Be honest. Hold a valid permit. Pay your taxes. Don't impersonate anyone. We're a marketplace, not the kitchen — the cook is responsible for the food.
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of Makinson Street. They apply to everyone — cooks, diners, and visitors. 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 cooks, diners, and visitors.
Description of Service
Makinson Street is a marketplace platform that connects home cooks operating under California's Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKO), Cottage Food, or Food Freedom permits with local buyers. 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 Cooks
As a cook on Makinson Street, 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
- 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 seller's payout together with standard Stripe processing fees. Payments the seller accepts in person carry no platform commission. Payouts are made through Stripe Connect to the seller's linked bank account. Commission rates may change with notice.
For Diners
As a diner on Makinson Street, 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 cook
- You must pick up orders at the scheduled time
- Food quality and safety are the responsibility of the individual cook
Payments
All payments are processed securely through Stripe. By placing an order, you authorize Makinson Street to charge your payment method for the total order amount.
- Refunds: Refund requests are handled on a case-by-case basis. Contact support within 24 hours of your scheduled pickup for order issues.
- Cancellations: Orders may be cancelled up to 24 hours before the scheduled pickup time for a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours are subject to the cook's cancellation policy.
- Cook Payouts: Cook 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 home cooks and buyers. Individual cooks 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 cooks, the accuracy of listings, or the ability of cooks to fulfill orders. Our total liability shall not exceed the amount you paid through the platform in the 12 months preceding the claim.
Dispute Resolution
Any disputes arising from these terms or your use of Makinson Street shall first be addressed through our customer 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.