When you pay at a restaurant with your Lili Visa® Debit Card, the merchant may temporarily place a hold for more than the bill amount to cover a possible tip. This is a standard preauthorization hold, not a final charge.

How it works?

Some restaurants authorize up to 20% above your bill before the final transaction is completed. For example, if your bill is $50, you may temporarily see a hold of up to $60 until the merchant submits the final amount.

This temporary hold reduces your available balance while it is pending. You will not be able to use the held amount until the merchant completes the transaction and the hold is released.

Once the restaurant submits the final charge, the temporary hold is removed and your account is updated to reflect the actual amount, including any tip you added. In many cases, these holds clear within a few days, but they may take up to 7 days depending on how quickly the merchant completes the transaction.

Lili cannot manually remove a tip-related hold while the transaction is still pending. The hold will drop off automatically after the merchant sends the final amount or when the authorization expires.

Helpful tip

If your available balance is low, keep in mind that restaurant purchases may temporarily require more than the bill total. This can help you avoid declined transactions or confusion about your balance while the payment is still pending.

Lili is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by Sunrise Banks, N.A., Member FDIC. The Lili Visa® Debit Card is issued by Sunrise Banks, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A., Inc. The Card may be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. 

Wire Transfer services are provided by Column Bank N.A., Member FDIC. All wires are subject to acceptance criteria and risk-based review and may be rejected at the sole discretion of Column Bank N. A. or Lili App Inc.