Refund and Cancellation Policy

Last Updated: January 17, 2026

This Refund and Cancellation Policy applies to all orders placed through the Home Meal App Platform. This policy should be read in conjunction with our Terms and Conditions.

1. Overview

Home Meal App operates as a marketplace connecting Buyers with independent Sellers. While we facilitate transactions, Sellers are responsible for food preparation and quality. This policy outlines when refunds are available and how to request them.

2. Cancellation Policy - Buyers

2.1 Before Seller Accepts Order

Timing: Within 2-5 minutes of order placement (before Seller accepts)

Process:

Cancel directly in the app: Orders → Active Order → Cancel Order
Or contact customer support immediately

Refund:

Full refund to original payment method
Refund processed immediately
Funds appear in 3-5 business days
No cancellation fee

What's Refunded:

Meal cost (100%)
Service fee (100%)
Delivery fee (100%)
Taxes (100%)
Tips (100%, if already added)

2.2 After Seller Accepts Order

Timing: After Seller accepts but before preparation begins (typically 5-15 minutes after acceptance)

Process:

Contact Seller through app to request cancellation
Or contact customer support for assistance
Seller must approve cancellation

Refund (if approved):

Meal cost: 100% refunded
Service fee: 100% refunded
Delivery fee: 50% refunded
Cancellation fee: $5.00
Tips: 100% refunded (if already added)

Example:

Meal subtotal: $30.00
Service fee: $2.50
Delivery fee: $4.99
Total: $37.49
Refund: $35.00 ($37.49 - $2.50 delivery fee retained - $5.00 cancellation fee + tip if applicable)

2.3 During Preparation

Timing: After Seller starts preparing your order

Process:

Contact customer support with reason for cancellation
Requires manager approval
Seller will be contacted

Refund (if approved - rare):

At Platform's discretion
Typically no refund once preparation begins
May offer partial refund (30-50%) for extenuating circumstances
Platform credit may be offered instead

Valid Reasons:

Emergency or urgent situation
Significant address error requiring order change
Seller taking unreasonably long (2x estimated time)

Not Valid:

Change of mind
Found cheaper option
No longer hungry
Decided to cook instead

2.4 During Delivery

Timing: After Driver picks up order

Process:

Contact customer support immediately
Cannot cancel once Driver is en route

Refund:

No refund once delivery is in progress
Order will be delivered or attempted
If you're unavailable, order may be left or disposed of per policy
Full payment charged

Exception:

Driver unable to locate address (your error): No refund
Driver has accident or emergency: Full refund issued automatically

2.5 After Delivery

Timing: After order is delivered

Cancellation: Not applicable - order completed

Refund: See "Refund Policy" below for quality or issue-based refunds

3. Cancellation Policy - Sellers

3.1 Before Accepting Order

Process:

Decline order within 5-minute acceptance window
Select reason: out of stock, capacity, other

Impact:

No penalty
Buyer receives immediate notification
Full refund issued to Buyer automatically
Buyer can place new order with different Seller

3.2 After Accepting Order

Timing: After accepting but before starting preparation

Process:

Cancel through Seller app with reason
Contact Seller support if needed
Buyer notified immediately

Impact:

Counts against your cancellation rate metric
Target: <5% cancellation rate
Excessive cancellations may result in:
- Lower listing visibility
- Account review
- Suspension (if >10% cancellation rate)
Full refund issued to Buyer

Valid Reasons:

Equipment failure
Out of key ingredients (despite accepting)
Personal/family emergency
Power outage
Health issue

Platform Responsibility:

Platform absorbs service and delivery fees
Seller does not pay cancellation penalty

3.3 During Preparation

Process:

Must contact Seller support immediately
Explain reason for cancellation
Manager approval required

Impact:

Serious penalty to metrics
May result in temporary suspension
Buyer issued full refund + $10 credit for inconvenience
Seller may be responsible for partial reimbursement to Platform

Only Acceptable For:

Medical emergency
Kitchen fire or safety hazard
Critical equipment failure discovered mid-prep
Contamination or food safety issue

