Legal
Cancellation Policy
- Effective:
- Last updated:
- Jurisdiction:
- United States
This Cancellation Policy governs how cancellations are handled on the bartendersNow™ platform. Our policy is designed to balance flexibility for Hosts during the planning phase with income protection for Bartenders as events approach.
Key Principle: The closer to the event date, the more we protect Bartender income, as their ability to find replacement work diminishes.
At a glance
- The earlier you cancel, the more you get back — a full refund 14+ days out, 50% at 7–14 days, and no refund within 7 days. The refund matrix in Section 2 lists every value.
- Cancellation is available up until your event's scheduled start time. After that, the booking can no longer be cancelled — use Report an issue instead (Section 2.5).
- If your Bartender cancels, you receive a 100% refund of all payments, including service fees.
- The Captain Service fee is non-refundable for Host cancellations made within 14 days of the event.
- Refunds are processed within 5–10 business days to your original payment method.
This summary is for convenience only; the full policy below governs.
On this page
- Overview
- Host Cancellation Policy
- Cancellation Examples
- Bartender Cancellation Policy
- Multi-Bartender Events
- Special Circumstances
- Payment Processing
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Contact Us
- Policy Updates
Cancellation timing is calculated from the scheduled Bartender arrival time specified in your booking. The 12% Host Service Fee follows the same refund tiers as Bartender costs.
| Cancellation Timing | Host Refund (Bartender cost) | Bartender Compensation (before the 12% Platform Retained Fee) | 12% Host Service Fee | Captain Service Fee (Host-initiated) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14+ days before event | 100% refund | $0 | 100% service fee refunded | Yes - full refund |
| 7-14 days before event | 50% refund | 50% of contracted amount | 50% service fee refunded | No - paid to Captain (before the 12% Platform Retained Fee) |
| Within 7 days of event | No refund | 100% of contracted amount | No service fee refund | No - paid to Captain (before the 12% Platform Retained Fee) |
| Bartender cancels (any timing) | 100% refund of all payments | — | 100% service fee refunded | Refunded 100% to Host |
All timings above are measured from your Bartender's scheduled arrival time. Cancellation itself is available only before your event's scheduled start time — see Section 2.5.
What your Bartender is paid. Bartender Compensation is a percentage of your Bartender's contracted amount for the booking. The standard 12% Platform Retained Fee described in Section 6.2 of the Terms of Service (the platform fee described in our Bartender Payout Policy) is retained from cancellation compensation before it is paid, just as it is from a completed booking, so the amount paid to your Bartender is that compensation less that fee, rounded to the nearest cent. The same applies to a Captain Service fee paid to a Captain. Your refund is not affected by this fee: the Host refund amounts shown in this policy are the exact amounts returned to you.
No separate payment-processing fee. bartendersNow™ absorbs payment-processing costs. You pay exactly the Bartender cost plus the 12% Host Service Fee — there is no separate card-processing charge added to your total, and none is withheld from your refund. When you cancel, your refund is simply the applicable percentage of what you paid (Bartender cost and Host Service Fee) under the tiers above: 100% on a full refund (14+ days before the event, or any Bartender-initiated cancellation) and 50% on a partial refund (7–14 days before the event). The Captain Service fee follows its own rule and is handled per Section 2.3. The refund amounts shown in the matrix and examples in this policy are the exact amounts returned to you.
The Captain Service coordination fee is 100% non-refundable for Host-initiated cancellations made within 14 days of your event. This non-refundability applies only to cancellations initiated by the Host. If the Captain, a Bartender, or the platform cancels, the Host receives a 100% refund of the Captain fee.
Rationale: The Captain invests significant time in team coordination, host communication, and event planning during the final two weeks before an event. This fee compensates for that work.
If the Captain, a Bartender, or the platform cancels the booking, the Captain fee is refunded 100% to the Host regardless of timing.
- Log into your bartendersNow™ account
- Navigate to "My Bookings"
- Select the booking you wish to cancel
- Click "Cancel Booking"
- Review the refund breakdown before confirming
- Confirm cancellation
Your refund will be processed within 5–10 business days to your original payment method.
You can cancel a booking at any time from the moment you create your event until your event's scheduled start time. The refund you receive is set by the matrix in Section 2.1, which is measured from your Bartender's scheduled arrival time. These are two different times: your Bartender is scheduled to arrive before your event begins, so that setup is finished when your guests arrive.
Once your event's scheduled start time has passed, the booking can no longer be cancelled. The option to cancel is no longer offered, and a cancellation request made after that point will not be accepted. This applies whether or not your event actually began, and whether or not your Bartender arrived. (If your booking does not record a separate start time, this cut-off is your Bartender's scheduled arrival time.)
