Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

Stovefront (“Stovefront,” “we,” “us”) is a software platform operated by [Company legal entity — to be finalized]. You can reach us about privacy at [privacy contact email — e.g. privacy@stovefront.com once the domain is live].

Stovefront is commerce software for independent kitchens. We are not a food seller, a restaurant, a delivery service, or a payment processor for food sales. Food is sold by the individual cooks who use Stovefront, and food payments happen directly between a customer and a cook (see “Payments,” below).

2. Information we collect

From cooks (sellers)

• Account details: name, email address, and a securely hashed password.
• Kitchen details: business/kitchen name, location or pickup area, logo and photos, menus, dishes, prices, and operating settings you enter.
• Payment-handle information you choose to display so customers can pay you — for example a Venmo username, PayPal.me link, Cash App cashtag, Zelle contact, or your own payment link. These are the details you would already share publicly to get paid.
• Subscription billing information for your Stovefront plan, processed by our payment provider (see §5). We do not store your full card number.

From customers (buyers)

• Order details: the items you order, quantities, pickup/delivery choice, and any notes.
• Contact details you provide at checkout: your name and an email or phone number so the cook can coordinate your order.
• Optional account details if you choose to create a lightweight account for reordering.

Automatically

• A session cookie (or, in our mobile app, a securely stored token) to keep you signed in.
• If you install our mobile app and enable notifications, a device push token so we can alert cooks to new orders.
• Basic technical and usage logs (such as IP address, device/browser type, and error data) used to keep the service running and secure.

What we do not collect: Stovefront does not collect or store the card numbers or bank details used to pay for food. Those food payments happen off Stovefront, on the cook's own payment app or link.

3. How we use information

• To provide the service — publish storefronts, take and display orders, and let cooks manage their kitchen.
• To notify cooks of new orders and status changes (including push notifications, if enabled).
• To bill cooks for their subscription and provide support.
• To keep Stovefront secure, prevent fraud and abuse, and troubleshoot problems.
• To improve the product and understand how it's used, in aggregate.
• To comply with legal obligations.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for third-party advertising.

4. How information is shared

• Between customer and cook. When you place an order, the order details and the contact information you provide are shared with that cook so they can prepare and hand off your food. Cooks are responsible for how they handle their customers' information.
• Service providers. We share limited information with vendors who help us operate Stovefront, only as needed. These currently include our database and hosting providers, our image hosting provider, our subscription payment provider, and our push-notification provider (see §5).
• Legal and safety. We may disclose information if required by law, to enforce our Terms, or to protect the rights and safety of people using Stovefront.
• Business transfers. If Stovefront is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

5. Payments and third-party services

Your Stovefront subscription (the fee cooks pay us) is processed by our payment provider, Stripe. Their handling of your billing details is governed by their own privacy policy.

Food payments are made directly from the customer to the cook using the cook's own chosen method (such as Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, Zelle, or the cook's own card link). Stovefront never holds, routes, or processes that money, and those payments are governed by the privacy policies of whichever service the cook and customer use.

We also rely on the following categories of providers, who process data on our behalf: database hosting (Neon), application hosting (Vercel), image storage (SmugMug), and push notifications (Expo).

6. Cookies and similar technologies

We use a single essential cookie (or an equivalent secure token in the mobile app) to keep you signed in and to operate the service. We do not use third-party advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.

7. Data retention

We keep information for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide the service, then for a reasonable period to meet legal, tax, security, and dispute-resolution needs. You can ask us to delete your account and associated personal information (see §9).

8. Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your information — passwords are stored using strong one-way hashing, connections are encrypted in transit, and access is limited. No online service can promise perfect security, but we work to keep your data safe and to address issues promptly.

9. Your choices and rights

You may access, correct, or update your account information at any time in your Stovefront settings. You may request a copy of your personal information or ask us to delete it by contacting us at [privacy contact email]. Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under laws such as the GDPR or CCPA; we will honor applicable requests.

Cooks can manage new-order notifications from within the app, and can turn them off at any time on their device or in Settings.

10. Children

Stovefront is intended for adults and is not directed to children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us information, please contact us and we will remove it.

11. Where information is processed

Stovefront and its service providers are based in the United States, and information may be processed and stored there. If you use Stovefront from outside the U.S., you understand your information may be transferred to and processed in the U.S.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as Stovefront grows. When we make material changes, we'll update the “Last updated” date above and, where appropriate, notify you in the product.

13. Contact us

Questions about privacy? Reach us at [privacy contact email], care of [Company legal entity — to be finalized].