Terms of Service
Last updated: July 30, 2026 · Operated by Terra Rescues ("Terra Rescues," "we," "us")
Terra Rescues is a marketplace that connects people who want to buy surplus food ("Shoppers") with the stores and restaurants that list it ("Stores"). These Terms are the agreement between you and us. Please read them — Section 18 contains a binding arbitration clause and a class-action waiver that affect how disputes are resolved, and the food-safety section affects your legal rights.
1.What Terra Rescues is
Terra Rescues provides an online platform that lets Stores list surplus food with its exact, itemized contents and lets Shoppers reserve and pay for that food for pickup. We are a technology platform and marketplace — we are not the seller, manufacturer, handler, or distributor of any food. The Store is the seller of record for every item. We do not take title to, prepare, store, inspect, or deliver food.
2.Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years old and able to form a binding contract to use Terra Rescues. By using the service you represent that you meet these requirements and that the information you provide is accurate.
3.Your account
- You are responsible for the activity under your account and for keeping your password secure.
- An account is either a Shopper account or a Store account; the two experiences do not mix.
- Provide accurate information and keep it current. We may suspend accounts with false or misused information.
4.Terms for Shoppers
- When you reserve a bag, you agree to pay the listed price plus any disclosed fees.
- You receive a pickup code. Show it to the Store within the stated pickup window.
- Bags not collected within the pickup window may be forfeited without a refund, at the Store's discretion.
- The itemized contents, "best by" date, and photos are provided by the Store. The "safe to eat until" date is an automated estimate — see Sections 8 and 9.
5.Terms for Stores
- You are the seller of the food and are solely responsible for it, including its safety, quality, accurate description, allergen information, pricing, and compliance with all applicable food-safety, labeling, health, and business laws and licenses.
- You must list the exact contents of each bag and honor them at pickup. No surprise substitutions.
- You must set an honest "best by" date and only list food that is safe and lawful to sell at the time of listing.
- You are responsible for handling, storing, and transferring food safely and for verifying each Shopper's pickup code.
- To receive payouts you must complete onboarding and identity/business verification with our payment processor.
6.Payments, fees & payouts
Payments are processed by Stripe. By transacting on Terra Rescues you also agree to the applicable Stripe terms. We do not receive or store your full card details.
- Shoppers pay the item price plus a fixed service fee, disclosed at checkout before you pay.
- Stores receive the item price minus a platform commission of 20% and a share of payment-processing costs, disclosed during onboarding. Payouts are made to your connected account by Stripe on its standard schedule.
- We may change fees on a prospective basis with notice.
7.Cancellations & refunds
Because surplus food is perishable and time-limited, all sales are generally final once reserved. We may, at our discretion, issue a refund where a Store cancels, fails to provide the itemized contents, or the food is unsafe or materially not as described. Report problems to us within 24 hours of the pickup window. Payment-processing fees may be non-refundable.
8.Food safety & assumption of risk
Terra Rescues does not test, inspect, handle, or guarantee the safety of any food. The "safe to eat until" date shown on listings is an automated estimate generated by an AI model for general guidance only. It is not a guarantee, not a substitute for your own judgment, and not medical or food-safety advice.
The Store sets the "best by" date and is solely responsible for the food. Allergen labels may be incomplete or inaccurate — if you have a food allergy or intolerance, do not rely solely on the listing. Inspect all food at pickup, store it properly, and when in doubt, throw it out.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, you assume all risk arising from purchasing, handling, and consuming food obtained through the platform. See also our Food Safety & Disclaimer.
9.AI features & disclosure
In the interest of transparency, we disclose that Terra Rescues uses artificial intelligence to power several features. Specifically:
- Freshness estimates — the "safe to eat until" date is generated by an AI model, not a person, and not the Store.
- Snap-to-list — when a Store photographs or describes a shelf, an AI model identifies the food items and quantities.
- Recipe suggestions — recipe ideas for rescued items are AI-generated.
These outputs are automated and probabilistic. They may be inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date, are provided "as is" for convenience, and are not guarantees, professional advice, or a substitute for your own judgment. We make no representation that AI-generated content is accurate or fit for any particular purpose, and you should independently verify anything you rely on — especially freshness, allergens, and item accuracy. We may change or improve the underlying models at any time. This disclosure is intended to be clear and conspicuous and to comply with applicable guidance, including from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, regarding the honest use and disclosure of AI.
