CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY

Last updated on 18.06.2025
 

This Cancellation and Refund Policy (“Policy”) governs the use of the services offered by BookMyChef accessible on the website through https://bookmychef.app/ (hereinafter referred to as the “Website”), and the mobile application “BookMyChef” (hereinafter referred to as the “App”), (collectively referred to as the “Platform”).  The Platform is owned and operated by IdeaDeck Innovations Private Limited, a private company incorporated under the Companies Act 2013, having its registered office at Flat No. 104, 1-65/25/15, P.No.3, Guttala Begumpet, Hyderabad, Rangareddi, Telangana-500081, India (hereinafter referred to as “the Company”). 

This Policy, along with any other applicable terms and conditions published on the Platform or otherwise made available to users (including through WhatsApp, email, or physical copy), collectively constitute the entire understanding between the Company and any individual or entity accessing, using, registering on, or availing services through the Platform (“Customer” or “you”).

By accessing or using the Platform and/or availing any of the services offered by the Company through the Platform (“Services”), you agree to be bound by the terms of this Policy, as well as any other applicable terms governing the Services and the use of the Platform.

In the event that the Platform is temporarily unavailable due to maintenance, technical malfunction, or for any other reason, the Company may, at its sole discretion, share this Policy through alternative offline means, including, but not limited to, WhatsApp, email communication, or printed documentation.

The Company reserves the right to amend or update this Policy at any time, without prior notice and at its sole discretion. Customers are responsible for regularly reviewing this Policy and any updates thereto. Continued access or use of the Platform or the Services following any such modification shall be deemed to constitute acceptance of the modified Policy.

1. Private Chefs and Insta Chef Services 

 

1. In the event a Customer cancels a booking within 10 (ten) minutes of placing the booking, and the chef has not yet been assigned (whether by auto-assignment or manual acceptance), the Customer shall be entitled to a full refund of the booking amount without any deductions.

 

1. Where a cancellation is made after the expiry of the 10 (ten) minute window from the time of booking, but prior to the assignment of a chef, the Customer shall be eligible for a refund of the booking amount after deduction of a platform fee. The platform fee shall be either INR 250 (Indian Rupees Two Hundred and Fifty) or 10% (ten percent) of the total booking value, whichever is higher (hereinafter referred to as the “Platform Fee”), and shall be retained by the Company as a service charge. 

 

1. Once a chef has been assigned to the booking, whether through automatic allocation or manual acceptance, the booking shall be deemed confirmed and non-refundable. In such cases, any cancellation initiated by the Customer shall not entitle the Customer to any refund, and the full booking amount shall be retained by the Company. 

 

1. With respect to bookings that involve the procurement of ingredients by the chef, if the Customer cancels before the chef has commenced procurement, the Customer shall be entitled to a full refund of the ingredient cost. However, once the procurement of ingredients has begun (evidenced by confirmation from the chef or any communication indicating initiation of purchase), no refund shall be provided in respect of the ingredient cost, irrespective of the status of the booking.

 

1. In circumstances where the assigned chef cancels the booking, is unavailable on the scheduled date, or fails to appear at the event location at the appointed time, the Company shall offer the Customer the option to either (i) reschedule the booking to a future date, subject to availability, or (ii) receive a full refund of the booking amount. No Platform Fee or other deductions shall be made in such cases.

 

1. The Company reserves the right to cancel a confirmed booking in the event of operational exigencies or emergencies, including but not limited to unavailability of chefs, public health restrictions, or logistical constraints. In such situations, Customers shall be promptly informed and offered a full refund or a rescheduling option, without any deduction of charges.

 

1. If a Customer is not present at the scheduled location at the agreed time, or if the kitchen and related premises are not in a suitable or functional condition to enable service delivery (including, but not limited to, lack of basic utensils, or access to electricity/gas), the booking shall be deemed fulfilled from the Company’s end. In such cases, no refund shall be issued to the Customer.

 

1. Subscription Chefs

 

1. In the event a Customer cancels a subscription chef booking before a chef has been assigned or before any trial session has been conducted, the Customer shall be entitled to a full refund of the subscription fee paid. No cancellation charges or Platform Fee shall be levied in such cases.

 

1. Where a chef has already been assigned to the subscription, but the trial session has not yet taken place, the Customer may still cancel the subscription. However, in such cases, the Customer shall be entitled only to a refund of the booking amount after deduction of the applicable Platform Fee. 

