Deposit & cancellation policy

Decide your rules once, before the awkward message. You get a short version to paste into DMs and a full one for your order form or website.

Plain-language template, not legal advice. Your state may have its own rules, especially for the home-kitchen wording.

i. Deposit

Deposit is

Amount

Book at least, days ahead

If they cancel, the deposit

Use within, months

ii. Balance, changes and cancelling late

Balance due, days before

0 means at pickup.

Design changes until, days before

Late cancellation is under, days

If they cancel late

Payment you take

Wait for late pickups, minutes

iii. Extras Not responsible for damage after pickup or delivery Allergen note

Your kitchen also handles

Home-kitchen (cottage food) statement

Bakery name (optional)

Short version, for DMs and texts

Full policy, for your order form or website

Why put it in writing

Most deposit fights start because the rule was never said out loud. A deposit protects the date you turned other people down for, and the ingredients you bought ahead. Sending the policy with the quote, before money moves, is what makes it fair.

Asking for payment in full a few days before pickup also takes care of the people who order and never show. Several cottage bakers also hold back their home address until the order is paid.