10.User-generated content
"User Content" means anything you submit to the platform — including listing titles, item lists, descriptions, store details, and photos. You retain ownership of your User Content and grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable license to host, store, reproduce, and display it for operating, improving, and promoting the service.
By submitting User Content you represent and warrant that:
- you own it or have all rights and permissions needed to submit it and grant the license above;
- it is accurate (for listings, that it truthfully reflects the food offered); and
- it does not infringe any third party's rights or violate any law, and is not false, misleading, unsafe, offensive, or otherwise prohibited under Section 11.
User Content is created by users, not by us. We do not endorse, verify, or assume responsibility for any User Content, and we are not liable for it to the fullest extent permitted by law, including under applicable safe-harbor laws. You are solely responsible for the content you post and for any consequences of posting it.
We may, but are not obligated to, monitor, moderate, refuse, or remove User Content at our discretion — for example, content we believe is inaccurate, unsafe, unlawful, or in breach of these Terms. Copyright complaints: if you believe content infringes your copyright, contact our designated agent at info@terrarescues.com with the information required under the DMCA (17 U.S.C. § 512), and we will respond, including a counter-notice process where applicable.
11.Acceptable use
You agree not to misuse the platform, including by: listing unsafe, illegal, expired, or misrepresented food; posting false information; interfering with the service or its security; scraping or abusing the AI features; or using the service for anything unlawful.
12.Intellectual property
The Terra Rescues name, logo, software, and content (excluding User Content) are owned by us or our licensors. Your rights in your own User Content are addressed in Section 10.
13.Disclaimers
The service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or that any estimate (including freshness dates) or AI output is accurate.
14.Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Terra Rescues and its officers, employees, and agents will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any illness, injury, or loss arising from food obtained through the platform or from User Content. Our total liability for any claim is limited to the greater of the amount you paid through the platform in the 12 months before the claim or $100. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations, so parts of this section may not apply to you.
15.Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold Terra Rescues harmless from claims and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your use of the service, your food (if you are a Store), your User Content, or your breach of these Terms.
16.Termination
You may stop using the service at any time. We may suspend or terminate access for violations of these Terms or to protect users or the platform.
17.Changes to these Terms
We may update these Terms. Material changes will be posted here with a new "last updated" date and, where appropriate, additional notice. Continued use after changes means you accept them.
18.Dispute resolution & arbitration
This section requires most disputes to be resolved by binding individual arbitration and waives your right to a jury trial and to participate in a class action. You may opt out within 30 days (see below).
a. Informal resolution first
Before starting an arbitration, you agree to first contact us at info@terrarescues.com and give us at least 60 days to resolve the dispute informally and in good faith.
b. Agreement to arbitrate
Except for the exceptions below, you and Terra Rescues agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the service will be resolved by final and binding arbitration, rather than in court. The arbitration will be administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its consumer arbitration rules then in effect, and may take place in [VENUE / COUNTY, STATE] or by videoconference. The arbitrator decides the dispute and issues on a written, reasoned basis.
c. Class-action & jury-trial waiver
You and Terra Rescues agree that each may bring claims only in an individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, or representative proceeding. The arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims or preside over any form of a representative or class proceeding. You and Terra Rescues also waive the right to a trial by jury.
d. Exceptions
Either party may (i) bring an individual claim in small-claims court, and (ii) seek injunctive or equitable relief in court to protect intellectual-property rights. Nothing here waives any right that cannot be waived under applicable law.
e. 30-day opt-out
You may opt out of this arbitration agreement within 30 days of first accepting these Terms by emailing info@terrarescues.com with your name, account email, and a clear statement that you opt out of arbitration. Opting out does not affect any other part of these Terms.
f. Severability & survival
If the class-action waiver is found unenforceable as to a particular claim, that claim (and only that claim) will be severed and may proceed in court; the rest of this Section remains in effect. This Section survives termination of your relationship with Terra Rescues.
19.Governing law
These Terms and any dispute are governed by the Federal Arbitration Act and the laws of [STATE / COUNTRY], without regard to conflict-of-laws rules, except as otherwise required by applicable consumer-protection law.
20.Contact
Questions about these Terms: info@terrarescues.com · [BUSINESS MAILING ADDRESS].