Glossary

Credit card hold

What is a credit card hold for a reservation?

A card hold secures a reservation with a payment card without charging anything upfront. The card details are saved (by the payment processor, never on paper) and the restaurant may charge the published fee only if the party no-shows or cancels inside the window. It is the lowest-friction form of no-show protection: the 95% of guests who show up never feel it, unlike a deposit which takes real money at booking. Every major platform supports holds; the differences are cost and cut. Disclosure is the legal and practical key: the fee amount and conditions must be stated at booking.