Question 1

How does Kitchen Yard work?

Accepted Answer

Kitchen Yard connects you with local home cooks (MEHKO operators), cottage food makers, and licensed caterers in your neighborhood. Browse kitchens, place an order or subscribe to weekly meals, and pick up or get delivery.

Question 2

Is the food safe?

Accepted Answer

All operators on Kitchen Yard must hold valid permits for their operator type. MEHKO operators are inspected and permitted by their local county health department under California AB 626. Cottage food operators are registered under AB 1616. Caterers hold standard commercial kitchen licenses. We track permit status and notify operators of renewals, but we never block operators from selling — permits are the operator's responsibility.

Question 3

What is a MEHKO?

Accepted Answer

MEHKO stands for Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation. It's a California permit that allows home cooks to prepare and sell meals directly from their residential kitchen, with annual health inspections. Think of it as a restaurant license for your home kitchen.

Question 4

How do I place an order?

Accepted Answer

Browse kitchens on the Discover page, tap a kitchen to see their menu, add items to your cart, choose pickup or delivery, select a time window, and check out. You'll receive push notifications and email updates as your order progresses.

Question 5

Can I subscribe to weekly meals?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Many operators offer weekly meal subscriptions. Go to the Subscriptions page, pick a plan, and each Thursday you'll receive your menu for the following week. You can swap items by Friday at 6pm or we'll auto-confirm for you.

Question 6

What are the fees?

Accepted Answer

You'll see a $2 service fee and applicable tax on every order. Delivery orders include a $5 delivery fee. Tips go directly to the operator (or driver, for deliveries). There are no hidden fees.

Question 7

How do refunds work?

Accepted Answer

If there's an issue with your order, contact the operator through the app or reach out to us at support@kitchenyard.space. We review refund requests on a case-by-case basis and typically process them within 3–5 business days.

Question 8

Can I schedule an order in advance?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When placing an order you choose a pickup window. Operators set their available days and hours, and you select the window that works for you.

Question 9

What allergens should I know about?

Accepted Answer

Each menu item lists its allergens (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, sesame). You must acknowledge allergen information before checkout. If you have severe allergies, we recommend contacting the operator directly.

Question 10

How do I list my kitchen on Kitchen Yard?

Accepted Answer

Go to the 'List your kitchen' page and complete the onboarding form. You'll enter your business info, permit type, location, story, menu, hours, and choose a plan. Once submitted, our team reviews and approves your listing.

Question 11

What does it cost to sell on Kitchen Yard?

Accepted Answer

Kitchen Yard offers three tiers: Starter ($1/wk, 8% platform fee), Plus ($2/wk, 6% fee, weekly payouts, drivers & SMS), and Pro ($5/wk, 5% fee, daily payouts, video clips & API access). All tiers include menus, orders, and payouts. Upgrade or downgrade anytime.

Question 12

How do I get paid?

Accepted Answer

Payments are processed through Stripe Connect. During onboarding you'll connect your bank account. After each order, your earnings (minus platform and service fees) are transferred to your account automatically. Payouts typically arrive in 2 business days.

Question 13

Do I need a permit?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you need the appropriate permit for your operator type. MEHKO operators need a county health permit under AB 626. Cottage food operators need registration under AB 1616. Caterers need a standard commercial kitchen license. Kitchen Yard tracks permit expirations and sends reminders, but obtaining and renewing permits is your responsibility.

Question 14

How do meal counters and sales caps work?

Accepted Answer

Kitchen Yard tracks your daily and weekly meal counts for informational purposes. MEHKO operators have legal sales caps (typically 30 meals/day or 200 meals/week depending on your county). We display your counts on your dashboard but we never block you from selling — staying within limits is your responsibility.

Question 15

Can I offer delivery?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can offer pickup only, delivery only, or both. If you offer delivery, you can use your own driver or invite drivers through the Kitchen Yard driver network.

Question 16

How do subscriptions work for operators?

Accepted Answer

If you offer a subscription plan, Kitchen Yard will auto-generate weekly menus from your active menu items each Thursday. Subscribers can swap items until Friday at 6pm. You'll see confirmed orders in your dashboard for the following week.

Question 17

How do I become a Kitchen Yard driver?

Accepted Answer

Drivers are invited by operators. If an operator you work with uses Kitchen Yard, they can generate a driver invite code for you. Enter the code in the app to create your driver account.

Question 18

How do driver earnings work?

Accepted Answer

Delivery fees and tips are shown on each delivery before you accept. Earnings are paid through the operator's payment system. Contact the operator you drive for regarding payout schedules.

Question 19

What vehicles can I use?

Accepted Answer

You can deliver by car, bike, scooter, or on foot — whatever works for your deliveries. You'll set your vehicle type in your driver profile.

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