Deposits & Card Guarantees
Protect your revenue with flexible booking protection rules. Collect upfront deposits or save a guest's card for possible late-cancellation and no-show fees — without charging at booking. Stripe handles payments securely, and you stay in control of refunds and fees.
Last updated: 11 Jun 2026
Key benefits
A quick overview of what you get with deposits & card guarantees.
Secure deposits and card guarantees powered by Stripe
How it works
Create deposit or card guarantee rules
Set deposit rules like '£10/person for parties of 6+' or card guarantee rules for Friday and Saturday evenings. Match by day, time, party size, or event — and stack rules for precise control.
Connect Stripe
Complete Stripe Connect onboarding to accept payments and save cards securely. Deposits go to your Stripe account; card guarantees hold a card on file without charging upfront.
Guests confirm at booking
When a booking matches your rules, guests complete Stripe Checkout — paying a deposit or saving their card — before the reservation is confirmed. Staff can also send pay-by-link for phone bookings.
Manage refunds, fees, and no-shows
Refund deposits within your policy window. For card guarantees, release the card after a successful visit or charge late-cancellation and no-show fees from the dashboard when appropriate.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a deposit and a card guarantee?
A deposit collects payment upfront at booking. A card guarantee saves the guest's card without charging — you only charge a fee later if they cancel late or no-show. Card guarantees suit venues that want protection without asking for payment in advance.
How much should I charge for deposits?
Common approaches: £10–£20 per person for large parties, or a flat £50 for peak times. The goal is to deter no-shows without discouraging genuine bookings.
When are card guarantee fees charged?
No fee is taken at booking. If a guest cancels late or does not show up, your team can charge the saved card from the reservation in your dashboard — according to the late-cancellation and no-show fees set on your guarantee rule.
What if a booking matches both a deposit rule and a card guarantee rule?
The deposit applies. Deposit rules take priority over card guarantee rules when both match the same slot — guests are not asked to both pay upfront and save a card.
What fees apply to deposits and card guarantees?
Stripe charges payment processing fees when money moves. TableGo Basic may apply a platform fee; Pro has 0% TableGo platform fee on deposits and guarantee charges.
Can guests pay deposits or save a card later?
Online bookings must complete protection during the booking flow to confirm. For staff-created bookings, you can email a secure Stripe link so the guest pays a deposit or saves their card before the reservation is confirmed.
What if I need to refund a deposit manually?
You can process refunds from the reservation detail page or directly in your Stripe dashboard. Partial and full refunds are supported.
Ready to try deposits & card guarantees?
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