Cancelling after your Bartender's scheduled arrival time but before your event's scheduled start time falls in the "Within 7 days of event" row of Section 2.1: you are charged the full booking amount and the Host Service Fee, no refund is issued, and your Bartender's compensation is 100% of their contracted amount (paid less the 12% Platform Retained Fee — see Section 2.1). Your Bartender may already be travelling to your venue or setting up, so this is the most expensive point at which you can cancel. Before the cancellation goes through, we will show you the exact amount you will be charged and ask you to confirm that you understand no refund applies.
If something has gone wrong, do not use Cancel. Use Report an issue on your event instead — including if your Bartender did not arrive, left early, or you believe you were charged for time that was not worked. Reports are reviewed under our Dispute Resolution Policy.
Safety and alcohol-service concerns are handled separately. If anyone is in immediate danger or needs medical help, call 911 first. For a safety concern, or a concern about alcohol service — including service to a minor or to a visibly intoxicated guest — email safety@bartendersnow.com as soon as you can safely do so. That inbox is not monitored around the clock. Our phone line takes voicemail only and is not for urgent safety issues. Do not use Cancel or Report an issue for an urgent safety matter. A Bartender's refusal to serve a guest, made in good faith to comply with the law or with our Alcohol Service Compliance requirements — including refusing a guest who appears to be under 21, cannot produce acceptable identification, or appears visibly intoxicated — is not grounds for a cancellation penalty waiver or a refund. This does not affect any other right you have under this policy or our Dispute Resolution Policy.
- Booking: 5 hours at $80/hr = $400 Bartender + $48 service fee = $448 total
- Cancellation tier: 14+ days (Tier 1)
- Host refund: $448 (100%)
- Bartender compensation: $0
- Booking: 5 hours at $80/hr = $400 Bartender + $48 service fee = $448 total
- Cancellation tier: 7-14 days (Tier 2)
- Host refund: $224 (50%)
- Bartender compensation: $200 (50% of $400) − $24 Platform Retained Fee (12%) = $176 paid to Bartender
- Booking: 5 hours at $80/hr = $400 Bartender + $48 service fee = $448 total
- Cancellation tier: Within 7 days (Tier 3)
- Host refund: $0
- Bartender compensation: $400 (100% of $400) − $48 Platform Retained Fee (12%) = $352 paid to Bartender
- Booking: $400 Bartender + $50 Captain + $54 service fee = $504 total
- Cancellation tier: 7-14 days (Tier 2)
- Host refund: $227 (50% of Bartender cost + 50% service fee; Captain fee non-refundable)
- Bartender compensation: $200 (50% of $400) − $24 Platform Retained Fee (12%) = $176 paid to Bartender
- Captain compensation: $50 (100% of the Captain fee; non-refundable to Host) − $6 Platform Retained Fee (12%) = $44 paid to Captain
In ALL Bartender-initiated cancellation scenarios, Hosts receive a 100% refund of all payments, including service fees.
When a Bartender cancels a confirmed booking, you will receive an immediate 100% refund of all payments.
The bartendersNow™ platform provides self-service tools to help you find a replacement:
- Browse available Bartenders in your area for your event date/time
- View profiles, ratings, and reviews to make an informed selection
- Book a replacement directly through the platform
Note: Finding a replacement Bartender is not guaranteed and depends on availability.
By accepting bookings through bartendersNow™, Bartenders enter into binding service contracts with Hosts. Fulfilling accepted bookings is a material term of both the service contract with the Host and the Bartender's agreement to use the platform.
Unreliability as Material Breach: Bartenders who fail to fulfill accepted bookings may be in material breach of their contractual obligations. Such breaches undermine the integrity of the marketplace and the trust essential to its operation.
Platform Response: bartendersNow™ reserves the right to terminate platform access for Bartenders whose conduct demonstrates a pattern of unreliability or whose cancellations cause significant harm to Hosts. This determination is made at the platform's sole discretion based on the totality of circumstances, including but not limited to:
- Timing and frequency of cancellations
- Impact on Hosts and the marketplace
- Circumstances surrounding cancellations
No Progressive Discipline: Consistent with the independent contractor relationship, bartendersNow™ does not impose fines, financial penalties, or other employment-style discipline, and none of our responses is a stage in a progressive disciplinary process. Our enforcement responses are those stated in Section 10.3 of our User Agreement & Code of Conduct: written notice that the conduct violates that Agreement, suspension of platform access (including while we investigate), restriction of platform access, or termination of platform access. They are alternatives, not steps in a sequence. If we suspend, restrict, or terminate a Bartender's platform access, we may cancel the Bartender's affected bookings. Cancelling a booking is a platform operation, not a penalty, and any refund or payout consequence of that cancellation is governed by this policy and our Bartender Payout Policy. bartendersNow™ does not withhold or forfeit earned compensation as a consequence of a violation.
When a Host cancels an entire multi-Bartender event:
- Standard cancellation tiers apply to all Bartender payouts
- Captain fee remains 100% non-refundable (if within 14 days)
- Each Bartender receives compensation based on the cancellation tier
- Permitted: Up to 14 days before the event
- Not permitted: Within 14 days of the event (team is locked)
If you need to reduce Bartender count before the 14-day window, standard cancellation tiers apply to removed Bartenders.