4. Cancellation Policy - Drivers

4.1 Before Pickup

Process:

Cancel through Driver app
Select reason
Order reassigned to another Driver

Impact:

Minimal impact to completion rate if done before arriving at Seller
Frequent cancellations reduce delivery opportunities
No penalty for valid reasons (safety, vehicle issue)

4.2 After Pickup

Process:

Must contact Driver support immediately
Manager approval required
Cannot cancel without authorization

Impact:

Heavy penalty to completion rate
May result in temporary deactivation
Seller must remake order (if food compromised)
Driver may be responsible for food cost in cases of negligence

Only Acceptable For:

Vehicle breakdown or accident
Personal emergency
Unsafe delivery conditions
Order damaged during pickup (spill, etc.)

5. Refund Policy - Order Issues

5.1 Missing Items

Criteria:

Items listed on order but not in delivered bag
Must report within 15 minutes of delivery

Process:

Check bag thoroughly before contacting support
Report through app: Orders → Order History → Report Issue → Missing Items
Select missing items from list
Upload photo of delivered items (optional but helpful)

Refund:

Partial refund for missing items only
Calculated based on item price
Refund processed within 24 hours
Choice of refund to original payment method or Platform credit

Example:

Ordered: Main dish ($20), side ($8), dessert ($6)
Missing: Dessert ($6)
Refund: $6.00 (dessert cost only)

Note: Service and delivery fees are not refunded for missing items.

5.2 Wrong Order

Criteria:

Received completely wrong order (different customer's order)
Received different meal than ordered

Process:

Do not consume the food
Take photos of what you received
Report through app immediately: Report Issue → Wrong Order
Provide details of what was ordered vs. received
Support will verify with Seller

Refund:

Full refund if completely wrong order
Partial refund if partially wrong (only incorrect items refunded)
May offer redelivery of correct order (if Seller has it ready)
Platform credit for inconvenience ($5-$10)

Timeline:

Refund decision within 2-4 hours
Refund processed within 24 hours

5.3 Food Quality Issues

Criteria:

Food is cold when it should be hot
Food is spoiled, burnt, or inedible
Food doesn't match description
Portion size significantly smaller than described
Foreign object in food
Food safety concern

Important: This does NOT cover:

Personal taste preferences ("I didn't like it")
Spice level (unless mislabeled)
Subjective quality ("not as good as expected")

Process:

Do not consume questionable food
Take clear photos showing the issue
Report through app within 30 minutes: Report Issue → Quality Issue
Describe the problem in detail
Support may request additional photos or information

Refund:

Full refund for serious quality issues (spoiled, inedible, safety concern)
Partial refund for minor issues (cold food, small portion)
Platform credit for inconvenience

Decision Factors:

Photos and description provided
Seller's history and ratings
Your refund history (frequent requests flagged)
Delivery time (was it delayed?)
Temperature conditions

Timeline:

Review within 24-48 hours
Refund processed within 48 hours

5.4 Allergic Reaction or Undisclosed Allergens

Criteria:

Food contains allergen not listed in description
You specifically requested "no [allergen]" and it was included

Process:

Seek medical attention if needed - health comes first
Save remaining food and packaging
Take photos of food and packaging
Report through app immediately: Report Issue → Allergen/Safety Issue
Provide details of allergen concern
May need to provide medical documentation for serious reactions

Refund:

Full refund immediately
Platform credit for inconvenience ($20-$50)
Medical expenses may be covered (requires documentation and investigation)

Investigation:

Seller contacted immediately
Listing may be temporarily removed pending investigation
Health authorities may be notified (for serious incidents)
Seller may face suspension if negligent

Important: Always communicate allergies clearly when ordering. Platform and Sellers are not liable if allergies were not disclosed.

