Terms of Service for CookConnects Inc.

1. Acceptance of Terms

Welcome to CookConnects! These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you and CookConnects Inc. ("CookConnects," "we," "us," or "our").

By accessing or using our Progressive Web App (PWA) at app.cookconnects.ca (the "Platform") or registering for an account, you agree to comply with and be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not use our services.

2. Description of Service

CookConnects is a community marketplace that connects:

• "Home Cooks": Individuals who prepare and sell homemade meals.
• "Food Lovers" (Customers): Individuals who browse, order, and pick up meals from Home Cooks.

3. User Accounts

4. Terms for Home Cooks

If you register as a Home Cook, you agree to the following:

• Verification: You must complete our Food Premises Safety Quiz (scoring 80% or higher) and submit valid government-issued ID and kitchen photos for verification. We reserve the right to reject or suspend your account if you fail to meet our safety standards.
• Food Safety: You are solely responsible for ensuring your food is prepared in a sanitary environment, stored correctly (e.g., keeping perishables below 4°C), and cooked to safe temperatures (e.g., chicken to 74°C).
• Accuracy: You must accurately describe your meals, including ingredients and allergens. Mislabeling dietary tags (e.g., marking a dish as "Nut-Free" when it contains traces of nuts) is a serious violation of these Terms.
• Fees: You acknowledge that CookConnects charges a Platform Fee of 10% on the subtotal of every order. This fee is automatically deducted from your earnings before payout.
• Compliance: You are responsible for complying with all local municipal and provincial laws regarding home-based food businesses in your jurisdiction (e.g., Toronto/Ontario).

5. Terms for Food Lovers (Customers)

If you order meals through CookConnects, you agree to the following:

• Pickup Only: CookConnects is currently a pickup-only service. You are responsible for collecting your order from the Home Cook’s designated location at the scheduled time.
• Cancellation Policy (The "15-Second Rule"):
  • Once you place an order, it enters a "Processing" state.
  • You have a strict 15-second window to cancel the order immediately without penalty.
  • After 15 seconds, the order is confirmed and sent to the Cook. Cancellations after this window are generally not permitted unless agreed upon directly with the Home Cook or via CookConnects Support for valid reasons.
• Allergies: You are responsible for reviewing ingredients and dietary tags. While we require Cooks to be accurate, CookConnects cannot guarantee that meals are 100% free of allergens due to the nature of home kitchens.

6. Payments and Refunds

• Processing: Payments are processed securely via our third-party provider (Stripe). You agree to their Services Agreement.
• Refunds: Because food is perishable, refunds are not granted automatically. If you have an issue with an order (e.g., missing items, safety concern), you must report it to CookConnects Support within 24 hours of the pickup time. We will mediate the dispute and may issue a refund at our sole discretion.

7. User Conduct and Reviews

You agree not to:

• Use the Platform for any illegal purpose.
• Harass, threaten, or intimidate other users.
• Post false or misleading reviews. All reviews must be based on genuine experiences. Reviews are subject to moderation and may be removed if they violate our content guidelines.

8. Intellectual Property

• Our Content: The CookConnects text, graphics, logo, and code are the property of CookConnects Inc.
• Your Content: You retain ownership of the photos and descriptions you upload. However, you grant CookConnects a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, display, and reproduce your content (e.g., showing your meal photos in our marketing).

9. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

10. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your account at any time, without notice, for conduct that we believe violates these Terms or is harmful to other users, us, or third parties, or for any other reason.

11. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein.

12. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify you of significant changes via email or a prominent notice on the Platform. Your continued use of the Platform constitutes acceptance of the new Terms.