Version 2026-08-21.4. Plain language on purpose — where something matters it is said directly rather than buried.
Hatch is a marketplace. Independent kitchens list and sell food; guests buy it. Hatch is not the seller of any food, does not cook, handle, package, store or deliver any food, and is not a party to the sale beyond listing it and passing the payment through. Your contract for the food is between you and the kitchen.
“Hatch”, “we” and “us” mean 4embers and its operators. “Kitchen” means an independent seller. “Guest” means a buyer.
Anyone may open a kitchen on Hatch. We do not inspect premises, visit kitchens, verify licences or permits, confirm insurance, check food-safety practices, test food, or validate ingredient or allergen information. Nothing on Hatch is us vouching for a kitchen, and appearing on Hatch is not a licence, an endorsement, or a permission.
You order at your own risk. By ordering you accept the risks inherent in buying food prepared by a person neither you nor we have inspected, including the risk of foodborne illness, injury, and allergic reaction. If you have an allergy or a dietary requirement, read the ingredient and allergen information on the dish and ask the kitchen directly before ordering. That information is written by the kitchen and is not verified by us.
If you sell on Hatch, you agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Hatch, its operators and its personnel from any claim, demand, loss, liability, penalty, fine or expense (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or relating to: the food you sell; illness, injury or allergic reaction connected to it; the accuracy of what you said about it; your operation without a licence, permit or insurance you were required to hold; your breach of these terms; or your violation of any law.
Hatch is provided “as is” and “as available”, without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including any implied warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, or non-infringement. We do not warrant that any food sold through Hatch is safe, accurately described, legally sold, or fit to eat, and we do not warrant that the service will be uninterrupted or error-free.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Hatch is not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary or punitive damages, or for loss of profits, revenue, data, or goodwill, arising from or relating to Hatch or to any food sold through it — and this applies however the claim arises, whether in contract, tort, strict liability or otherwise, and even if we were advised such damages were possible.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, our total aggregate liability to you for all claims relating to Hatch is limited to the greater of (a) the amount you paid through Hatch in the three months before the event giving rise to the claim, or (b) one hundred US dollars.
Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or the limitation of certain damages, so parts of the two paragraphs above may not apply to you. Nothing in these terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.
Your claim about food is against the kitchen that sold it. We will help you reach them and we will refund what you paid where we are able to. If an order is rejected or cancelled before handover, the payment is refunded in full. If you believe food made you unwell, contact your local health department as well — they can act in ways we cannot.
Kitchens own what they post and are responsible for having the right to post it, and grant Hatch a licence to display it. Anything unlawful, misleading or dangerous may be removed and the account closed, at our discretion and without notice. Every kitchen and every post can be reported from inside the app, and any guest can block a kitchen so it never appears to them again. Reports are reviewed as quickly as we can, and anything reported as unsafe is prioritised.
We may suspend or close any account at any time, including for suspected fraud, unsafe food, operating without a required licence, or breach of these terms. You can delete your account from inside the app at any time, which deletes your personal data and cancels any membership. Completed orders remain on record because the other party to them has receipts and our payment processor has obligations of its own.
These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Illinois, without regard to conflict of law rules. Any dispute between you and Hatch will be resolved by binding individual arbitration rather than in court, except that either party may bring an individual claim in small claims court. You and Hatch each waive any right to a jury trial and to participate in a class or representative action. You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by emailing [email protected] within 30 days of first accepting these terms; opting out does not affect the rest of these terms.
These terms are versioned, and every acceptance is recorded against the exact wording shown at the time. When the wording changes materially the version changes and you are asked to accept the new one — agreeing to an old version is not agreement to a new one.
If any part of these terms is found unenforceable, that part is limited or removed to the minimum extent necessary and the rest remains in force.
Hatch is operated by 4embers. Questions: [email protected].
These terms are a starting point drafted for a product in testing. They are not legal advice and have not been reviewed by counsel. Have a lawyer read them before real money moves — particularly on home-kitchen legality, marketplace-facilitator tax, and food delivery licensing in the cities you operate in.