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Reminder Email for Expired Credit Card Hold Reservations with Zenchef Payments

In this article, you will find a simplified overview of the automatic reminder email sent to guests when their Credit Card Hold (CCH) reservation expires without being completed: how it works, how to manage it, and common questions.
 

Summary

  1. What you need to know / Tips

  2. How the reminder email works

  3. Common issues & FAQs

  4. Support 
     

What you need to know / Tips

  • This feature sends one reminder email to guests who started but did not finish a reservation requiring a credit card hold via Zenchef Payment.

  • The reminder is sent within about 10 minutes after the reservation changes to “Expired”.

  • If the guest completes the reservation or makes another one for the same date within this window, no reminder is sent.

  • The feature can be turned on or off at the restaurant level.

  • Only one reminder email per guest per day is sent (per email address).

 

1. How the reminder email works

When a guest starts but does not complete a reservation that requires a credit card hold (CCH) via Zenchef Payment, Zenchef can automatically send them a reminder email if certain conditions are met.

Key behaviors:

  • The reminder is triggered when the reservation status becomes “Expired” for an Zenchef Payment CCH flow.

  • The guest must have a valid email address.

  • No reminder is sent if:

    • the guest completes the reservation before the email is sent, or

    • the guest makes another reservation with the same contact details for the same date within about 10 minutes.

  • The reminder email includes:

    • the restaurant name

    • the requested date and time

    • the party size (when available)

    • a “Book again” button linking to the booking page (or general availability if the original slot is not available).

  • The email is localized to the guest’s language.

  • Only one reminder email per email address per day is sent.

  • The feature can be enabled or disabled per restaurant.

 

2. Setting up and managing the feature

This feature is controlled at the restaurant level.

To enable or disable the reminder email:

  • The reminder is enabled by default for all restaurants.

  • To disable it, go to:

    Settings > Services & Reservations > Guest Notifications

    Then unselect the “Incomplete reservation reminder” radio button.

  • The reminder is available email-only (no SMS or push notifications).

  • Your restaurant must use Zenchef Payment for credit card hold flows.

Note: Once enabled, the process is fully automated. No action is required from guests.

 

3. Common issues & FAQs

Common issues

  • Reminder email not sent

    • The guest completed the booking or made another reservation for the same date within 10 minutes.

    • The reminder feature is disabled for your restaurant.

    • The guest’s email address is missing or invalid.

  • Guest reports receiving multiple reminders

    • Only one reminder per email address per day is sent.

    • Check the guest’s email and the dates they mention.

FAQ

  • How can I activate/deactivate the setting?

    The reminder is enabled by default. To deactivate it, go to:

    Settings > Services & Reservations > Guest Notifications

    Then unselect the “Incomplete reservation reminder” radio button.

  • In which format is the reminder sent?

    The reminder is sent only by email.

 

4. Support 

Support contact information

For assistance:

  • Contact Zenchef Support through your customer portal, or

  • Use the Help Center contact options available in your interface.