If a non-Captain Bartender cancels from a multi-Bartender event:
- You receive a full refund for that Bartender's position
- The Captain and remaining Bartenders are unaffected
- You may use the platform's self-service search tools to find and book a replacement Bartender (subject to availability)
If a Host or event does not materialize and the Bartender arrives at the scheduled location:
- Bartender compensation is 100% of their contracted amount (paid less the 12% Platform Retained Fee — see Section 2.1); the Host's card was already charged at the 48-hour lock
- If there is nothing for the Bartender to do, they may leave at their own discretion, but assume the risk of poor ratings if the Host disputes the departure
- Bartenders cannot receive more than their contracted amount in any scenario
- Host account is subject to review and potential suspension
If your venue cancels or your event location changes substantially:
- This is treated as a Host-initiated cancellation
- Standard cancellation tiers apply based on when you notify us
For short-notice bookings (less than 48 hours to event), the Host is charged immediately upon booking confirmation — that is, when the requested Bartender accepts the Host's request, or when the Host accepts a Bartender's request. Sending a request does not itself charge the Host. If the Host requested a specific Bartender and that Bartender then declines the request or does not respond within the request window:
- The Host is not charged, because no charge is placed until a Bartender accepts
- The event returns to a state where the Host may request another Bartender or cancel the event entirely
- The declining Bartender receives no compensation (they did not accept the booking)
This is distinct from a Bartender cancellation, which applies only to bookings the Bartender has accepted and confirmed.
For extraordinary circumstances beyond your control (natural disasters, government orders, medical emergencies):
- Contact us immediately at support@bartendersnow.com
- We will review requests on a case-by-case basis
- Documentation may be required
Cancellation is a pre-service option only. Once your event's scheduled start time has passed, the booking can no longer be cancelled — see Section 2.5. If your Bartender did not arrive, left early, or something else went wrong, use Report an issue on your event, or contact us at disputes@bartendersnow.com. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911 first. Safety or alcohol-service concerns should go to safety@bartendersnow.com as soon as you can safely do so.
Payment is collected at the earliest of:
- When you cancel your booking, OR
- 48 hours before your Bartender's scheduled arrival time, OR
- At the moment you commit to a Bartender for a short-notice booking (event less than 48 hours away)
See the Payment Timeline Policy for full details on each trigger.
- Refunds are processed within 5–10 business days
- Refunds return to your original payment method
- If your original payment method is unavailable, platform credit will be issued
If your payment method is declined when you cancel:
- You have 24 hours to update your payment method
- Your Bartender will still receive their compensation earned for legitimate, completed services (we guarantee payment for legitimate, completed bookings pursuant to Section 4.2 of the Dispute Resolution Policy)
- Your account will be restricted until payment is resolved
Q: Can I reschedule instead of canceling? A: Currently, changes to event date/time must be processed as a cancellation followed by a new booking. Cancellation tiers will apply. We are developing a reschedule feature for future release.
Q: What if my Bartender cancels on me? A: You receive a 100% refund immediately. You can use the platform's search tools to find and book an available replacement Bartender. Bartenders who fail to fulfill accepted bookings may be in breach of their contractual obligations and risk termination of their platform access.
Q: Why is the Captain fee non-refundable? A: Captains invest significant coordination time in the weeks before your event—communicating with you, organizing the team, and planning logistics. The non-refundable fee compensates them for this work.
Q: What counts as "days before event"? A: Days are calculated from your Bartender's scheduled arrival time, not midnight. If your Bartender is scheduled to arrive at 5:00 PM on Saturday, "7 days before" means 5:00 PM the previous Saturday.
Q: Can I cancel after my event has started, or after it's over? A: No. Cancellation is available up until your event's scheduled start time; after that, the booking can no longer be cancelled. If your Bartender did not arrive, left early, or something else went wrong, use "Report an issue" on your event. See Section 2.5 and our Dispute Resolution Policy.
Q: What if there's a weather emergency? A: Contact us immediately. We evaluate weather-related situations case-by-case. Standard policy applies by default, but we may offer accommodations for documented severe weather events.
Cancellation Questions:
- Email: support@bartendersnow.com
- Subject Line: Cancellation Inquiry - Booking ID
Disputes or Appeals:
- Email: disputes@bartendersnow.com
- Response time: 2-3 business days
We may update this Cancellation Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via email and in-app notification at least 14 days before taking effect.
Your continued use of the Platform after policy changes indicates acceptance of the updated terms.
This Cancellation Policy is incorporated by reference into the bartendersNow™ Terms of Service. In the event of any conflict between this policy and the Terms of Service, the Terms of Service shall govern.
Last Updated: October 20, 2026 Version: 1.10