Frequently asked questions

Deposits

Can I take a deposit automatically for groups over a certain size on certain days?

Yes. Point the access rule for those days at an access profile whose Minimum Spend is set to Only apply to larger parties. Larger groups save a card or pay a deposit as part of booking; smaller ones book as normal. See Automatic deposits for larger groups.

Do I have to request deposits by hand?

No - bookings made online in your widget or the Sidedoor app are secured at checkout. You only request a deposit by hand for bookings your team takes (by phone or in person): tick Request a deposit when adding the reservation, or use Request deposit on its Payment tab, and the guest gets a link to pay or save their card.

Why wasn't a guest asked for a card?

Usually one of these:

• the profile on that rule has no Minimum Spend, or the party was at or below the “larger than” size;
• another table rule was open at the same time without a deposit, and the guest booked through that one;
• the profile’s Party Size doesn’t cover the party, so the rule with the deposit wasn’t offered.

See the checklist in Automatic deposits for larger groups.

Can I charge a flat amount per booking instead of per person?

Deposits are set per cover on a price list. A table’s minimum covers can raise the count, so a large table can carry a higher deposit even for a smaller party. See Pricing & price lists.

Is the minimum spend checked against the bill on the night?

No. The minimum spend sets how much is secured for the booking - a saved card’s no-show charge, or a deposit that comes off the bill. What the party actually spends is settled at your till.

Card on file or Capture

What's the difference between Card on file and Capture?

Card on file saves the guest’s card and charges it only for a no-show or late cancellation. Capture charges the deposit when they book, and it comes off their bill. See Choosing a payment setup.

Which should I use?

Card on file for most nights - it’s the least friction for guests with full no-show protection. Capture for your busiest nights, large groups and minimum-spend tables, where commitment up front matters more.

If I change my payment policy, does it affect existing bookings?

No. Changes apply to new bookings. Existing bookings keep the terms the guest agreed to.

No-shows

Can Sidedoor mark no-shows automatically?

Yes. On the access profile, under Late / No-Show, tick Automatically mark as a no-show and set how long after the booking time. Without it, a booking that isn’t checked in is marked Late, and nothing is charged until your team marks it a no-show.

When is a no-show charged?

After the delay set in the payment policy’s No-show deposits setting - for example 60 minutes after the reservation start time. With Release, nothing is charged. With a Capture policy, the deposit taken at booking is kept.

A guest turned up after being marked a no-show. What happens?

Undo the no-show or check them in. Before the charge time, nothing is charged. If the charge has already gone through, refund it from the reservation’s Payment tab.

What happens to pre-orders on a no-show?

The payment policy’s Pre-orders & add-ons on a no-show setting decides: Capture charges (or keeps) them, Release / refund doesn’t. Items to pay in venue are never charged. See Choosing a payment setup.

Cancellations & cards

Can guests cancel and get their deposit back?

Inside your cancellation window, yes: a saved card is released and a deposit is refunded in full. After the cutoff, a card-on-file guest can only cancel by accepting the charge, and a Capture deposit is kept.

What if a guest's card is declined?

For a booking that’s still coming up, the guest is asked to pay again by push, email and text. For a no-show or late cancellation charge, it’s recorded as not collected on the booking’s History. See Choosing a payment setup.