Deposits aren't automatically refunded. If your records don't match your supplier's, that money sits in limbo. Many hospitality businesses leave thousands of euros in deposits on the table — not because they're careless, but because tracking is broken.
How deposits get stuck
Here's what typically happens:
- You order 10 kegs from Supplier A. You pay €300 in deposits.
- You return 9 kegs. You think you're owed €270 back.
- Supplier A says you only returned 7 kegs. They owe you €210.
- Your records don't match theirs. Who's right?
- The conversation never happens. Your money stays in limbo.
Multiply this across 3-5 suppliers, and you easily have €2,000-5,000 of your own money trapped with suppliers. It's not lost, but it's not flowing back to your bank account either.
The root cause: tracking discrepancies
Deposits get stuck when:
- You don't track what you return. You send kegs back, but nobody logs them. Your records say you still have 5 kegs. You can't claim the deposit for the ones you returned.
- The supplier records differ from yours. The delivery driver records 10 kegs delivered. You recorded 9. Who's right? Without an audit trail, it's a he-said-she-said.
- Returns happen slowly. You return 1-2 kegs at a time over weeks. By the time all are back, the paperwork is a mess. The supplier doesn't process a refund because they can't match what you claim with what they received.
- You never formally request the refund. You assume the supplier is tracking everything. They assume you'll ask when ready. Nobody follows up.
How to get deposits back
Three steps:
Step 1: Know exactly what's outstanding. At any moment, you should know: Supplier A has 12 kegs from us, worth €360 in deposits. Supplier B has 8 kegs, worth €120. Not "about 20 kegs somewhere." Exact numbers.
Step 2: Track returns in real-time. When a return happens, it's logged immediately. Not "we'll add it to next week's spreadsheet." Now. This creates an audit trail the supplier can verify.
Step 3: Request refunds based on confirmed returns. Once you've returned kegs and logged them, contact the supplier: "We've returned X kegs (as per delivery on [date]). Please process the €[amount] refund." With records backing you up, the supplier can process immediately.
Stop money being stuck with suppliers
Track deposits with precision. Get refunds faster.
Start with Reggy →The cash flow impact
For a single-location restaurant: recovering €2,000-3,000 in stuck deposits is real cash flow relief. For a multi-location group: potentially €10,000+.
This isn't new money. It's your money. It just needs to be claimed.
The best part: once you have proper tracking, you prevent deposits from getting stuck in the future. Every return is logged. Every refund can be processed immediately. Your cash flow stays healthy.