These Terms and Conditions govern your access to and use of the services provided by Foodie ("Foodie", "we", "us", "our"). By registering an account with Foodie, placing orders, browsing the home-chef marketplace, or otherwise using any portion of the Foodie platform (website, mobile app, or any related services), you ("you", "User", "Consumer", "Chef", or "Delivery Agent" as appropriate) agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree to all parts of these Terms, you must not use or access any of the platform's services.

1. Definitions and Interpretation

When we refer to "Services" we mean all functionality made available by Foodie, including but not limited to searching for home-chefs, ordering meals, scheduling deliveries, communicating via the app, making payments, rating meals or Chefs, and support services. "Consumers" are users who browse, order, and pay for meals. "Chefs" are individuals who list, prepare, and provide meals to Consumers via Foodie. If the platform operates deliveries, "Delivery Agents" are those persons or contractors who pick up meals from Chefs and deliver to Consumers. "Account" refers to any user profile created by you, including credentials, preferences, payment information, and order history. "Order" means any request placed through the platform for one or more meals offered by a Chef, accepted by the Chef and/or Delivery Agent as per the process defined in the platform. "Payment Processor" refers to Paystack as used by Foodie for handling payments.

2. Eligibility

You must be aged sixteen years or older to register for a Consumer account on Foodie. By registering, you represent and warrant that you are sixteen or older, that any information you provide during registration is accurate, complete, and current. Chefs and Delivery Agents must satisfy any additional eligibility criteria we require, including identity verification, possession of valid government identification, proof of address, bank account details for payouts, and any applicable food safety or hygiene certifications mandated by law. Foodie reserves the right to refuse account creation or to suspend or terminate access if we believe you do not meet eligibility criteria, misrepresent your identity, or engage in fraudulent activity.

3. Account Registration and Use

To use certain portions of the Services, you must register for an Account. During registration you will provide your name, email address, mobile phone number, password, delivery address (if applicable), and any other information we ask for in order to verify identity or comply with legal or regulatory requirements. You agree to keep your Account credentials confidential. You are responsible for all activity occurring through your Account. If you suspect or become aware of unauthorized access to your Account, you must notify us immediately. We may require additional information or documentation at any time to verify your identity, age, eligibility, or compliance with these Terms. If false information is provided, or if your details change, you must update them promptly; failure to do so may result in suspension or termination of your Account.

4. Orders, Acceptance, and Delivery

When you place an Order, you will be shown the details of the Order (meals, Chef, price, delivery fees, any other charges) before confirming. Once you submit an Order, it is an offer to buy under these Terms. A Chef may accept or decline the Order; once accepted, your Order is binding, and we arrange for its preparation and, where applicable, delivery. You are responsible for ensuring that addresses, phone numbers, delivery instructions, and any special requests are accurate. In the case of delivery, time estimates are approximate and do not guarantee arrival times. You agree to take delivery of items when they arrive. If you do not do so, Foodie or the Chef may have no obligation to refund or redeliver, depending upon the circumstances, including whether the failure was your fault. If an Order arrives incomplete, incorrect, or damaged, you must contact our support immediately to allow us and/or the Chef to investigate and make any necessary corrections, refunds, or replacements.

5. Payment Terms

All Orders must be paid in advance, unless otherwise agreed in writing. Payments are processed using Paystack. When you enter payment data (credit card, mobile money, etc.), Paystack handles your card information; Foodie receives tokenized or otherwise de-identified payment confirmation and settlement data. Foodie does not store raw card numbers or CVV codes. You agree to pay all fees, taxes, or other charges associated with your Order, including the meal price, delivery fee, service or platform fees, and any applicable government taxes. If any payment fails or is reversed (by chargeback or otherwise), Foodie reserves the right to cancel or suspend your Order, to suspend your Account, or to refuse future Orders. In the event of a refund, we will process the refund via the same payment method where possible, subject to Paystack's terms and any applicable laws.

6. Chef and Delivery Agent Obligations

Chefs agree to prepare meals in accordance with the standards of hygiene, safety, and quality required by law and by Foodie, and to deliver (or make available for pickup) meals exactly as ordered, with correct ingredients, portions, packaging, and timing. Chefs must maintain accurate menu descriptions, pricing, photos, and availability. Chefs must respond to Orders in a timely manner, accept or reject gracefully, and fulfil accepted Orders in the expected timeframe. Where Delivery Agents operate, they must handle meals with due care, preserve food condition during transit, follow delivery instructions, and treat both consumers and Chefs with respect. Both Chefs and Delivery Agents must comply with all laws, regulations, and any Foodie policies applicable to food safety, hygiene, licensing, or transport.

7. Intellectual Property and Content

Foodie retains all rights, title, and interest in all intellectual property associated with the Services. This includes, without limitation, any trademarks, service marks, designs, software, source code, databases, logos, graphics, images, photographs, video, audio, and text content published by us. When you upload content to the platform—such as images of meals, profile pictures, menu descriptions—you grant Foodie a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, store, reproduce, display, adapt, modify, and distribute such content for the purpose of operating, promoting, and improving the Services. You warrant that any content you provide is your own, or that you have the rights to use it, that it does not infringe on others' rights, and that it is accurate. If you believe that any user content on the platform infringes your intellectual property rights, you may notify us, and we will remove or disable access to content alleged to be infringing under applicable law.