 

1. If the Customer completes the trial session but chooses not to proceed with the subscription, no further charges shall apply beyond the trial fee. In such cases, no refund shall be issued for the trial fee, and the engagement shall be deemed concluded post-trial.

 

1. No refunds shall be granted for unused trial sessions if the Customer is unavailable or unresponsive to scheduling efforts by the Company for more than 3 (three) days post-assignment. 

 

1. Once the Customer formally confirms the subscription and the subscription cycle commences, any mid-cycle cancellation shall not entitle the Customer to a refund for the remaining days in the billing cycle. The chef shall continue to provide services until the end of the current cycle, unless otherwise agreed between the Customer and the Company.

 

1. Refunds for partial usage during an ongoing subscription period shall not be permitted under any circumstances, and the booking shall be deemed fulfilled up to the end of the active cycle.

 

1. The Company recognises that Customers may occasionally need to temporarily pause their subscription due to travel, health, or personal reasons. Such requests may be submitted to the Company in advance, and the subscription may be paused and resumed subject to the availability of the assigned chef at the time of resumption. The maximum permissible duration for pausing a subscription shall be [●] days. The Company does not guarantee the availability of the same chef upon resumption and reserves the right to assign a new chef or adjust the schedule, as may be operationally feasible. 

 

1. No refund shall be granted for the days during which the subscription is paused. However, the remaining unused days may be credited and carried forward, subject to prior confirmation from the Company.

 

1. In the event the assigned subscription chef cancels or becomes unavailable mid-cycle, the Company shall make reasonable efforts to provide a replacement chef for the remaining duration of the subscription. If a suitable replacement is not available, the Customer shall be entitled to a prorated refund for the unused portion of the subscription period.  In such cases, the Company shall not deduct any Platform Fee and shall coordinate directly with the Customer to facilitate the refund or replacement, as per the Customer’s preference and feasibility.

 

Caterers

1. In the event a Customer cancels a catering booking within 10 (ten) minutes of placing the order, the Customer shall be eligible for a full refund of the booking amount, subject to deduction of the applicable Platform Fee. 

 

1. If a Customer cancels a confirmed catering booking after the initial 10 (ten) minute window but at least 72 (seventy-two) hours prior to the scheduled date and time of the event, the Customer shall be entitled to a refund equivalent to 90% (ninety percent) of the total booking amount. The remaining 10% (ten percent) shall be retained by the Company to account for preliminary planning and preparatory work already undertaken by the caterer.

 

1. Where a cancellation is made less than 72 (seventy-two) hours but more than 48 (forty-eight) hours before the scheduled event, the Company shall refund 50% (fifty percent) of the total booking value. During this period, caterers typically initiate substantial resource allocation, staff planning, and partial procurement of raw materials, and therefore, a partial deduction is levied.

 

1. If the cancellation request is submitted less than 48 (forty-eight) hours prior to the scheduled start time of the event, the booking shall be deemed executed and completed. Accordingly, no refund shall be processed, and the full booking amount shall be retained by the Company.

 

1. For bookings involving custom menus, specialised items, or tasting trials, any actual costs incurred by the caterer in preparation, ingredient sourcing, or tasting logistics shall be non-refundable, irrespective of the timing of cancellation. The Customer acknowledges that customisation and trials require an advance investment of resources, and such expenses shall not be reimbursed in any scenario.

 

1. In the event that a caterer cancels the confirmed booking, is unable to deliver the services on the scheduled date, or fails to appear at the venue at the designated time, the Company shall promptly inform the Customer and offer the option of (i) a full refund of the booking amount, or (ii) rescheduling of the event with another available caterer, subject to the Customer’s preference and the availability of alternate service providers.

 

1. No Platform Fee or cancellation charges shall be applied in cases where the cancellation is due to non-performance or no-show on the part of the caterer or due to unforeseen operational failures attributable to the Company.

