What If My Cook Cancels?

If your Cook cancels a confirmed booking before it starts, you won't be charged a cancellation fee, and any PlatedUp charges for that booking are refunded or released in full.

If your Cook cancels before your booking

If your Cook cancels a confirmed booking before the scheduled start time, you don't pay a customer cancellation or late cancellation fee.

All PlatedUp charges for that booking — the Cook service amount and PlatedUp's service fee — are refunded or released in full. You'll be notified when your booking is canceled.

This is different from your Cook simply not showing up without canceling — see What If My Cook Is Late or Doesn't Arrive? for that situation.

Want to find another Cook?

If you'd still like the service, PlatedUp may be able to help you find another available Cook, or you can rebook yourself.

We can't guarantee another Cook will be available at the same date and time — see What If No Cook Is Available? if that happens.

Cook services on PlatedUp are priced at the same fixed $25/hour Cook service rate no matter which Cook you book, so choosing a different Cook doesn't change your hourly rate.

If your Cook asks you to cancel

If your Cook tells you they can't make it but asks you to cancel the booking yourself, don't cancel on their behalf — contact PlatedUp Support instead so it's handled correctly. You shouldn't need to accept a customer cancellation fee in this situation.

If the service already started

If your Cook begins your booking but isn't able to finish it, that's different from a cancellation before your booking starts. Contact PlatedUp Support — we'll review the completed and uncompleted parts of the service. We don't promise an automatic full refund in this situation, since it depends on how much of the booking was completed.

Cook reliability

PlatedUp tracks cancellations and no-shows, because reliability matters for confirmed bookings. Repeated avoidable cancellations, last-minute cancellations, or no-shows may lead to reduced booking opportunities, temporary restrictions, account review, or removal from PlatedUp.

We take the circumstances into account — for example, emergencies or safety issues outside a Cook's control are considered as part of any review.

Groceries and other purchases

PlatedUp refunds or releases PlatedUp booking charges as described above. Groceries you've already purchased, grocery delivery charges, and charges from a retailer or delivery service aren't automatically refunded by PlatedUp and remain subject to that provider's own policies. See Who Buys the Groceries?

Refund timing

Once PlatedUp issues a refund to your card, it generally appears on your original payment method within about 5–10 business days, though actual timing can vary by bank or card issuer.

If a refund is issued soon after your original payment, it can sometimes appear as the original charge simply disappearing rather than as a separate refund line — see Authorization Holds.

Still need help?

If your Cook cancels and you need help sorting out your booking, contact PlatedUp Support.