Deposits, pre-orders and charges
Protect covers with a deposit taken up front or a cancellation charge held against the card, and let guests pre-order from a menu before they arrive.
When you'd use it
For high-demand services, events, large parties, or any slot where no-shows cost you covers. Pre-orders suit set menus and occasions where the kitchen needs to prepare ahead.
How it behaves
A booking type uses one of two protections, never both. A deposit is taken at the time of booking and can be redeemed or refunded against your rules. A cancellation charge authorises the card at booking and is only taken if the guest cancels late or does not show.
Either can be a flat rate or per cover, with a minimum party size that triggers it and a free-cancellation window before the booking. A deposit can be split into a payment now and a balance due closer to the date, and where payment is not made in time an auto-cancel policy can release the table. The team can also take a deposit or charge manually against a booking, and payment reminders chase an unpaid balance.
For pre-orders, attach one or more menus to a booking type. Guests choose dishes during booking, the order is captured against the booking, and the kitchen sees it ahead of service. Optional upgrades let guests add extras such as a cake or a bottle on arrival, either prepaid online or marked as pay at venue and settled on the night. Deposit and charge payments run through your connected Stripe or Square account; guest pre-order payments run through Stripe.
Refunds are issued from the booking. A deposit or cancellation charge can be refunded in full or in part, the guest is notified automatically and the reason is recorded against the booking.
Place cards print straight from a booking’s pre-orders, with each guest’s name, dishes and dietary needs on the card, or blank in seconds for a table without a pre-order.
Configuration and options
- Charge type
- A deposit taken up front, or a cancellation charge held on the card.
- Amount
- A flat rate or a per-cover amount.
- Party-size trigger
- The minimum party size that triggers the deposit or charge.
- Free-cancellation window
- How long before the booking a guest can cancel free.
- Split payment
- A payment now and a balance due closer to the date.
- Manual payments and reminders
- Staff take a deposit or charge by hand; reminders chase a balance.
- Pre-order menus
- Menus attached to a booking type for order-ahead.
- Upgrades
- Priced extras a guest can add, prepaid online or settled at the venue.
- Payment processor
- Deposits and charges via Stripe or Square; pre-orders via Stripe.
- Refunds
- Full or partial refunds of a deposit or charge from the booking, with the reason recorded.
- Place cards
- Printed from the booking’s pre-orders, names, dishes and dietaries included, or blank.
Good to know
A booking type uses a deposit or a cancellation charge, not both.
A no-show can trigger the cancellation charge, following the rules you set.
A refund is recorded with its reason against the booking, so the guest history explains itself.