Hold a card and no-show fees

For free reservations (or any booking), you can ask the customer to keep a card on file so the table is secured — the SevenRooms-style "prepayment not required, but a card is retained." If they don't show up, you charge a no-show fee from the booking. Nothing is charged automatically; the card is only used when you decide to.

Turn it on

On a booking product, open the Hold & no-show settings in the product editor:

1. Tick Retain a card to secure the reservation to keep a card on file.
2. Set a Deposit at booking to charge a fixed amount up front (optional — leave at 0 to charge nothing now). A deposit turns an otherwise-free reservation into a paid checkout.
3. Set a No-show fee — the amount you may charge later if the guest doesn't turn up. Leave at 0 for "card on file, but I won't charge".
4. Save.

The deposit, cancellation policy (cutoff, refund), and no-show fee are all shown to the customer at checkout and on their confirmation, so the terms are clear before they book.

Deposits

A deposit is charged at checkout like any other payment — it appears as a "Deposit" line on the order and refunds with the booking if you refund it. Use it to secure a free reservation with a small amount up front, or as a partial prepayment. When a deposit is taken on a booking that also retains a card, the same card is kept on file for a possible no-show charge.

What the customer sees

A free booking that retains a card sends the customer to a short card step at checkout instead of confirming for free. Their card is saved, not charged — they see "prepayment isn't required, but a card is retained to secure your reservation," along with any no-show fee.

Charging a no-show

When a guest doesn't turn up, open the booking from Bookings or the order, and use Charge no-show fee on the booking. The retained card is charged the fee you configured.

Next steps