8. Prohibited Conduct and Use

You must use the Services only for lawful purposes and in a manner consistent with these Terms. You must not abuse the platform or any of its features. You must not attempt to impersonate another user, cheat, defraud, harass or mistreat others, post harmful or misleading content, or attempt to reverse engineer or manipulate the mobile app or platform code. You must not attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the platform, data belonging to other users, or restricted portions of the platform. Any attempt to interfere with the operation of the Services or the platform, or to circumvent security or payment mechanisms, will be considered a breach of these Terms.

9. Refunds, Cancellations, and Returns

If an Order is cancelled before the Chef has accepted or begun preparation, you may cancel without penalty and receive a full refund. Once the Chef has accepted the Order, cancellation may no longer be possible, or a partial refund might be the only option, depending on the timing and whether preparation has begun. If delivered meals are incorrect, of poor quality, damaged, missing items, or fail in some way to match the Order, you should contact support immediately. Foodie will investigate and, where appropriate, arrange for a replacement, refund, or credit. Refunds will be processed through Paystack or the same method you used to pay. For returned or undelivered items due to your fault (e.g. wrong address, failure to collect), we may decline refund requests.

10. Fees, Pricing, and Service Charges

The prices displayed on the platform for meals include Chef's listed price, and may include additional charges such as service fees, platform commissions, delivery fees, packaging fees, or taxes. Foodie may display prices in the local currency (such as Nigerian Naira), inclusive or exclusive of applicable taxes, depending on clearance law. Any service or platform fee will be clearly shown at checkout, and will reflect processing costs, support, technology infrastructure, or other overheads. You acknowledge that variations may occur due to rounding, surcharges imposed by third parties, or other factors beyond Foodie's control. Foodie reserves the right to change pricing, adjust fees, or add new charges at any time, and will endeavour to provide notice of such changes, though immediate changes may sometimes be necessary due to external cost changes (fuel, logistics, regulatory fees, etc.).

11. Termination, Suspension, and Account Closure

Foodie may suspend or terminate your Account and your right to access or use the Services if you violate these Terms, if your account information is inaccurate, if you engage in fraudulent or abusive conduct, or if required by law. You may also terminate your account voluntarily by contacting support or through the app. Upon termination, your access to the Services ends, though for legal or regulatory reasons, certain information (such as records of Orders, payments, or user conduct) may remain with Foodie. Any outstanding amounts owed to us (including unpaid fees, reimbursements, or penalties) remain due. Termination does not affect any rights or obligations accrued before termination.

12. Disclaimers, Representations, and Warranties

Foodie provides the Services on an "as is" and "as available" basis. We make no guarantee that the Services will be uninterrupted, error-free, timely, secure or free of viruses or other harmful components. We do not warranty that information, menus, images, ingredients, or descriptions provided by Chefs are accurate or complete, though we endeavour to ensure accuracy to the extent feasible. We are not responsible for health issues arising from allergens, dietary sensitivities, or incorrect ingredients, unless caused by our negligence or breach of law. We disclaim all implied warranties except those that cannot be excluded under applicable law.

13. Liability Limitation

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Foodie is not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, punitive, or consequential damages arising out of your use or inability to use the Services. We shall not be held responsible for loss of profit, loss of goodwill, or loss of business opportunities you may suffer or incur. Our total liability to you for any claim arising from or related to these Terms, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), or otherwise, shall be limited to the amount you paid for the particular Order giving rise to the claim, or another amount as required by applicable law, whichever is lower.

14. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Foodie, its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates from and against any claim, liability, loss, damage, cost or expense (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or relating to your breach of these Terms, your violation of any law or rights of a third party, your misuse of the Services, or your failure to comply with instructions or policies of Foodie. Foodie reserves the right to assume the exclusive defence of any claim for which you are required to indemnify us, in which case you must provide Foodie such cooperation as reasonably requested.

15. Dispute Resolution and Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including relevant statutes such as the Nigeria Data Protection Act and other applicable regulatory provisions. You agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of the platform will be submitted to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Nigeria. Before initiating legal proceedings, you agree to attempt informal resolution by contacting Foodie's support and seeking to settle dispute in good faith within a reasonable period.

16. Changes to Terms

Foodie may modify, update or revise these Terms at any time. When changes are made, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this document and will provide notice to all registered users by email or app notification. Continued use of the platform after changes take effect will constitute acceptance of those changes. If you do not agree with modified Terms, you must stop using the Services and may terminate your Account.

17. Miscellaneous

All notices required under these Terms shall be provided in writing (including via email or through the app) to the contact information you have supplied. If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision shall be severed, and the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect. These Terms, along with any policies and notices referenced herein (such as the Privacy Policy), form the entire agreement between you and Foodie regarding the Services, superseding all prior or contemporaneous agreements, understandings, proposals, or communications, verbal or written. Foodie may assign or delegate its rights or duties under these Terms to third parties, including affiliates or service providers, without your consent, provided that such assignment does not materially reduce your rights. Use of our electronic communications and signatures, where applicable, is acknowledged, and you agree that communications, contracts, orders, and other records will be electronic unless a law requires otherwise.