Group bookings: deposits and cancellation
From eight diners a deposit of twenty to fifty per cent of the estimated bill is usual, with the final number confirmed forty eight to seventy two hours ahead and the confirmed covers charged whether or not everyone attends.
gelisted editorial team · Updated 15 August 2026
The short version
- The usual deposit runs 20 to 50 per cent of the estimated bill.
- The final number is confirmed 48 to 72 hours before.
- Confirmed covers are charged even if someone does not attend.
- A set group menu runs 28 € to 65 € per person.
A group of 20 obliges a restaurant to buy produce, extend the kitchen shift and block half a dining room. That is why the terms read more like a contract than a reservation.
How the deposit works
It is paid on confirmation and comes off the final bill. It covers the purchase of raw materials and the commitment of availability. The percentage rises with the size of the group and with how perishable the produce is: a menu built around fresh fish or shellfish usually attracts a higher deposit than one based on store cupboard preparations. On key dates many venues ask for the full amount in advance.
| Diners | Deposit | Final confirmation |
|---|---|---|
| 8 to 12 | 20 to 30 % | 48 hours before |
| 13 to 20 | 30 to 40 % | 72 hours before |
| 21 to 40 | 40 to 50 % | 5 days before |
| over 40 | 50 % or more | 7 days before |
| Key dates | up to 100 % | as agreed |
| Set menu per person | 28 to 65 € | |
| Free adjustment margin | 1 or 2 covers | customary |
The number that gets charged
The confirmed figure. Once given, the restaurant buys against it and later reductions are not deducted, beyond a courtesy margin of 1 or 2 covers that many venues allow. It is therefore better to confirm the realistic number rather than the optimistic one: adjusting upwards 48 hours ahead is easier than paying for 3 empty covers at 45 € each.
What to agree in writing
The exact menu with its dishes, including alternatives for allergies and intolerances, which must be notified at booking. The price per person inclusive of tax. The arrival time and the expected duration of service, usually 2 to 3 hours. The drinks policy, which may be included up to a limit or charged by consumption. And the cancellation terms with their deadlines and percentages.
An email covering all of those points, confirmed by the restaurant, prevents most of the disagreements that surface on the day.
Cancelling
Terms are usually tiered: full refund up to 7 or 15 days before, partial between 7 and 3 days, and loss of the deposit inside 72 hours. That scale must be communicated before payment and accepted, as with any guaranteed booking. Where no terms were communicated at all, the establishment can only retain the loss it can actually evidence, not a percentage decided afterwards.
Frequently asked
+From how many people is it a group?
Usually from eight diners, at which point a deposit and a set menu are normally applied.
+How much deposit is asked for?
Twenty to fifty per cent of the estimated bill, more on key dates or with perishable produce.
+Are absent diners deducted?
No. The confirmed number is charged, beyond a courtesy margin of one or two covers.
+When must the final number be given?
Forty eight to seventy two hours ahead for medium groups, and up to seven days for groups over forty.
+Can I recover the deposit if I cancel?
According to the scale communicated at booking. Without prior terms, only the evidenced loss can be retained.
Sources
- 1Boletín Oficial del Estado, BOE (August 2026)
- 2Govern de les Illes Balears, Govern de les Illes Balears (August 2026)