In this article, you will learn how to define and manage the cancellation policy for reservations on Zenchef, to inform your customers about cancellation conditions and effectively handle late cancellations or no-shows.
Summary
- How to set up your cancellation policy?
- What are the consequences for reservations?
- Which reservations are affected?
- Common cases & FAQs
- Support & Related Articles
What you need to know
The cancellation policy allows you to define a time frame before which your customers can cancel their reservation without penalty. This policy is especially useful when you use credit card pre-authorization or prepayment, as it gives you the ability to handle late cancellations and charge fees in case of no-shows.
Keep in mind: Your customers will always be able to cancel their reservation whenever they want. The late cancellation time frame is used to define the conditions for charging/refunding the credit card hold or prepayment.
1. How to set up your cancellation policy?
- Go to your Settings, then edit your Service.
- In the section Online automation > Cancellation, fill in the field “Definition of an out-of-bounds period.”
For example:
Allowed time frame: 3 hours before service.
Customers who booked for noon will be able to cancel free of charge until 9 a.m. on the same day. After that, you are entitled to charge the credit card hold or keep the prepayment.
2. What are the consequences for reservations?
Your customers are informed of your cancellation policy:
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On the booking module, at the credit card hold step (for automatic requests).
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On the credit card entry page (for manual requests).
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In the email confirming their reservation.
Your customers can cancel at any time:
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If the cancellation is made before the deadline, both the reservation and associated card hold will be marked as “Cancelled”.
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If the cancellation is made after the deadline, the reservation will be marked as “Late Cancellation”, but the card hold status will remain as “Held”.
At the moment of cancellation, customers are notified if the deadline has passed.
You can take action on late cancellations:
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By manually changing the status to No-show
AND / OR
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By manually charging the card hold.
3. Which reservations are affected?
Only:
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Reservations with a credit card hold (Held status)
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Reservations with a Prepaid experience, where you have selected and configured the refund mode: "Automatic outside of the late cancellation deadline".
4. Common cases & FAQs
Common cases
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My customers can still cancel even after the deadline
That’s correct. To help you avoid no-shows, your customers will always be able to cancel their reservation at any time. The late cancellation setting defines your right to charge the card hold or retain the prepayment. -
I don’t know which cancellation policy is set for my restaurant
Check the configured time frame in your service settings (see section 1 of this article).
FAQs
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How are customers informed of the cancellation policy?
Your customers will be notified during the credit card hold step in the booking module, on the card entry page for manual requests, and in the reservation confirmation email. -
Which reservations are affected by the cancellation policy?
Only reservations with a credit card hold or a prepayment.
5. Support & Related Articles
Contact our support team
For any additional assistance, feel free to contact Zenchef support via the Chatbot available in your client area or by visiting our Help Center.