Authorization Holds

When you request a booking, PlatedUp places a temporary authorization on your payment method rather than charging you right away. You're only actually charged once your Cook accepts and that payment is successfully processed — not before, and not when your booking takes place.

What is an authorization hold?

An authorization hold is a temporary pending amount PlatedUp places on your payment method to confirm it can cover your booking. It's not a final charge — your bank or card app may show it as pending, authorized, processing, or with similar wording, and it can sometimes look similar to a completed charge.

When you request a booking

When you submit a booking request, PlatedUp authorizes the amount you'd pay for that booking on your payment method. This confirms your payment method can cover it before we ask a Cook to commit to your booking.

If you're using PlatedUp Credit toward the booking, your eligible Credit is reserved for that request, and only the remaining amount is authorized on your payment method. For example, on a $53.99 booking where you apply $20 in Credit, $20 is reserved and the remaining $33.99 is authorized. Your reserved Credit isn't lost — if your request doesn't go through, it's returned to your available balance.

When you're charged

Your booking is confirmed once your Cook has accepted it and the required payment has been successfully processed — that's when the authorized amount becomes an actual PlatedUp charge. This usually happens well before your scheduled service, not on the day of your booking.

Cook acceptance alone doesn't confirm your booking — if the required payment can't be collected, your booking isn't confirmed yet, even if your Cook has accepted.

If your booking isn't confirmed

If your Cook declines, no Cook is matched, or your request expires before being confirmed, you're not charged a PlatedUp cancellation fee. Any authorization on your payment method is released, and any reserved PlatedUp Credit is returned to your available balance.

If your payment doesn't go through

If your Cook accepts but the required payment can't be successfully collected, your booking shows a payment issue rather than being confirmed. You'll be prompted to update or retry your payment method. If payment isn't completed in time, your request expires, your Cook is no longer committed to it, and any authorization or reserved Credit is released.

If you cancel a pending request

If you withdraw a booking request before it's confirmed, there's no customer cancellation fee — this is different from canceling an already-confirmed booking. Any authorization is released, and any reserved Credit is returned to your balance. Once a booking is confirmed and paid, canceling it follows the normal cancellation policy — see Canceling an Order.

What happens after your booking is confirmed

Successfully completing your booking doesn't create another charge for your Cook-service amount — that was already captured when your booking was confirmed. A later charge only happens for something separately authorized, like an approved change to your booking or a tip you choose to add.

Changing a confirmed booking

Changing an already-confirmed booking follows PlatedUp's normal change policy — see Changing Your Booking. If a change doesn't affect your total, there's no second charge. If a change reduces your total, the difference is refunded or released under the applicable policy.

If a change increases your total, your Cook needs to accept it, and you'll see the original amount, the added amount, your updated total, and any service-fee or tax change before confirming — the additional amount needs to be successfully paid before the change takes effect. If that additional payment doesn't go through, your original booking stays as it was.

Using PlatedUp Credit

PlatedUp Credit works the same way for a pending request as described above — it's reserved while your request is pending, and only becomes fully used once your booking is confirmed. If your booking was paid partly with Credit and partly by card and a refund becomes due, the Credit portion returns as Credit and the card portion returns to your card — PlatedUp Credit is never converted into cash through a cancellation or refund. See Refunds for more on how PlatedUp Credit works.

How long does a released hold take to disappear?

PlatedUp releases an authorization promptly when it's no longer needed, but your bank or card issuer controls how quickly the pending amount disappears from your account — many releases clear within about 5 business days, though this varies by bank and payment method. We can't guarantee an exact time.

A temporary authorization can sometimes look like a real charge in your banking app and may briefly reduce your displayed available balance. If your booking wasn't confirmed, this doesn't mean PlatedUp charged you a cancellation fee — it's an authorization being released, not a completed charge.

Groceries, tips, and taxes

Your PlatedUp authorization and charge don't include separate purchases like a grocery retailer order, Instacart, or another delivery service — those are handled directly with that provider. If you choose an optional tip when you book, that tip is included in your booking's required payment authorization — see Tips. Any additional tip you choose to add after your booking is a separate, voluntary payment and isn't included in your original authorization. Applicable taxes are calculated automatically as part of your total.

Still need help?

If a pending or duplicate-looking charge concerns you, or you have a question about a specific payment, contact PlatedUp Support with your booking details.