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Cancellation and Refunds Policy

Last updated: July 25, 2026

This Policy applies to orders, reservations, and waitlist entries made through the MeroBites Service and forms part of our Terms and Conditions. It explains when you can cancel an order, how refunds are processed depending on your payment method, how disputes are handled, and how this interacts with Loyalty Points.

This Policy is designed having regard to Nepal's Consumer Protection Act, 2075 (2018) and the Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce) Act, 2081 (2025), both of which establish consumer rights regarding returns, refunds, and complaint resolution in the course of trade, including online and food-service trade.

1. Order Cancellation

1.1 Cancellation Cutoff by Order Status

Whether you can cancel an order, and what refund (if any) you are entitled to, depends on the order's status in the Merchant's kitchen workflow at the time you request cancellation:

  • Placed / pending confirmation — Cancellable freely. Full refund, or full reversal if unpaid.
  • Confirmed by kitchen, not yet in preparation — Generally cancellable. Full refund, subject to Merchant discretion.
  • In preparation — Limited; Merchant discretion. A partial refund may be offered; ingredient and labour costs already incurred may be deducted. Any deduction must be reasonable and proportionate.
  • Ready or served — Not cancellable for change of mind. Quality complaints are handled through the dispute process in Section 3.

The point at which an order moves from "confirmed" to "in preparation" is determined by each Merchant's kitchen workflow as reflected in the Service's order-status system.

1.2 How to Request a Cancellation

To cancel an order, contact the restaurant's staff directly — in person at your table, or through the in-app support feature. Cancellation is applied by the Merchant's staff in the Service.

The Service does not currently offer a self-service cancellation button in the customer app. This does not reduce your cancellation and refund rights under Section 1.1 or under Nepali consumer protection law; it only describes how a request is made. If a Merchant refuses a cancellation you believe you are entitled to, raise a grievance under Section 3.

1.3 Reservation and Waitlist Cancellations

Reservations and waitlist entries may be cancelled free of charge at any time before the reserved time or your turn in the queue. Repeated no-shows or late cancellations may affect your ability to make future reservations with a given Merchant, at that Merchant's discretion.

2. Refunds

2.1 Refund Method by Payment Type

Refunds are issued back to the original payment method used for the transaction:

  • Cash paid to the Merchant — Refunded directly by the Merchant in cash, or as otherwise agreed with you, at the time the matter is resolved.
  • eSewa — Returned to the eSewa account used for payment. Refunds are arranged by the Merchant with our assistance and are processed according to eSewa's own procedures and timelines.
  • Khalti — Returned to the Khalti account used for payment, on the same basis.

Digital refunds are not instant and are not processed automatically by the app. Once a refund is approved, we will tell you the expected timeframe and give you a contact point if it is delayed. The timing of the final credit depends on eSewa's or Khalti's own processing, which is outside our control.

2.2 Partial Cancellations

If you cancel part of a multi-item order before it enters preparation, the refund is calculated proportionately for the cancelled items only, based on the original invoice.

2.3 Quality and Fulfilment Issues

If your order was not fulfilled as ordered — wrong item, missing item, or a quality problem — raise it with the Merchant's staff directly, or through the in-app support feature. Refunds for quality issues are at the Merchant's discretion in the first instance. Where a Merchant is unresponsive, MeroBites may help facilitate a resolution, consistent with our role as a platform facilitator and our grievance obligations under the Electronic Commerce Act, 2081 (2025).

2.4 Payment Gateway Failures

If money was deducted from your eSewa or Khalti account but the order was not successfully placed, contact us immediately through in-app support with your transaction reference. We will investigate with the payment gateway and arrange a refund where the failure is confirmed.

2.5 Loyalty Points and Refunds

Where Loyalty Points were redeemed against a bill that is later cancelled or refunded, those redeemed Points will generally be restored to your balance as part of processing the cancellation. Points earned on a transaction that is later refunded may be reversed or adjusted, since the qualifying payment total no longer reflects a completed transaction.

Loyalty Points associated with a particular Merchant are subject to that Merchant's own loyalty program terms. If a Merchant permanently ends its loyalty program, leaves the MeroBites platform, or ceases business, outstanding Points with that Merchant may expire or be forfeited. We will try to give advance notice where possible, but cannot guarantee that Points survive a Merchant's departure or closure.

3. Dispute Process

If you disagree with a Merchant's decision on a cancellation, refund, or quality complaint:

  • First, try to resolve it directly with the Merchant, in person or through the in-app support feature.
  • If that does not resolve it, escalate to MeroBites by submitting a grievance through the in-app grievance feature, referencing the order, the invoice, and your earlier contact with the Merchant. We may review transaction records, order-status history, and invoices to help reach a resolution.
  • Grievances are acknowledged promptly and we aim to resolve or substantively respond within 15 days, in accordance with the Electronic Commerce Act, 2081 (2025).
  • MeroBites is a technology platform connecting you with Merchants. We may assist as a facilitator — including by reviewing platform records and contacting the Merchant on your behalf — but we are not responsible for a Merchant's food quality, service, or fulfilment of its own refund policy, except where this Policy or applicable law says otherwise.
  • Where a dispute concerns a payment gateway issue, you may also raise it directly with eSewa or Khalti at the same time.

Nothing in this Policy limits or excludes any rights available to you under Nepal's Consumer Protection Act, 2075 (2018) or any other mandatory consumer protection law. You may pursue remedies through the Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection, a Consumer Court where established, or any other competent body in Nepal, in addition to or instead of the process described here.

4. Merchant Responsibilities in Refund Handling

Merchants are expected to handle cancellation and refund requests in good faith and in line with this Policy and applicable Nepali consumer protection law, including by not imposing arbitrary or punitive deductions and by responding to requests promptly. Repeated failure by a Merchant to honour this Policy may result in platform-level action under Section 7.7 of our Terms and Conditions.

5. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time, including to reflect new payment methods, refund mechanics, or legal requirements. Material changes will be communicated via in-app notice or email and take effect after posting. Continued use of the Service after such notice indicates acceptance of the revised Policy.

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