Refund Policy
Last updated: April 9, 2026
At DirectBite, we want every order to be a great experience. This policy explains when and how you can get a refund.
1. Cancellation and Refund Overview
| Order Status | Can You Cancel? | Refund |
|---|---|---|
| Pending (payment processing) | Yes, in app | Full refund (payment voided) |
| Confirmed (payment authorized) | Yes, in app | Full refund |
| Accepted (restaurant acknowledged) | Yes, in app | Full refund |
| Preparing (kitchen started cooking) | Contact restaurant | Full refund if restaurant agrees |
| Ready for Pickup | Contact restaurant | Full refund if restaurant agrees |
| Completed (picked up) | No | Refund request for quality issues only |
2. Cancelling Before Preparation Starts
If the restaurant has not yet started preparing your order (status is Pending, Confirmed, or Accepted), you can cancel directly in the app:
- Go to Orders in the app
- Tap on the active order
- Tap Cancel Order
- Confirm the cancellation
Your payment will be refunded automatically. There is no cancellation fee.
3. Cancelling After Preparation Starts
Why can't I cancel in the app once preparation starts?
Once a restaurant begins preparing your food, they have committed ingredients, time, and labor to your order. To protect restaurants from food waste and lost revenue, we don't allow one-tap cancellation at this stage.
If you need to cancel after the restaurant starts preparing:
- Contact the restaurant directly — their phone number is shown on the order details screen in the app
- Explain that you need to cancel
- If the restaurant agrees to cancel, they will cancel the order on their end
- You will receive a full refund — there is no cancellation fee
No cancellation fees, ever. DirectBite never charges a cancellation fee. If your order is cancelled for any reason before you pick it up, you receive a full refund.
4. Restaurant-Initiated Cancellations
Sometimes a restaurant may need to cancel your order. This can happen if:
- An item in your order is out of stock
- The restaurant is closing unexpectedly
- They are too busy to fulfill additional orders
- There is an error with the order
If a restaurant cancels your order, you will receive a full automatic refund. You will be notified via push notification and email.
5. Refunds for Quality Issues
If you've already picked up your order but there's a problem, you can request a refund:
- Wrong order: You received items you didn't order
- Missing items: Items from your order are missing
- Quality issues: Food is undercooked, spoiled, or significantly different from the menu description
How to request a refund for quality issues:
- Go to Orders in the app
- Tap on the completed order
- Tap Request Refund
- Select the reason and describe the issue
- Submit your request
Refund requests must be submitted within 24 hours of order completion. The restaurant will review your request and respond within 48 hours.
6. Refund Processing Time
| Refund Type | Processing Time | Appears on Statement |
|---|---|---|
| Payment voided (order not yet captured) | Instant | Authorization drops off in 1-3 days |
| Full refund (order cancelled) | 1-2 business days | 5-10 business days |
| Partial refund (missing items) | 1-2 business days | 5-10 business days |
| Quality issue refund (after review) | 1-3 business days after approval | 5-10 business days |
Refund timing depends on your bank or credit card issuer. DirectBite processes refunds within 1-2 business days, but it may take your bank additional time to reflect the refund on your statement.
7. Refund Method
Refunds are always issued to the original payment method used for the order. We cannot refund to a different card or payment method.
8. Abuse Policy
We monitor refund requests to maintain fairness for restaurants. Accounts that show a pattern of excessive or fraudulent refund requests may be subject to review, and we reserve the right to limit or deny refund requests for accounts that abuse this policy.
9. Contact Us
If you have questions about a refund or need help with a cancellation:
- Email: support@directbite.app
- In-app: Go to Profile > Help & Support