 

1. The Customer acknowledges that certain caterers may prescribe cancellation and refund policies that differ from the general terms set out under this Policy. Such caterer-specific terms, if provided, will be displayed in the “Terms” or relevant section of the caterer’s individual profile on the Platform. Customers are advised to cross-verify and familiarise themselves with the individual cancellation and refund policies of the caterer before confirming a booking. While the Company endeavours to publish the most accurate and up-to-date cancellation terms for each caterer on the Platform, the final responsibility lies with the Customer to ensure they are aware of and accept the applicable terms at the time of booking. The Company shall not be liable for any issues arising due to the Customer’s failure to review the applicable caterer terms. In the event of any conflict between the cancellation and refund terms under this Policy and the caterer-specific terms published on the Platform, the caterer-specific terms shall prevail to the extent of such conflict. Where no specific terms have been disclosed by the caterer, the terms of this Policy shall apply. 

 

1. Bartenders

 

1. In cases where a booking for a bartender is cancelled within 10 (ten) minutes of the time of placing the booking, and no bartender has been assigned to the event (whether manually or through automated allocation), the Customer shall be entitled to a full refund of the booking amount. 

 

1. If the cancellation is made after the expiry of the initial 10 (ten) minute window, but prior to the assignment of a bartender, the Customer shall be entitled to a refund of the booking amount, subject to deduction of the applicable Platform Fee. 

 

1. Once a bartender has been assigned, whether through the Platform’s auto-allocation system or manual confirmation, the booking shall be considered confirmed and binding. Any cancellation by the Customer after this stage shall not qualify for any refund, and the entire booking amount shall be retained by the Company. 

 

1. If the bartender has been instructed to procure specific ingredients, bar tools, or other materials in advance of the event, and the cancellation is made after such procurement has commenced, the costs incurred shall be non-refundable. Where procurement has not yet started, the ingredient-related component of the booking may be eligible for a full refund.

 

1. In the event that the assigned bartender cancels the booking, is unable to attend the scheduled event, or fails to arrive at the venue on time due to unforeseen circumstances or operational failures, the Company shall immediately notify the Customer and offer two alternatives: (i) full refund of the booking amount, or (ii) rescheduling of the bartender service for a future date or event, subject to availability. No Platform Fee or administrative charge shall be levied in such cases, and the Customer shall not bear any costs resulting from cancellations attributable to the bartender or the Company.

 

1. If the Customer is unavailable at the designated venue at the time of the event or if the venue is not in a suitable condition for service delivery (including lack of access, unsafe conditions, or unavailability of required infrastructure), the booking shall be treated as fulfilled. Under such circumstances, the Customer shall not be entitled to any refund, whether in part or in full.

 

1. Bulk Orders and Meal Boxes

 

1. If the Customer cancels a bulk order or meal box more than 72 (seventy-two) hours prior to the scheduled delivery or pickup time, the Company shall process a full refund of the booking amount, subject to deduction of the applicable Platform Fee. 

 

1. Where a cancellation is initiated between 48 (forty-eight) and 72 (seventy-two) hours before the expected delivery or pickup, the Customer shall be eligible for a 50% (fifty percent) refund of the total amount paid. 

 

1. Cancellations received less than 48 (forty-eight) hours prior to the scheduled delivery or pickup shall not be eligible for any refund. At this stage, ingredients are typically procured, and the preparation or packaging of items would have commenced. Accordingly, the order shall be deemed executed for refund purposes.

 

1. Same-day cancellations and instances where the Customer fails to collect the order at the designated pickup time or is unavailable to receive the delivery at the registered address shall be treated as fulfilled transactions. No refund shall be issued in such cases, regardless of the status of consumption.

 

1. If the assigned service provider fails to deliver the order at the agreed time or is otherwise unable to fulfil the confirmed booking due to operational or logistical reasons, the Customer shall be entitled to a full refund of the booking amount. Alternatively, the Company may offer the Customer a replacement or rescheduling of the order, subject to availability and the Customer’s preference. 

 

1. No Platform Fee or administrative deduction shall apply where the cancellation arises due to default on the part of the service provider or the Company.

 

1. The Customer expressly acknowledges that once an order status is updated to “In Preparation” on the Platform, cancellation and refund options shall be automatically disabled, and the Customer shall no longer be eligible to request a refund, unless the service providers fail to perform their obligations. 

 

1. Add-On Services (Waiters, Cleaners, Setup Staff)

 

1. Where a Customer cancels a booking for add-on services within 10 (ten) minutes of placing the request and no staff member has been assigned to the booking (whether through automatic allocation or manual confirmation), the Customer shall be entitled to a full refund. No cancellation charges or Platform Fee shall be levied in such cases.