5.5 Late Delivery

Criteria:

Delivery is significantly late (30+ minutes past estimated time)
No communication from Driver

Process:

Check app for order status and Driver location
Contact Driver through app if possible
If no response after 15 minutes, contact support
Report through app: Report Issue → Late Delivery

Refund:

Typically no refund for late delivery (food still delivered)
May receive Platform credit for inconvenience:
- 15-29 minutes late: $3 credit
- 30-44 minutes late: $5 credit
- 45-59 minutes late: $10 credit
- 60+ minutes late: $15-$20 credit
Full refund if delivery is 90+ minutes late and food is cold/inedible

Note: Delays due to weather, traffic, or other uncontrollable factors may not qualify for credits.

5.6 Order Never Delivered

Criteria:

Order marked as delivered but not received
Driver cannot be contacted
No photo proof of delivery (for contactless)

Process:

Check delivery location thoroughly (neighbors, building entrance, etc.)
Check in-app delivery photo (if contactless)
Try to contact Driver through app
Report through app within 1 hour: Report Issue → Order Not Received
Support will attempt to contact Driver

Refund:

Full refund if confirmed not delivered
Investigation may take 24-48 hours if Driver claims delivery was made
GPS data and delivery photo reviewed

Fraud Prevention:

Multiple "not delivered" claims flagged for review
Account may be suspended for fraudulent claims

5.7 Damaged or Spilled Food

Criteria:

Food spilled inside bag
Container leaked or opened during delivery
Food visibly damaged or mishandled

Process:

Take photos immediately showing damage
Do not consume damaged food (food safety risk)
Report through app: Report Issue → Damaged Order
Upload photos

Refund:

Partial refund for damaged items only
Full refund if entire order is compromised
Platform credit for inconvenience

Responsibility:

Seller responsible if packaging was inadequate
Driver responsible if due to mishandling
Platform investigates and issues refund accordingly

6. Refund Methods and Timeline

6.1 Refund Methods

Original Payment Method:

Default for order cancellations and issue refunds
Credit/debit card: 3-5 business days
PayPal/digital wallet: 1-3 business days
Bank account: 5-7 business days

Platform Credit:

Instant (applied immediately to account balance)
No expiration date
Applied automatically at next checkout
Can be used for any order
Cannot be transferred or redeemed for cash

Note: You cannot choose refund method for cancellations. Platform credits are offered at Platform's discretion for issue resolutions.

6.2 Refund Timeline

Processing:

Approved refunds processed within 24 hours
Weekends and holidays may extend processing time

Receipt:

Credit/debit cards: 3-5 business days
Digital wallets: 1-3 business days
Platform credit: Instant

Delays:

Bank processing times vary
Contact your bank if refund doesn't appear within 10 business days
We can provide proof of refund for bank disputes

6.3 Refund Limits

Per Order:

Cannot exceed order total
Partial refunds for partial issues
Service fees refunded only for major issues (full refund scenarios)

Per Account:

Excessive refund requests trigger review
Accounts with >20% refund rate flagged
May require photos/proof for future refunds
Suspected abuse may result in account suspension

7. Catering and Large Orders

7.1 Catering Cancellation Policy

Orders 10+ servings subject to different terms:

More than 72 hours before event:

Full refund (100%) minus 5% processing fee
Deposit refunded

48-72 hours before event:

50% refund
Deposit forfeited

24-48 hours before event:

25% refund
Deposit forfeited

Less than 24 hours before event:

No refund
Deposit and full payment forfeited
Seller has already purchased ingredients and started prep

7.2 Catering Refunds

Quality Issues:

Must report before or during event
Take photos of any issues
Full investigation conducted
Partial or full refund based on severity

Late Delivery:

Setup time guaranteed in catering agreement
Significant delays (30+ minutes) qualify for partial refund
May negotiate compensation for event impact

8. Disputes and Appeals

8.1 Dispute Process

If you disagree with a refund decision:

Reply to support ticket with additional information
Provide any evidence not previously submitted
Request manager review
Decision typically within 24-48 hours

8.2 Manager Review

Senior support agent reviews case
Considers all evidence from both parties
Final decision communicated via email
Decision is binding

8.3 Escalation

For unresolved disputes:

Request executive review (disputes@home-meal.website)
Available for claims over $50
Final decision within 5-7 business days
No further internal appeals after executive review

8.4 External Resolution

If internal process doesn't resolve your concern:

