Terms of Service

1. What Stovefront is (and isn't)

Stovefront is software and infrastructure that lets independent cooks publish menus, take preorders, set pickup windows, and manage their kitchen. That's it.

Stovefront is not the seller of any food, is not a restaurant, caterer, or food producer, is not a delivery service, and is not a payment processor for food sales. Every food transaction is a direct sale between a cook and a customer. Stovefront is not a party to that sale.

2. Accounts and eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to use Stovefront. You agree to provide accurate information, to keep your login credentials secure, and to be responsible for activity under your account. Tell us promptly if you suspect unauthorized use.

3. If you're a cook (seller)

When you sell through Stovefront, you are the seller of record. You are solely responsible for:

• Following the law. You must comply with all laws that apply to you — including cottage food laws, food-safety and health regulations, licensing or permits, labeling and allergen disclosure, and tax obligations. These vary by state, county, and city; it's your job to know and follow the rules where you cook.
• Food safety and quality. How your food is prepared, stored, labeled, and handed off is your responsibility. Customers are told that food is made in independent and home kitchens.
• Your menu and pricing. You set your items, prices, quantities, and pickup or delivery windows, and you decide which orders to accept.
• Fulfillment and customer service. You fulfill orders and handle any questions, changes, refunds, or disputes with your customers directly.

By publishing a storefront, you confirm that you comply with the cottage-food and food-safety rules that apply to you. Stovefront does not verify your compliance and is not responsible for it.

4. If you're a customer (buyer)

When you order through Stovefront, you are buying directly from an independent cook, not from Stovefront. Food is prepared in home or independent kitchens that may not be inspected the way a restaurant is. You place orders, pay the cook directly, and coordinate pickup or delivery with them. Any issues with your order, food, or payment are between you and the cook. If you have allergies or dietary needs, contact the cook before ordering.

5. Payments

Your Stovefront subscription (cooks)

Cooks pay Stovefront a recurring subscription fee to use the platform, billed monthly or annually as you choose. Fees are shown at signup. Subscriptions renew automatically until you cancel; you can cancel anytime and your plan remains active through the end of the current billing period. Except where required by law, subscription fees are non-refundable. We may change pricing with reasonable notice.

Food payments (cook ⇄ customer)

Payments for food are made directly between the customer and 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, processes, or takes a cut of food payments. Stovefront's order tools may help you record that a payment was sent and confirmed, but the actual money moves entirely outside Stovefront. Refunds, chargebacks, and payment disputes for food are solely between the customer and the cook.

6. Acceptable use

You agree not to use Stovefront to: break the law or sell anything you're not legally allowed to sell; post false, misleading, or infringing content; harass or harm others; attempt to disrupt, reverse-engineer, or gain unauthorized access to the platform; or misuse other people's information. We may suspend or remove content or accounts that violate these Terms.

7. Your content

You keep ownership of the content you add to Stovefront — your kitchen name, menus, descriptions, and photos. You grant Stovefront a non-exclusive license to host, display, and use that content as needed to operate and promote the service. You're responsible for having the rights to what you upload, and for making sure it's accurate and lawful.

Stovefront and its software, design, and branding are owned by us and protected by intellectual-property laws. These Terms don't grant you any rights to our brand or software beyond using the service as intended.

8. Disclaimers

Stovefront is provided “as is” and “as available,” without warranties of any kind, to the fullest extent permitted by law. We do not warrant that the service will be uninterrupted or error-free.

We make no warranties about food sold through Stovefront — including its safety, quality, legality, or fitness — and we are not responsible for any transaction, interaction, food, or payment between a cook and a customer. That responsibility rests with the cook and customer.

9. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Stovefront and its operators will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss arising from food, payments, or dealings between cooks and customers. Where liability cannot be excluded, our total liability to you is limited to the amount you paid Stovefront in the three months before the claim arose.

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold Stovefront harmless from claims, damages, and expenses arising out of your use of the service, your content, your food, your transactions, or your violation of these Terms or the law.

11. Termination

You may stop using Stovefront and close your account at any time. We may suspend or end your access if you violate these Terms or the law, or to protect the service and its users. Sections that by their nature should survive (such as content licenses, disclaimers, liability limits, and indemnification) will survive termination.

12. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms as Stovefront evolves. When we make material changes, we'll update the “Last updated” date and, where appropriate, notify you in the product. Continuing to use Stovefront after changes take effect means you accept the updated Terms.

13. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of [state/jurisdiction — to be finalized], without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules, and any disputes will be handled in the courts located there, except where applicable law provides otherwise.

14. Contact us

Questions about these Terms? Reach us at [contact email — e.g. hello@stovefront.com once the domain is live], care of [Company legal entity — to be finalized].