How to politely request late payment from a café client

Late payment from a café client usually comes down to their process, not bad faith. Here's who pays, when, what tends to hold payment up, and a polite reminder you can send today.

Who pays, and when

The owner, usually directly. Often paid from the week's takings.

Why payment runs late

Owners work the counter, so admin happens after hours.

Tips for chasing a café client

Email in the afternoon, after the rush.
Keep the reminder short, with a quick way to pay.
If you're local, a friendly word in person helps.

Example reminder email

Subject: Quick reminder: invoice [number] Hi [first name], I hope all's well. Invoice [number] for [amount] was due on [date]. If it's already on its way, thank you, and please ignore this. Just a short note, with a quick way to pay below. Is email the best way to reach you about invoices? You can pay here: [payment link] Thanks, [Your name]

Write your reminders

Fill in the invoice to get four emails for a café client, from a heads-up to a final notice, with the dates to send them. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

Your reminders will appear here.

Want these sent for you?

We're building a tool that sends these reminders automatically from your own Gmail when a Stripe invoice goes overdue, all in one email thread, and stops the moment it's paid. It isn't ready yet. Planned price: $19 a month.