Restaurant deposits and cancellation fees in Canada: what diners should know (2026)

Booking a table used to mean giving a name and a phone number. Today, many busy restaurants in Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and Victoria ask for a card number, a deposit or a signed cancellation policy. The reason is simple. A table that stays empty because a party never arrived is a loss the restaurant cannot recover, and for a small business that can be a bad evening. Know what you are agreeing to and a booking is never a surprise.

Why do restaurants ask for a deposit or a card?

No-shows are a real problem. A restaurant with forty seats that holds six of them for a party that never arrives loses sales it cannot get back, and the kitchen has already bought and prepared food. Deposits and card holds reduce no-shows. They also let a restaurant offer a limited tasting menu or a special event, where each seat has been planned.

There are three common models:

• A card on file, with no charge unless you do not show or cancel late. The restaurant keeps your card number and charges a fee only if you break the policy.
• A deposit, charged when you book. It is often applied to your bill, or refunded if you cancel in time.
• Prepayment for a ticketed event. A supper club, tasting menu or holiday dinner may be paid in full, with different cancellation terms.

What should you check before you agree?

1. The amount. Is it per person or per table, and is it a fixed sum or a percentage of the bill?
2. The deadline. How many hours or days before the booking can you cancel without cost?
3. What counts as a no-show. Some restaurants release your table after fifteen minutes.
4. What happens to the deposit. Is it credited to your bill, refunded or kept?
5. Group size changes. Can you reduce the number without a charge? Many restaurants set a deadline for final numbers.
6. Holidays and special events. Policies are often stricter for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, New Year's Eve and December parties.

The policy should be shown to you before you confirm, at the booking step, in the confirmation email and on the restaurant's page. Take a screenshot or keep the email.

What if you cannot make it?

Cancel as early as you can, in the way the restaurant asks. A phone call or an email is better than silence. If you are ill or have an emergency, many restaurants will waive the fee, especially if you let them know in advance. If you have a deposit, ask whether it can be moved to another date. Restaurants would rather keep a customer than a fee.

What if you were charged and did not expect it?

1. Read the confirmation you received. Check the policy you agreed to.
2. Contact the restaurant. Explain what happened and ask for the charge to be reviewed. Many will help if the policy was unclear, or if you cancelled in time.
3. Ask your card issuer. If the charge does not match what you agreed to, your card company has a process to dispute it. Keep your confirmation and any messages.
4. Contact the provincial consumer office. In British Columbia, that is Consumer Protection BC. In Ontario, it is Consumer Protection Ontario, part of the provincial government. They can explain your rights and how to make a complaint.

Rules for consumer contracts differ between provinces and between kinds of event, so the consumer office is the place to confirm yours.

Are cancellation fees fair?

A small fee that offsets a real loss is usually accepted. A very large fee, or one that is hidden in small print, causes complaints. Most Canadian restaurants set the fee at a level that reflects the food and the seat, and many forgive it for a genuine reason. If a policy seems excessive, you can choose another restaurant.

How do you avoid fees altogether?

• Book only when you are sure of your plans.
• Put the date and cancellation deadline in your calendar.
• Tell the restaurant promptly if numbers change.
• Choose places that take walk-ins when your plans are uncertain.
• For big groups, confirm numbers a few days before.

Do deposits affect tipping?

A deposit is usually credited to the bill, so tip on the full pre-tax amount of your meal, not just the balance you pay at the end. Ask your server if you are unsure how the deposit was applied.

How do you keep track of the places that treat bookings fairly?

A clear policy is worth remembering. After a meal, rate the dish in the Mosey app and add a line about the booking, such as "card held, cancelled free the day before" or "no deposit for four". A private list called Fair on bookings keeps those places in one spot, and you can share it with friends through an invite link.

When a group is planning a big dinner, a shared list also settles the argument about where to go: everyone adds a place, and the person who books reads the policy first. Tags such as Group Dining and Date Night help narrow the options.

More guides to read next:

• Canadian holidays and restaurants: what is open in BC and Ontario (2026)
• Stratford, Ontario food guide: theatre-season dining, the farmers market and Perth County
• Tip screens on card machines in Ontario and BC: why they ask and how to choose your own amount

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.

After your next booked dinner, open the Mosey app and rate the dish you ordered.