Terms of Service

1. About PlateLocal

PlateLocal LLC ("PlateLocal," "we," "us," "our") is a marketplace platform that enables home chefs to sell food directly to local diners. PlateLocal is a technology platform — we are not a restaurant, food manufacturer, or delivery service. All food is prepared by independent home chefs who are solely responsible for compliance with applicable food safety laws in their state.

By creating an account or using the PlateLocal platform, website, or mobile application, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, do not use the platform.

2. Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years of age to use PlateLocal
• You must be a legal resident of the United States
• You must reside in a state where PlateLocal operates
• Chefs must hold all legally required food handler permits and certifications in their state
• You may not create more than one account per person

3. Chef terms

Chefs are independent contractors, not employees of PlateLocal. PlateLocal does not direct how chefs prepare food, set hours, or run their kitchen. Chefs are solely responsible for food safety, applicable cottage food law compliance, and accurate representation of their food to diners.

Chef payouts are processed via Stripe Connect. Chefs must complete Stripe's onboarding to receive payments. PlateLocal does not hold chef funds beyond the time required to process the transaction.

4. Diner terms

Diners are charged a flat $1.50 PlateLocal platform fee per transaction in addition to the chef's stated plate price and any applicable delivery fee. Delivery fees are charged by DoorDash Drive and are separate from the PlateLocal fee.

5. Diner Plus membership

Diner Plus is an optional subscription at $9.99 per month that unlocks access to private chef dinners, priority matching, and first access to meal prep subscriptions. Diner Plus is billed monthly via Stripe. You may cancel at any time — cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. No refunds are issued for partial months.

6. SMS messaging terms

7. Payments and refunds

All payments are processed by Stripe. By placing an order you authorize PlateLocal to charge your saved payment method for the plate price, PlateLocal platform fee, and applicable delivery fee.

Refund policy:

• Orders cancelled before the chef begins preparation: full refund
• Orders where the food was not delivered: full refund
• Orders where the food significantly differs from the description: refund at PlateLocal's discretion
• Orders cancelled after preparation has begun: no refund to diner, chef retains payment
• Delivery fee refunds are governed by DoorDash Drive's policies

To request a refund, contact [email protected] within 48 hours of the order. Include your order number and a description of the issue.

8. Food safety and allergens

PlateLocal verifies that chefs hold required state food handler certifications before approving their profiles. However, PlateLocal cannot guarantee the safety, quality, or allergen content of any food sold on the platform. Diners with food allergies or dietary restrictions must communicate directly with chefs through the platform messaging system before ordering.

Chefs are solely responsible for accurate ingredient and allergen disclosure on their listings. PlateLocal is not liable for allergic reactions, foodborne illness, or other adverse health outcomes resulting from food purchased through the platform.

9. Prohibited conduct

You may not use PlateLocal to:

• Violate any applicable law or regulation
• Sell or purchase alcohol, controlled substances, or non-food items
• Harass, threaten, or harm other users
• Submit false reviews, fraudulent orders, or misleading information
• Attempt to circumvent PlateLocal's fee by transacting off-platform
• Reverse engineer, scrape, or copy the platform
• Use the platform for any commercial purpose other than chef food sales

Violation of these terms may result in immediate account suspension or termination at PlateLocal's sole discretion.

10. Limitation of liability

PlateLocal is a marketplace platform connecting independent chefs and diners. To the fullest extent permitted by law, PlateLocal LLC, its officers, directors, employees, and agents are not liable for: the quality or safety of food sold on the platform, actions or omissions of chefs or diners, delivery delays or issues caused by DoorDash Drive, or any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from use of the platform.

Our total liability to you for any claim arising from use of the platform shall not exceed the amount you paid to PlateLocal in the 30 days preceding the claim.

11. Termination

You may delete your account at any time by contacting [email protected]. PlateLocal may suspend or terminate your account at any time for violation of these terms, fraudulent activity, or any other reason at our sole discretion. Upon termination, your right to use the platform ceases immediately.

12. Governing law

These Terms of Service are governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes shall be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Bexar County, Texas.

13. Changes to these terms

We may update these Terms of Service from time to time. We will notify users of material changes via email at least 14 days before they take effect. Continued use of the platform after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.