Hospitality glossary

Prepayment

Money collected before arrival for all or part of a booking, package, menu or experience.

Why it matters

How prepayment affects a service

Prepayment secures revenue before service and can simplify arrival for fixed-price experiences. It is different from a card guarantee because money actually changes hands, and the venue needs clear cancellation and refund rules.

Example

In practice

A restaurant selling a €95 tasting menu can collect the full menu price when the guest books, then record the reservation as prepaid.

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Related terms

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