> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.oddle.me/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://www.oddle.me/docs/new-guests/reserve/setting-up-reservations/prepayment-deposit-cancellation.md). # Prepayment, Deposit & Cancellation Window No-shows and last-minute cancellations cost your restaurant real money — an empty table during peak hours is lost revenue. Oddle Reserve gives you several tools to reduce no-shows and protect your business, all set up on the ticket. You can apply them to every booking, or only to parties above a size you choose. *** ## Payment Types There are three ways to secure a booking with a financial commitment: ### Deposit A deposit is a partial payment collected at the time of booking. The deposit amount is applied toward the guest's final bill. For example, you might require a $20 deposit per person for your dinner service. When the guest dines, that $20 is deducted from their total bill. ### Prepayment A prepayment is the full amount collected upfront. This is commonly used for special experiences or set menus where the price is fixed — like a $150 per person wine pairing dinner. The guest pays in full when they book, and there's no additional payment required at the restaurant (unless they order extras). ### Card Guarantee A card guarantee collects the guest's card details at booking but doesn't charge them upfront. The card is only charged if the guest no-shows or cancels too late. You define how much the no-show fee is (e.g., $50 per person or a flat fee). This is a lighter-touch approach — guests aren't paying anything upfront, but they know there's a consequence for not showing up. {% hint style="info" %} While Oddle does its best to verify the card at the time of booking, there is a risk that the card may not be chargeable when you need to apply a no-show fee — for example, if the guest used a debit card that no longer has sufficient balance. Card guarantees are a strong deterrent, but they are not a guarantee of payment. {% endhint %} *** ## Payment Rules by Party Size One ticket can charge different amounts depending on how many guests are booking. Small parties can book without paying anything, while larger parties pay the deposit, prepayment, or card guarantee you've set for that ticket. This exists because a simple policy used to need a complicated setup. If you wanted small groups to book free but larger groups to leave a card, you needed two separate tickets — a free one and a paid one — each with its own full set of schedules. > **Example:** You serve lunch and dinner. Parties of 4 or fewer book free; parties of 5 or more leave a card guarantee. That used to mean 2 tickets and 4 schedules. It's now 1 ticket with party-size payment rules, and 2 schedules — one for lunch, one for dinner. ### How the Rules Are Matched Oddle Reserve checks the party size a guest picks against your rules, then shows the matching payment requirement. The guest stays on the same ticket the whole way through — they never have to choose between a free and a paid version of the same service. Party size counts **adults and children together**. Before you set your amounts, know how the bands behave: * You set the party size each band **starts** at, and Oddle works out where it ends — one cover below the next band, or your maximum party size for the last one. Bands starting at 5 and 9 cover parties of 5–8 and 9 upwards, so you can't leave a gap by accident. * **Anything below your first paid band books free.** If charging starts at 5, parties of 4 or fewer book without payment — the editor spells this out as you set it up. * Set an amount to `0` and every party size in that band books without payment. * **Every paid band uses the same payment type.** You can charge different amounts by party size, but you can't ask small parties for a deposit and large parties for a card guarantee on the same ticket. Choose the type once, then vary the amount. * Payment terms are locked in when the guest books. If you change your rules later, existing reservations keep the terms the guest originally agreed to. {% hint style="warning" %} Guests can't change the party size on a paid reservation themselves, because the payment isn't recalculated. If a guest needs to change their numbers, they'll need to contact you directly. {% endhint %} *** ## Cancellation Window When you enable any payment type on a ticket, you also configure a **cancellation window**. This is straightforward — you set how far in advance guests can cancel, and the rules depend on the payment type: **For deposits and prepayments**, the cancellation options are: * **Non-refundable** — the guest cannot cancel and receive a refund, regardless of timing * **Cancellable up to X before the reservation** — the guest can cancel and receive a refund if they cancel before the window closes (e.g., 48 hours before the reservation). After the window, the deposit or prepayment is forfeited. **For card guarantees**, the cancellation options are: * **Non-cancellable** — the guest's card will be charged the no-show fee if they cancel at any time * **Cancellable up to X before the reservation** — the guest can cancel without charge if they cancel before the window closes. After the window, the no-show fee applies. Guests see these terms clearly during the booking flow — before they confirm their reservation — so there are no surprises. *** ## Transactions & Refunds You can view all payment-related transactions in the Host App under the **Transactions** tab (`host.oddle.me/transactions`). This is where you see deposits collected, prepayments received, and card guarantee charges. If you need to issue a refund — for example, a guest who paid a deposit but had a legitimate reason for cancelling late — you can manage that from the Transactions tab. *** ## Payouts Payments collected through deposits, prepayments, and card guarantee charges are included in your Oddle payouts and are paid out on the Paid Reservation Tickets schedule — **4 calendar days (T+4)** after the payment date. You don't need to do anything extra. For the full payout schedule, see [What is the payout schedule?](https://oddle.gitbook.io/docs/help-center/payouts-and-billing/what-is-the-payout-schedule-sg-and-my). *** ## Setting It Up Payment settings live on each ticket in the Host App under **Settings > Tickets**. This means: * Your standard "Restaurant Reservation" ticket can be free to book * Your "Chef's Table" ticket can require a prepayment * Your "Friday Dinner" ticket can require a card guarantee To set up payment on a ticket: 1. In the Host App, go to **Settings > Tickets** and open the ticket you want to change. 2. Turn on **Payment Required**. 3. Choose **Deposit**, **Card Guarantee**, or **Prepayment**, and whether the amount is charged **Per Reservation** or **Per Pax**. 4. Choose **Same for all party sizes**, or **Varies by party size** to charge larger groups differently. 5. Pick the party size where payment starts, then set the amount. 6. Select **+ Add another party size** for each further band you need. 7. Check the **Reservation policy summary** — it spells out your rules in the wording guests will see — then save. This gives you the flexibility to match the payment requirement to the type of experience — and to the size of the party. High-value or limited-capacity experiences benefit most from deposits or prepayments, while everyday bookings might work better with a card guarantee on large groups only, or no payment at all. {% hint style="info" %} You don't need to rebuild what you've already set up. Existing payment settings were carried over into the new payment rules automatically. {% endhint %} > **Note:** Paid tickets can be shown on Reserve with Google. Deposits, prepayments, and card guarantees are all supported — the guest starts on Google and completes payment through Oddle. A deposit ticket has to be refundable, so give it a cancellation window before you put it on Google. See **Reserve with Google & Other Booking Channels**. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://www.oddle.me/docs/new-guests/reserve/setting-up-reservations/prepayment-deposit-cancellation.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. 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