FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT POTLUCKCHEFS
What is unique about this website?
This is a website where you can hire chefs of any caliber for events or get a single dish for a potluck event. The website was created to provide an income for chefs that are facing hardships during the pandemic. But everybody is welcome. This is a way to support your community during these hard times.
Will I be informed when the chef responds?
Yes, you will be notified at the email id you used for registration. Check your Account tab on the top right hand corner to see details of invites and chats.
How do I pay the chef?
You have an option to pay the chef based on milestones created or make a full payment. Add money to your wallet and release it as per the milestone agreement or make a full payment either prior to, or after the event, based on your agreement with the chef. To create a milestone payment go to “My Account” in the top right hand corner of the page and click the “My Bookings” tab. The website currently uses Paypal as the payment gateway. Creating a paypal account is easy and free. Follow this link and register.
https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/sem/account-selection-signup?kid=p51348483236&gclid=CjwKCAiA8Jf-BRB-EiwAWDtEGrVhPmpKNN4usrqu4oMr26ev8bVowsY8NpFUb-LO8So67inkFBUNCRoC8KIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Can I find chefs in my neighborhood?
Once you enter your zip code into the “My account” section during registration, the website will show you chefs in your neighborhood. Use the search criteria on the left to narrow down to chefs that provide the service you are looking for.
Do I need to be a trained chef?
No. But you need to be professional and prepare food with all required safety guidelines. Make sure customer’s requests are met to the last detail. Allergies should be noted and diet requirements have to be adhered to. Potluckchefs LLC will not be held responsible for any negligence on your part. Document everything and take pictures as needed. Any complaints from the customers will result in permanent blocking of your account from the website in addition to bad reviews.
How do I refund a customer?
If you received a payment and cannot keep an appointment, you may have to refund the customer through your paypal account.
How many days prior to an event can I cancel?
There needs to be at least a 3 day notice to the customer or chef if event is cancelled or the job cannot be completed. This is for small orders for e.g. a single dish. For large orders for e.g. catering for a party or a bigger event that involves advance ordering of materials, the notice needs to be at least a week for both chefs and customers. The cancellation time and penalties should be discussed with your chef/s or customers based on the event, prior to hiring. It is impossible to give an exact timeline for cancellation notices because of the myriad situations involved. If the chef has already spend money preparing for the event then that payment is not refundable.
What does the website make out of the transactions?
2.5% of a completed transaction, which is just enough to cover the costs of hosting the website and maintaining it. The lowest that you can find for this type of service. There are no hidden fees. Paypal is a payment gateway that may charge a small amount for the transaction, but that does not go to the website.
What is the refund policy?
The client will indicate that the event is completed from their dashboard and the milestone payment or full payment will be released to the chef. Both chefs and customers can raise a dispute using the “Dispute” button present next to the Event in “My account”. The outcome of the dispute will be decided by the website admin based on presented facts by both parties.
How are disputes between customers and chefs handled?
The chefs are screened prior to being added to the website to provide service. If the chef does not show up to the event, after release of milestone payment, please raise a dispute from your account dashboard for that event. The notification has to be within 24 hours of the event. The chef will be required to provide the refund, the amount of which will be decided on the basis of the event and reasons presented by both parties. Potluckchefs LLC will have the ultimate say on how the dispute will be settled based on the situation. Please make use of the chat function provided, to discuss all event related details and set clear guidelines on what is expected from the chef. These details will be useful in settling disputes. Additionally, please leave a review for the chef, so future customers are aware of any problem.