Abuela's – Terms of Service

Last updated: February 10, 2026

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using Abuela's (the "Service"), you agree to these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

You must be at least 18 years old to use Abuela's.

2. Platform Role & Legal Positioning (IMPORTANT)

Abuela's is an Internet Food Service Intermediary (IFSI) under California law.

Abuela's:

• Is not a restaurant
• Does not prepare or handle food
• Does not inspect kitchens
• Does not certify food safety
• Does not provide third-party delivery

Abuela's only provides a platform that allows independent home cooks ("MEHKO Operators") to list meals and connect directly with consumers.

3. User Types

3.1 Consumers (Buyers)

Consumers may browse listings, place orders, and submit complaints.

By purchasing, you acknowledge:

• Food is prepared in a private home kitchen
• Meals may not be inspected by a health department
• Food safety responsibility rests with the cook, not Abuela's

3.2 Cooks (MEHKO Operators)

Cooks are independent operators, not employees or agents of Abuela's.

Cooks are solely responsible for:

• Obtaining and maintaining required permits
• Compliance with MEHKO and local health laws
• Food preparation, safety, and labeling
• Order fulfillment and permitted delivery methods

4. MEHKO Compliance & Publishing Rules

To publish meals, cooks must:

• Provide a valid permit number
• Provide the issuing enforcement agency
• Accept:
  • Government disclosure consent
  • Platform fee disclosure
  • Insurance disclosure acknowledgment

Abuela's enforces compliance through automated systems. Non-compliant cooks cannot publish listings.

Abuela's may suspend or remove listings or accounts at any time for non-compliance.

5. Permit Transparency & Public Display

To comply with California MEHKO / IFSI requirements:

• Permit numbers and issuing agencies are stored by the platform.
• Permit numbers and issuing agencies may be displayed publicly on listings.
• These permit details may be shared with local health enforcement agencies when legally required.

Abuela's does not publicly display personal identification documents, immigration status, or government IDs beyond what is required for food safety transparency.

6. Complaints, Safety, and Regulatory Disclosure

Consumers may submit complaints through the Service.

If Abuela's receives three or more unrelated food-safety complaints about a cook, Abuela's may be legally required to disclose cook information (including permit details) to the appropriate local enforcement agency.

Cooks explicitly consent to these disclosures as a condition of using the platform.

6.5 Government & Law Enforcement Requests (Important Clarification)

Abuela's does not collect immigration status, citizenship status, country of origin, passport numbers, Social Security numbers, or similar information.

Abuela's does not voluntarily share user data with immigration enforcement agencies (including ICE).

Abuela's may disclose limited information only in the following situations:

• Local food safety & MEHKO / IFSI compliance, when required by California law (for example, qualifying food-safety complaint escalation to a local health enforcement agency).
• Valid legal process, such as a court order, subpoena, or warrant, where Abuela's is legally required to comply.

Our commitments:

• We do not respond to informal or voluntary government requests.
• We disclose only the minimum information legally required.
• Where permitted by law, we will notify affected users before disclosure.
• We may challenge overly broad or improper requests.

Using Abuela's does not authorize unrestricted government access to your information.

7. Delivery Rules

Third-party delivery services (e.g., DoorDash, Uber Eats) are strictly prohibited.

Only:

• Cook-provided delivery, or
• Consumer pickup

are permitted. Listings or orders that violate delivery rules may be canceled.

8. Payments & Fees

Abuela's may facilitate ordering and platform fees.

Abuela's:

• Does not guarantee payment processing availability
• Does not guarantee payouts
• May modify fees with notice where required by law

Cooks are responsible for:

• Taxes
• Income reporting
• Legal compliance

9. Limitation of Liability

Abuela's is not liable for:

• Foodborne illness
• Allergic reactions
• Injuries
• Regulatory violations by cooks

Use of the Service is at your own risk.

10. Account Suspension & Termination

Abuela's may suspend or terminate accounts for:

• Legal non-compliance
• Safety concerns
• Violations of these Terms

11. Changes to Terms

Terms may be updated. Continued use constitutes acceptance.

12. Governing Law

California law governs these Terms.

13. Contact

📧 support@abuelas.app
🌐 https://abuelas.app

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