Deposits and no-show protection
Conciar offers two ways to reduce no-shows:
| Deposit | Card guarantee | |
|---|---|---|
| What the guest does | Pays an amount per person when booking. | Saves their card when booking. Nothing is charged. |
| When you get money | Always, up front. | Only when you charge a no-show or late-cancellation fee. |
| Payment provider | Any online payment method you've switched on. | Mollie only, with credit cards switched on. |
Choose one under No-Show Protection in Settings → Restaurant: None, Deposit or Card guarantee. Conciar adds no commission or fee on deposits or no-show fees.
Ask for a deposit
- In Settings → Restaurant, choose Deposit under No-Show Protection.
- Enter the Deposit Per Person.
- Save.
The deposit is the amount per person times the number of guests. Guests pay it online when they book. Their table is held for 30 minutes while they pay; if they don't pay in time, the booking is cancelled.
Online deposits need an online payment method that's switched on. See Connect payments.
Refunding a deposit
Conciar has no refund button for deposits. When a guest cancels a booking with a paid deposit, they're asked to contact you. Refund the deposit in your Mollie or Buckaroo account if you agree.
A deposit for one booking
When you take a booking by phone, tick Ask for a deposit and enter the total amount. The guest gets a payment link by email and text. See Take a booking by phone.
Use a card guarantee
You need a Mollie account connected with Credit card switched on.
- In Settings → Restaurant, choose Card guarantee under No-Show Protection.
- Set the No-Show Fee, and whether it's Per guest or Per booking.
- Under From Party Size, choose from how many guests a card is asked for.
- Under Free Cancellation Until (hours before), choose until when guests can cancel for free.
- Save.
When guests book online, they agree to your terms and save their card on Mollie's card page. Mollie checks the card with a tiny payment that's refunded straight away. The booking is confirmed once the card is saved.
Card guarantees are only for online bookings, not for bookings you make yourself.
Charge a no-show fee
A fee can be charged when:
- you marked the booking as a No-show; or
- the guest cancelled through their link after the free cancellation time.
You need the admin or manager role.
- Open the booking in Restaurant → Reservations, or on the till open Calendar and then No-show fees.
- Click Charge no-show fee, or Waive to let it go.
The fee can be charged once. The guest gets an email receipt. If the charge fails, you can try again.
Deposits for special events
A special event can have its own Deposit per Person for bookings during the event, or its own no-show protection.
Common problems
Card guarantee can't be chosen. It needs Mollie with credit cards switched on. Buckaroo isn't supported for card guarantees.
Guests can't book because paying online isn't possible. No online payment method is switched on. Check Settings → Payment providers.
A booking was cancelled by itself. The guest didn't pay the deposit within 30 minutes.