shop to cancel, you get charged.

Most courses down here do it too. I play early enough in the morning that we usually just show up and they send us out without a tee time.

Actually, Open Table will not allow you to make more than one reservation for the same time. I know this because we originally made a reservation for Sullivan's for this Saturday that I had to cancel because we couldn't make the time. Instead, I was going to book us at B10 South. But, when I went to make the reso for B10 before I cancelled the Sullivan's reso, it wouldn't allow me to do it. I had to cancel the Sullivan's first.

To make multiple reservations for the same time is wrong. I always try to give as much notice as possible if I cannot make a reservation, the restaurant always seems to appreciate this (I still get a good table the next time I go in). To inform more than one place that you will be there at the same time is to tell a lie, and that is NOT what a gentleman does.

I'm always surprised that people can have such bad manners as to do things as stand up a reservation. I'm like Lissa, I treat a reservation as an appointment and try to keep it except under dire circumstances.

There must be a ton of no-shows out there. I always call and cancel a reservation if something comes up and I can't go. Many times, the restaurant will express surprise and thanks that I actually was considerate enough to call and cancel.

Oh, it was indeed me that called the guy out on Chowhound.

In an only-vaguely-related context, a teacher-friend of mine called the Zoo to reserve a spot for herself in tomorrow (Saturday's) Teacher Forum/Something-or-Other. She was told by the Zoo Person that the Event is full but she's on the "call list" to be notified when someone else cancels. OK. Sure. That'll happen.

There must be a ton of no-shows out there. I always call and cancel a reservation if something comes up and I can't go. Many times, the restaurant will express surprise and thanks that I actually was considerate enough to call and cancel.

If we cannot make a reservation, or even if we will be late by more than 5 minutes, I always call too. Almost every time, the host/hostess will express extreme gratitude for my call as if no one has done that before. That makes me sad for this society.

Open Table does penalize no-shows. My sister made a lunch reservation for four people when visiting Seattle. They did indeed have lunch at the restaurant, but didn't realize that there was more than one location, and they showed up at the wrong one. I can't remember what the penalty was--maybe lost dining points.

Worst than making multiple reservations are people who put down money on more than one place for a private school or college, hedging their bets. They are keeping some other person out of a place.

Sorry--that should be "worse" not "worst" (or Wurst)!