 

1. If a cancellation is made after 10 (ten) minutes of booking but before the assignment of staff to the service request, the Customer shall be eligible for a partial refund. The applicable Platform Fee shall be deducted to cover processing, scheduling, and administrative costs.

 

1. In the event that the assigned staff member (waiter, cleaner, or setup staff) has already accepted the job or has been confirmed by the Company, the Customer shall be entitled to a refund of only 50% (fifty percent) of the total booking value. This reflects the fact that the staff member’s slot has been blocked and other service opportunities have been foregone for that period.

 

1. Where the cancellation is made less than 24 (twenty-four) hours prior to the scheduled commencement of the service, the booking shall be deemed fulfilled. No refund shall be issued under such circumstances, as the resources have been fully committed and held in readiness for execution.

 

1. In the event that the assigned service staff fails to report at the scheduled time or cancels on short notice, or where the Company is unable to provide the booked add-on service due to an operational shortfall, the Customer shall be entitled to a full refund of the booking amount. Alternatively, the Company may offer to arrange a replacement staff member, subject to availability and the Customer’s preference.

 

1. In such cases of cancellation or no-show by the Company or its personnel, no Platform Fee or administrative deduction shall apply. The Customer shall be refunded the full amount without any charges.

 

1. Refund Timelines and Modes of Processing Refunds 

 

1. All eligible refunds, where determined to be payable in accordance with this Policy, shall be processed within a period of 7 (seven) to 10 (ten) business days from the date on which the Company confirms the eligibility of the refund.

 

1. Refunds shall be credited to the original method of payment used by the Customer at the time of making the booking or transaction. In cases where such original mode is unavailable or has expired, the Company may, at its sole discretion, request alternative bank details from the Customer to facilitate the refund.

 

1. The actual credit of the refund amount may be subject to processing timelines of the relevant bank or payment gateway, and the Company shall not be held liable for any delays arising therefrom.

 

1. No interest shall be payable on any refund amount under any circumstances.

 

1. Customers are advised to retain proof of payment and confirmation of cancellation, if applicable, for reference in case of delays or discrepancies in the refund process.

 

1. Repeated Cancellations and No-Shows 

 

1. To ensure optimal allocation of resources and fair access to services for all users, the Company reserves the right to monitor and evaluate patterns of cancellations or no-shows by Customers.

 

1. In the event a Customer cancels more than 3 (three) confirmed bookings or fails to be present for 3 (three) or more scheduled Services within any rolling 30 (thirty) day period, such conduct shall be deemed excessive and abusive of the Platform’s resources. 

 

1. Upon identification of such behaviour, the Company may, at its sole discretion and without prior notice, take any or all of the following actions:

 

1. Temporarily suspend the Customer’s account or booking privileges;

 

1. Permanently deactivate the Customer’s account in case of repeated abuse or non-compliance;

 

1. Reject future booking requests from the Customer; and/or

 

1. Forfeit any booking amounts already paid, without refund, where cancellations or no-shows occur in contravention of this Policy.

 

1. The Company shall not be liable to the Customer for any loss, inconvenience, or damages arising from the exercise of its rights under this Clause. The Customer acknowledges and agrees that this provision is necessary to maintain the operational efficiency, availability, and integrity of the Platform.

 

1. Miscellaneous 

 

1. In all cases where a refund or cancellation is sought on the grounds of misconduct, deficiency of service, or breach of professionalism by the assigned chef or personnel, the determination of whether such misconduct or breach has occurred shall rest solely with the Company. The Company shall assess the facts independently, including through internal reviews or third-party verifications if deemed necessary. Dissatisfaction or personal preferences of the Customer alone shall not qualify as valid grounds for refund or replacement, unless the Company agrees otherwise in writing, on a goodwill or exceptional basis.

 

1. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Policy, the Company reserves the right to assess cancellation or refund requests on a case-by-case basis and may, at its sole discretion, approve full or partial refunds as a gesture of goodwill or in exceptional circumstances.

 

1. Disclaimer

 

This Policy is to be read in conjunction with other applicable terms and conditions made available by the Company and forms an integral part of the overall understanding between the Company and the Customer. The Company strives to ensure that the terms of this Policy are applied fairly and consistently; however, the Company shall not be responsible for any indirect, incidental, or consequential losses arising due to a Customer’s failure to review or adhere to the Policy. The Company reserves the right to update or amend this Policy at its sole discretion, subject to applicable laws.