Tabs and saved cards

Open a tab against a customer's card so they can order all night without paying each round.

A tab is a table session with the customer's card saved on file. Instead of taking a card at the end of every round, you take it once at the start and charge the saved card when the customer closes out.

Tabs are a Pro feature.

Open a tab

Mobile POS → Tabs tab (bottom bar). The screen title is Tabs.
Tap the + New button (top right).
The Open a Tab screen opens with title "Start a tab" and subtitle "The card will be saved for later charging. The guest won't be charged until you close the tab." Enter the customer's name in the Tab name field (placeholder: e.g. John's Tab). Staff use this to identify the tab.
Tap the bottom button labeled Tap Card to Open.
Stripe's card reader launches. The customer taps their card on the phone. Stage labels you'll see in sequence: "Creating tab...", "Ready. Ask guest to tap card.", "Saving card...", "Tab opened".
The card is stored on file (no charge), and the tab opens.
You're dropped into Session detail for the new tab.

The tab now shows in the Tabs list with a wallet icon and the tab name.

If your Tap to Pay reader isn't connected, you'll see a banner prompting you to set it up first. See Tap to Pay setup and use.

The Tabs screen is a consolidated list of everything open right now: incoming PICKUP orders from your public preorder menu, HELD orders you paused, and live tabs. They're badged so you can tell them apart at a glance. Pickup orders are listed first because the customer is actively waiting.

Add to the tab

Same flow as a regular table session. Open the tab from the Tabs list, tap Add Items at the bottom of Session detail, build a cart, and send it. Each batch is appended as a new round.

You can also use the Send to table flow from the menu if the tab is pinned to a table on your floor plan (see Sending orders to a table).

Close a tab

Open the tab from the Tabs list (or from the floor plan if it's pinned to a table).
Review the rounds. Edit quantities, notes, or remove items if needed (see Editing items before payment).
Tap Close Tab at the bottom (amber button. The Settle button is replaced with Close Tab on tab sessions).
If the menu has the tip screen enabled, the tip modal pops first (preset percentages plus optional custom amount plus No tip).
Tap the charge button. Rowie charges the saved card via Stripe directly. No customer interaction needed.
The tab settles, an order is created, and the receipt is sent if you've captured a customer email.

To void a tab without charging, tap Cancel (red, bottom-left) on Session detail instead.

Errors at close

A common error is "Authentication failed" at close. That's Stripe saying the issuer declined the charge because the customer wasn't there to re-authenticate (the card requires the cardholder present for that payment). Hand the phone back to the customer and take a fresh Tap to Pay payment via Settle, then Tap to Pay, instead.

Tab limits

Tabs save a real card authorisation with Stripe. Stripe caps how many such authorisations a single device can hold open at once as an anti-fraud measure. If you hit "Merchant blocked" errors, switch device or contact Stripe.
If the customer never taps a card when opening a tab, the app cleans up the half-finished tab so it won't clutter your active list.

Open a tab

Mobile POS → Tabs tab (bottom bar). The screen title is Tabs.

Tap the + New button (top right).

The Open a Tab screen opens with title "Start a tab" and subtitle "The card will be saved for later charging. The guest won't be charged until you close the tab." Enter the customer's name in the Tab name field (placeholder: e.g. John's Tab). Staff use this to identify the tab.

Tap the bottom button labeled Tap Card to Open.

Stripe's card reader launches. The customer taps their card on the phone. Stage labels you'll see in sequence: "Creating tab...", "Ready. Ask guest to tap card.", "Saving card...", "Tab opened".

The card is stored on file (no charge), and the tab opens.

You're dropped into Session detail for the new tab.

The tab now shows in the Tabs list with a wallet icon and the tab name.

If your Tap to Pay reader isn't connected, you'll see a banner prompting you to set it up first. See Tap to Pay setup and use.

The Tabs screen is a consolidated list of everything open right now: incoming PICKUP orders from your public preorder menu, HELD orders you paused, and live tabs. They're badged so you can tell them apart at a glance. Pickup orders are listed first because the customer is actively waiting.

Add to the tab

Same flow as a regular table session. Open the tab from the Tabs list, tap Add Items at the bottom of Session detail, build a cart, and send it. Each batch is appended as a new round.

You can also use the Send to table flow from the menu if the tab is pinned to a table on your floor plan (see Sending orders to a table).

Close a tab

Open the tab from the Tabs list (or from the floor plan if it's pinned to a table).

Review the rounds. Edit quantities, notes, or remove items if needed (see Editing items before payment).

Tap Close Tab at the bottom (amber button. The Settle button is replaced with Close Tab on tab sessions).

If the menu has the tip screen enabled, the tip modal pops first (preset percentages plus optional custom amount plus No tip).

Tap the charge button. Rowie charges the saved card via Stripe directly. No customer interaction needed.

The tab settles, an order is created, and the receipt is sent if you've captured a customer email.

To void a tab without charging, tap Cancel (red, bottom-left) on Session detail instead.

Errors at close

Tab limits

Tabs save a real card authorisation with Stripe. Stripe caps how many such authorisations a single device can hold open at once as an anti-fraud measure. If you hit "Merchant blocked" errors, switch device or contact Stripe.

If the customer never taps a card when opening a tab, the app cleans up the half-finished tab so it won't clutter your active list.