Birrdi offers three different payment configurations for reservations. Each option is designed to support different business models, from fully prepaid bookings to flexible pay-later or deposit-based setups.
Below is a breakdown of how each option works and when to use it.
1. Pre-Payment ON (Recommended)
Pre-Payment ON requires customers to pay at the time of booking.
This is the recommended setup because it unlocks all Birrdi features and provides the strongest protection against no-shows.
How it works
Customers pay upfront when booking
No outstanding balance after the reservation
Fully automated checkout experience
Features supported
✅ Credits
✅ Loyalty points
✅ Promo codes & discounts
✅ Gift cards
✅ Membership pricing
✅ Automated refunds (based on your cancellation policy)
Best for
Most facilities and events
High-demand time slots
Businesses that want maximum automation and protection
Why we recommend this:
You get access to every Birrdi feature with the least operational overhead.
2. Pre-Payment OFF
Pre-Payment OFF allows customers to book without paying upfront.
How it works
No payment required at booking
No credit card is required
Customers typically pay in person
Features supported
✅ Credits
❌ Loyalty points
❌ Promo codes & discounts
❌ Gift cards
❌ Automated refunds
Limitations to note
No way to charge for no-shows automatically
Fewer checkout incentives
Less protection for peak times
Best for
Walk-in focused businesses
Facilities that prefer pay-on-arrival
Locations that do not want to collect cards at booking
3. Store Card, Pay Later (No-Show Protection)
Store Card, Pay Later is ideal if you don’t want pre-payment, but still want protection.
How it works
No upfront payment required
Customer must store a credit card on file
You can charge fees later for:
No-shows
Late cancellations
Deposits or penalties
Features supported
✅ Credits
❌ Loyalty points
❌ Promo codes & discounts
❌ Gift cards
Why this option is powerful
Prevents abuse without forcing full pre-payment
Perfect for deposit-style setups
Gives operators control when enforcing policies
Best for
Businesses that don’t want full pre-payment
Facilities with frequent no-shows
Deposit-based reservation models — our version of deposits, without requiring an upfront charge. Instead, a card is securely kept on file, providing the same protection and allowing you to charge if needed.
Quick Comparison
Feature | Pre-Payment ON | Pre-Payment OFF | Store Card, Pay Later |
Pay at booking | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
Card required | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
Credits | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
Loyalty | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
Promo codes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
No-show protection | ✅ Built-in | ❌ None | ✅ Manual charge |
Best overall | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
Recommendation
If you’re unsure which option to choose:
Start with Pre-Payment ON
Switch to Store Card, Pay Later if you need deposit flexibility
Use Pre-Payment OFF only if you explicitly do not want cards on file
If you need help deciding or switching between payment types, contact support and we’ll walk you through it.
CAVEAT: What Staff Can Always Do
No matter which payment option is enabled for customers, staff always have full control over payments inside Birrdi and can always bypass payment of a reservation by utilizing the admin Pay Later button, only available to staff/admins
Regardless of whether Pre-Payment is On, Off, or Store Card / Pay Later:
Charge a card manually
Pay Later
These actions are always available from the admin side.
Summary
Payment settings define the customer online experience, not staff capabilities.
Admins always retain full flexibility to manage payments as needed.