Next Door Kitchens Terms of Service

Effective date: 9/17/26

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Next Door Kitchens platform, including our website, applications, and services (collectively, the "Platform"), operated by [Next Door Kitchens LLC], an Ohio limited liability company ("Next Door Kitchens," "we," "us," or "our"). By creating an account or using the Platform, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Platform.

1. What Next Door Kitchens is (and is not)

Next Door Kitchens is an online marketplace that connects independent home-based food producers ("Cooks") with people who wish to purchase their food for local pickup ("Buyers"). We provide the technology, payment processing, scheduling, verification tools, and support that make these transactions possible.

Next Door Kitchens is a facilitator only. We do not cook, prepare, handle, store, package, deliver, or sell food. All food is made and sold by independent Cooks, who are not our employees or agents. Any contract for the sale of food is solely between the Buyer and the Cook. Our verification, badges, and compliance tools are intended to promote trust and are not a guarantee of the safety, quality, legality, or fitness of any food or Cook.

2. Eligibility and accounts

You must be at least 18 years old to use the Platform. You agree to provide accurate information, keep your account secure, and be responsible for all activity under your account. You may not use the Platform if you are barred from doing so under applicable law.

3. Cook obligations

If you list or sell food as a Cook, you represent and agree that:

• You are solely responsible for complying with all applicable laws, including Ohio cottage food law, the Ohio Microenterprise Home Kitchen program (where and when applicable), food-safety rules, labeling requirements, tax obligations, and any required licenses, registrations, or inspections.
• You will only list foods you are legally permitted to sell for your credential tier, and you will accurately describe your food, its ingredients, and its allergens.
• You will label your products as required by law, including any required statements (for example, "This Product is Home Produced"), your name and address, ingredients in descending order of predominance, net weight or volume, and allergen declarations.
• You are the seller and producer of record. You assume all responsibility and liability for the food you make and sell, including food-safety and product-liability risk.
• Your verification or badge on the Platform reflects documents you submitted and does not transfer your legal responsibility to Next Door Kitchens.

4. Buyer acknowledgments

If you purchase food as a Buyer, you acknowledge and agree that:

• Food sold on the Platform is prepared in private home kitchens that, for cottage food, are generally not licensed or inspected the way commercial restaurants are.
• You are responsible for reviewing ingredient and allergen information before purchasing, and for any allergies or dietary restrictions you or your recipients may have.
• You purchase food from Cooks at your own risk, and Next Door Kitchens is not the seller and does not guarantee any food.
• You are responsible for picking up your order at the scheduled time and location.

5. Payments, payouts, and refunds

Payments on Next Door Kitchens are processed by Stripe, a licensed money transmitter. Next Door Kitchens does not receive, hold, or control your funds; all buyer payments are collected and held by Stripe and settled to cooks through Stripe. Each cook appoints Next Door Kitchens as the cook's limited agent solely to accept and collect payment from buyers on the cook's behalf through our payment processor, and a buyer's payment obligation to the cook is satisfied when payment is received by our payment processor. Next Door Kitchens is not a bank, money transmitter, or escrow agent and does not provide escrow services. To protect buyers and cooks, cook funds are held by our payment processor and released to the cook after the order is fulfilled, which occurs when the buyer's pickup is confirmed or the order is otherwise resolved in the cook's favor; cook funds are not released before fulfillment. After release, payouts follow the cook's payout schedule with the processor, and the cook keeps 100% of their set price while the buyer pays a separate service fee. A cancellation or refund before fulfillment is returned to the buyer from the held funds; standard orders may be canceled by the buyer for a full refund until the kitchen would begin preparing the order, which is a set time before the pickup window based on the item's preparation time. After that point, cancellations are handled through our resolution process. Custom orders are non-refundable for a change of mind as disclosed at checkout. If a cook fails to fulfill, the buyer is refunded in full including the service fee. Card-network dispute rights are unaffected.

By transacting, you agree to our payment processor's terms. Buyers pay a service fee (currently 12 percent of the item total, with a minimum of $1.49) that supports the Platform. Cooks may purchase optional subscriptions (such as Cook Pro) and optional concierge or business-setup services, which are billed as described at the point of purchase. Prices and fees may change with notice.

When a pickup window passes without the order being completed, we resolve the order based on what happened, and you agree that if the buyer does not complete pickup and does not respond to our notice within the response window we provide (currently 24 hours), the held payment is released to the cook for the food prepared for the buyer. Where either party reports a problem, or their accounts of what happened conflict, Next Door Kitchens may review the order and make a final resolution decision before funds are released. Other outcomes, including rescheduling and confirmation of receipt, are handled as described in our Refunds and Resolution Policy, which we may update from time to time.

6. Cancellations

Cancellations are also governed by the cancellation policy shown at checkout and in your order details, which may be updated from time to time. Seller-initiated cancellations and cook no-shows result in a full refund to the Buyer, including the service fee. Payment-processing fees charged on the original transaction are not refundable to the Cook.

7. Concierge and "Get Legal" services

Any guidance, tools, checklists, or concierge services we offer to help Cooks become legally able to sell (including business formation and registration assistance) are provided for convenience and are not legal advice. Filings are performed by the Cook or by licensed third-party partners. Next Door Kitchens is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation.

8. Prohibited conduct

You agree not to: violate any law or these Terms; sell prohibited or unsafe items; misrepresent yourself, your food, or your credentials; circumvent the Platform's fees or payment system; harass or harm other users; upload false, infringing, or harmful content; or interfere with the Platform's operation or security.

9. User content and reviews

You retain ownership of content you submit (such as photos, listings, drops, messages, and reviews), and you grant Next Door Kitchens a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, display, and use that content to operate and promote the Platform. You are responsible for your content and must have the rights to share it. Reviews and ratings must be honest and based on genuine transactions.

10. Disclaimers

The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. Next Door Kitchens does not warrant the safety, quality, legality, or accuracy of any food, listing, Cook, or Buyer, and disclaims responsibility for the acts or omissions of users. You use the Platform and transact with other users at your own risk.

11. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Next Door Kitchens and its members, officers, and employees will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss arising from food purchased or sold through the Platform, personal injury or illness, lost profits, or user disputes. Our total liability for any claim relating to the Platform will not exceed the greater of the fees you paid to Next Door Kitchens in the three months before the claim or one hundred dollars ($100).

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Next Door Kitchens from any claims, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of your use of the Platform, your food or transactions, your content, or your violation of these Terms or any law.

13. Dispute resolution and governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Ohio, without regard to conflict-of-laws rules.

14. Suspension and termination

We may suspend or terminate your access at any time for any violation of these Terms or to protect the Platform or its users. You may stop using the Platform at any time.

15. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will provide notice (for example, by email or in the app). Your continued use after changes take effect constitutes acceptance.

16. Contact

Questions about these Terms: support@nextdoorkitchens.com.