PAYMENT OPERATIONS

One charge in. Three clear destinations.

Stripe Checkout, connected-account onboarding, webhook reconciliation, and owner-controlled settlement are installed. Card charging stays locked until a dedicated Espresso Run Stripe platform account completes verification and its secrets are connected.

The intended money flow

1

Customer pays once

The checkout total combines the cafe items, delivery fee, platform fee, tax when required, and optional tip. The full amount is shown before confirmation.

2

The cafe amount is protected

The exact menu subtotal belongs to the store. Espresso Run records that amount separately from delivery, tip, and platform revenue.

3

Store and driver are settled

After pickup and delivery milestones, the platform sends the cafe its menu amount and sends the driver the delivery fee plus 100% of the tip.

How the driver pays the store

The driver should not use a personal card. The production flow is direct connected-store settlement: the store accepts the Espresso Run order, the platform collects the customer payment, and the owner releases the exact menu subtotal to the store. If a cafe insists on counter payment, that location needs a platform-controlled, order-limited card program before it can go live.

PREFERRED

Connected store settlement

The store links a verified Stripe payout account. Espresso Run records the order and transfers the cafe amount after payment and delivery are confirmed.

PILOT FALLBACK

Order-limited platform card

The runner gets a controlled payment method limited to that order. Personal reimbursement is not the normal workflow.

What is installed now

  • Separate order fields for customer payment, store settlement, and driver payout status.
  • Store-owned menu prices saved in the database.
  • Runner delivery fees and tips calculated separately.
  • Owner visibility into order assignment and payment readiness.
  • Stripe-hosted customer Checkout sessions.
  • Stripe Connect onboarding for stores and drivers.
  • Signed, idempotent webhook reconciliation.
  • Owner-controlled store and driver transfers after paid delivery.

What still requires activation or policy

  • A dedicated Espresso Run Stripe account and Connect approval.
  • Live secret keys and a signed webhook endpoint.
  • Refund, cancellation, dispute, tax, and receipt policies.
  • An order-limited card program for non-integrated cafes, if used.
  • Final fee testing: Stripe and Connect costs are paid by the platform, so a $1 platform fee might not cover every order.