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.
Where to find the payment options: click the simulators tab in the top menu bar, then next to your simulator name, click the gear icon, scroll down to find the different payment options.
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: Admin Checkout & “Paid” Status Clarification
No matter which payment configuration is enabled (Pre-Payment ON, OFF, or Store Card / Pay Later), staff always have additional flexibility inside the Admin Checkout screen.
But here’s the key distinction:
There is no “Pay Later” reservation type.
You do not mark a reservation as “Pay Later.”
Instead:
• If you collect payment through Birrdi → it is processed normally.
• If you collect payment on-site through your Square POS → you manually mark the reservation as Paid inside Birrdi.
How Admin Checkout Actually Works
When staff create a new reservation and reach checkout, they can choose:
• Use a new card
• Use a card on file
• Use a gift card
• Complete checkout without charging (admin flexibility)
If no payment is collected inside Birrdi:
• The reservation is created
• The balance remains unpaid
• Staff can later mark it as Paid once payment is collected externally (ex: Square POS)
Important: This Is Only Available During NEW Reservations
This flexibility exists:
• Only on the Admin Checkout screen
• Only when creating a new reservation
• Not as a setting you toggle afterward
You are not assigning a payment type — you are simply choosing whether to collect payment inside Birrdi at that moment.
If You Collect Payment in Square POS
If payment is taken on-site using Square POS:
Open the reservation in Birrdi
Mark it as Paid
This keeps reporting accurate
Birrdi does not automatically sync POS payments into the reservation balance.
What is Square?
Square is your Point of Sale (POS) system. It is how you charge cards on-site outside of Birrdi — for example:
Front desk payments
Walk-in customers
In-person checkout
Retail or merchandise sales
When you charge a customer in Square (outside of Birrdi’s checkout), you simply mark the reservation as Paid in Birrdi so reporting stays accurate.
Summary
Payment settings control the customer online booking experience.
Admin checkout flexibility allows staff to:
• Book without charging immediately
• Collect payment in person
• Use Square POS
• Comp reservations
• Handle special cases
Reservations are marked Paid once payment is actually collected — whether inside Birrdi or externally.
Summary
Payment settings define the customer online experience, not staff capabilities.
Admins always retain full flexibility to manage payments as needed.