Small claims court (for appropriate amounts)
Arbitration (per Terms and Conditions)
Credit card chargeback (not recommended - may result in account suspension)

9. Chargebacks

9.1 Policy on Chargebacks

Before Initiating Chargeback:

Contact our support team first
Most issues resolved quickly through support
Chargebacks should be last resort

If You File Chargeback:

Account may be temporarily suspended
We will dispute invalid chargebacks
Provide all evidence to your bank
We charge $15 fee for invalid chargebacks

Valid Chargeback Reasons:

Unauthorized charge (card stolen)
Double billing error
Did not receive refund after Platform approved

Invalid Chargeback Reasons:

Already received refund or credit
Didn't like food (taste preference)
Your error (wrong address, unavailable)
After-the-fact buyer's remorse

10. Special Circumstances

10.1 Platform Outages

If Platform experiences technical issues preventing order fulfillment:

Automatic full refund
Platform credit for inconvenience ($10-$20)
No negative impact on user metrics

10.2 Weather and Emergencies

Severe Weather:

Buyer may cancel before pickup without fee
Driver may cancel without penalty
Seller may cancel without penalty
Full refund issued

Natural Disasters, Emergencies:

All active orders automatically cancelled
Full refunds processed
Users notified via app and email

10.3 Seller or Driver No-Show

Seller Doesn't Respond:

After 15 minutes past estimated time, contact support
Order cancelled, full refund
$10-$20 Platform credit for inconvenience

Driver Doesn't Arrive:

After 30 minutes past estimated time, contact support
Order reassigned if possible
If too late, full refund + credit

11. Subscription Refunds

11.1 Membership Cancellation

Monthly Subscription:

Cancel anytime
No refund for current month
Access continues until end of billing period
No cancellation fee

Annual Subscription:

Cancel anytime
No partial refund for unused months
Access continues until end of 12-month period

Exception: If charged after cancellation, full refund issued.

11.2 Seller Plan Changes

Downgrade:

Takes effect at end of current billing period
No partial refund

Upgrade:

Pro-rated charge for remaining time
New plan starts immediately

12. Promotional Credits and Gift Cards

12.1 Promotional Credits

Applied automatically at checkout
Cannot be redeemed for cash
No refund if order is cancelled (credit remains in account)
May have expiration dates or terms

12.2 Gift Cards

Non-refundable
No expiration date
Can be used for any order
Balance refunded to gift card if order cancelled
Cannot be redeemed for cash

13. Refund Abuse Prevention

13.1 Fraud Detection

We monitor for refund abuse patterns:

Excessive refund requests
Repeated similar complaints
Missing photo evidence
Conflicting information
Refund rate significantly higher than average

13.2 Consequences of Abuse

First Warning:

Notification of concern
Future refunds require additional verification

Second Warning:

Temporary restriction on refunds
Must provide photos for all claims
Manager approval required

Account Suspension:

Chronic abuse results in permanent suspension
No further refunds issued
Account balance forfeited

Legal Action:

Fraud or theft may result in legal action
Restitution for stolen funds
Criminal charges if applicable

14. Contact Us

14.1 Refund Support

General Refund Questions:

General Inquiries: info@home-meal.website
Email: refunds@home-meal.website
In-app: Help → Refunds & Cancellations
Phone: +1 (555) 123-4567

Response Time:

Urgent issues: 2-4 hours
Standard issues: 24-48 hours
Complex investigations: 2-5 business days

14.2 Dispute Escalation

Manager Review:

Email: support-manager@home-meal.website

Executive Review:

Email: disputes@home-meal.website
Available for claims >$50

15. Policy Updates

We may update this Refund and Cancellation Policy at any time. Changes effective upon posting. Material changes communicated via email and app notification.

This policy is designed to be fair to all parties - Buyers, Sellers, Drivers, and Platform. We aim to resolve issues quickly and fairly while preventing abuse.

For immediate assistance with an order issue, use the in-app support chat or call +1 (555) 123-4567.

Effective Date: January 17, 2026 Version: 1.0