Be honest. Hold a valid permit. Pay your taxes. Don't impersonate anyone. We're a marketplace, not the kitchen — the maker is responsible for the food.
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of Makinson Street. They apply to everyone — Makers, Customers, and Visitors, as defined below. If you don't agree, please don't use the platform.
Acceptance of Terms
By accessing or using Makinson Street, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to these terms, you may not use the platform. These terms apply to all users of the service, including Makers, Customers, and Visitors.
Definitions
In these Terms:
- "Maker" means a user who sells food through Makinson Street. A Maker has registered through Makinson Street's Maker application, and the permit, registration, or legal exemption they sell under, as recorded on their account, is current. The Maker is the seller of the food they list and sets its menu, prices, and pickup times.
- "Customer" means a user who places an order with a Maker through Makinson Street. The Customer buys the food from the Maker; Makinson Street is not the seller.
- "Visitor" means anyone who uses Makinson Street without buying or selling, such as someone browsing listings.
One account can be both a Maker and a Customer: a Maker who orders from another Maker is a Customer for that order. "You" means the person using Makinson Street, in whichever of these roles.
Description of Service
Makinson Street is a marketplace platform that connects Makers, home cooks operating under California's Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKO), Cottage Food, or Food Freedom permits, with local Customers. Makinson Street facilitates the discovery, ordering, and payment for home-cooked meals but does not itself prepare, sell, or deliver food.
User Accounts
To use certain features of Makinson Street, you must create an account. You are responsible for:
- Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials
- All activities that occur under your account
- Providing accurate and current information
- Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized use
For Makers
As a Maker, you agree to:
- Maintain a valid home kitchen permit issued by your local county
- Hold a current food handler certification
- Comply with all applicable food safety regulations
- Accurately list all ingredients and allergens for each meal
- Set fair and transparent pricing for your meals
- Confirm or decline each order promptly, and at the latest 2 hours before its pickup; an order not confirmed by then is cancelled automatically
- Fulfill orders in a timely manner as committed
Commission Structure: Makinson Street charges a 3% platform commission on card payments made through the app. It is deducted from the Maker's payout together with standard Stripe processing fees. Payments the Maker accepts in person carry no platform commission. Payouts are made through Stripe Connect to the Maker's linked bank account. If a Maker cancels an order they have already confirmed, the Customer is refunded in full and the Stripe processing fee on that refund is deducted from the Maker's next card payout. If a Maker cancels one dish of an order they have already confirmed, the Customer is refunded for that dish, the refund comes out of the Maker's payout for the order less the platform commission on it, and Stripe does not return its processing fee. If a Customer's bank disputes a card payment (a chargeback), the Maker is responsible for it: when the disputed amount is withdrawn, the Maker's payout for that order is taken back, and the Stripe processing fee, Stripe's dispute fee, and any part of the payout that can no longer be taken back are deducted from the Maker's next card payouts. Makinson Street responds to the dispute and may ask the Maker for evidence, such as proof of pickup. If the dispute is decided in the Maker's favour, what was taken is returned, less any dispute fee Stripe keeps. Commission rates may change with notice.
For Customers
As a Customer, you understand that:
- Meals are prepared in home kitchens, not commercial kitchens
- You are responsible for reviewing allergen information before ordering
- Pickup is currently the primary fulfillment method; delivery options may vary by Maker
- You must pick up orders at the scheduled time
- Food quality and safety are the responsibility of the individual Maker
Payments
All payments are processed securely through Stripe. When you place an order paid by card, your card is saved with Stripe, and you authorize Makinson Street to charge it for the order total when the Maker confirms the order. Nothing is charged before then.
- Refunds: Refund requests are handled on a case-by-case basis. Contact support within 24 hours of your scheduled pickup for order issues.
- Cancellations: You can cancel an order, or any dish in it, at no cost any time until the Maker confirms it. Makers confirm at the latest 2 hours before pickup; an order that isn't confirmed by then is cancelled and you aren't charged. Once an order is confirmed, contact the Maker through the order to ask for a change or cancellation. If a Maker cancels a confirmed order, or a dish in it, you are refunded in full for what was cancelled.
- Maker Payouts: Maker earnings are transferred to their Stripe Connect account on a rolling basis.
Content & Reviews
You retain ownership of content you submit to Makinson Street, including reviews, photos, and profile information. By submitting content, you grant Makinson Street a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute that content on the platform.
- Reviews must be honest and based on genuine experiences
- Photos uploaded must be your own or you must have rights to use them
- Makinson Street reserves the right to moderate and remove content that violates these terms
Food Safety Disclaimer
Makinson Street is a marketplace platform that facilitates connections between Makers and Customers. Individual Makers are solely responsible for compliance with all applicable food safety regulations, including maintaining valid home kitchen permits, food handler certifications, proper food handling practices, and accurate allergen labeling. Makinson Street verifies permits at onboarding but does not inspect kitchens or guarantee food safety compliance on an ongoing basis.
Prohibited Conduct
You may not:
- Use the platform for any unlawful purpose
- Sell food without the required permits
- Misrepresent ingredients, allergens, or food preparation methods
- Harass, threaten, or abuse other users
- Post false or misleading reviews
- Attempt to circumvent the platform's payment system
- Scrape, copy, or misuse platform data
- Impersonate another user or entity
Intellectual Property
The Makinson Street name, logo, design, and all associated intellectual property are owned by Makinson Street. You may not use our trademarks, logos, or branding without prior written permission.
Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, Makinson Street shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or related to your use of the platform. Makinson Street is not responsible for the quality, safety, or legality of meals offered by Makers, the accuracy of listings, or the ability of Makers to fulfill orders. Our total liability shall not exceed the amount you paid through the platform in the 12 months preceding the claim.
Maker Indemnification
As a Maker, you agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Makinson Street and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, demands, losses, damages, fines, penalties, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of or related to:
- Food you prepare, sell, or provide through the platform, including any illness, injury, or allergic reaction it causes
- Your listings, ingredient and allergen declarations, and labels
- Your breach of these Terms, or your violation of any law or regulation, including permit, food safety, and tax requirements
- Your negligence or misconduct, including at pickup or delivery
This obligation does not apply to the extent a claim is caused by Makinson Street's own negligence or willful misconduct. We will notify you promptly of any claim covered by this section. We may choose to control the defense of the claim at your expense, and you agree to cooperate with us in that defense. You may not settle a claim in a way that imposes any obligation or admission on Makinson Street without our written consent.
This obligation continues after your account is closed or terminated, and it applies whether or not you carry insurance. We encourage every Maker to carry liability insurance that covers their food business.
Dispute Resolution
Any disputes arising from these terms or your use of Makinson Street shall first be addressed through our support team. If a resolution cannot be reached, disputes shall be resolved through binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association, conducted in Los Angeles, California. You waive the right to participate in class action lawsuits or class-wide arbitration.
Termination
Makinson Street reserves the right to suspend or terminate your account at any time for violations of these terms, suspected fraud, or any other reason at our discretion. You may delete your account at any time through your account settings. Upon termination, any pending orders will be handled according to our cancellation policy.
Changes to Terms
We may update these Terms of Service from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by email or through a notice on the platform. Your continued use of Makinson Street after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.
Governing Law
These terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any legal proceedings shall be conducted in the courts of Los Angeles County, California.
Contact Information
If you have questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us at support@makinsonstreet.com.