Delivery Responsibility, Risk Allocation and Accountability Policy

By placing an order on the Virtuous Restaurants platform, the customer expressly confirms they have been presented with and accepted this Policy at the point of checkout. This Policy governs all matters relating to order responsibility, delivery confirmation, and dispute resolution between the customer and the partner restaurant.

In Simple Terms – What This Policy Means for You

You place your order directly with the restaurant – they prepare and are legally responsible for the food including quality, safety, allergens, and accuracy.

We, Virtuous Restaurants Ltd, only provide the technology platform and never act as the seller, cook, or delivery company. Once the independent driver hands over your order and you confirm receipt with the Delivery Code (or valid photo evidence), the delivery is treated as complete for platform dispute purposes. However, this does NOT remove or limit any of your statutory rights against the restaurant under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (for example, your right to a refund, repair, or replacement if the food is faulty, not as described, or unsafe). All non-excludable consumer protections remain fully in force. If something goes wrong with the order, contact the restaurant directly – we only help pass on messages with their authorisation.

READ THIS ENTIRE POLICY CAREFULLY. Virtuous Restaurants acts only as a technology partner. All complaints and refund decisions are at the discretion of the restaurant fulfilling the order. By using our services, you acknowledge that your statutory rights under UK law are preserved and that you accept this policy.

Effective date: Thursday 14th May 2026

This Delivery Responsibility, Risk Allocation and Accountability Policy (the ‘Technology Partner Policy’ or ‘Policy’) of Virtuous Restaurants Ltd shall be legally binding, enforceable, and deemed accepted by any person or entity that places or submits an order where this Policy is referenced, displayed, or hyperlinked in a partner-restaurant website page, checkout box, ordering page, mobile application checkout page, checkout payment interface, or equivalent ordering mechanism serviced by Virtuous Restaurants Ltd. Submission of an order constitutes acknowledgment that the contract for supply is directly with the restaurant. The Platform merely facilitates the order and is the technology partner, and does not decide outcomes on complaints or refunds.

Placement or submission of an order through any ordering widget, interface, or technology provided by Virtuous Restaurants Ltd, where this “Technology Partner Policy” is clearly explicitly referenced or displayed in the checkout box or order submission interface (including by means of a clearly visible URL link to this Policy displayed at or near the top of the checkout page or ordering interface) shall constitute the ordering party’s express and unconditional acceptance (subject always to any non-excludable rights under applicable UK law) of this Policy, which shall be legally binding and enforceable.

By placing or submitting an order through any ordering interface, or technology interface provided by Virtuous Restaurants Ltd, where this Technology Partner Policy is clearly referenced and displayed at the checkout, the ordering party expressly and unconditionally (subject always to any non-excludable rights under applicable UK law) accepts and agrees to be bound by this Policy. This Policy shall be legally binding and enforceable on the ordering party, without the need for any signature, written agreement, or other formality.

Customers acknowledge that they contract directly with the Restaurant for the supply of food. The Platform acts solely as a technology partner, connecting customers with restaurants and independent delivery drivers. All orders, complaints, and refunds are handled exclusively by the restaurant, except where UK law requires otherwise.

The Platform acts solely as a technology intermediary, connecting customers with independent drivers for delivery services. The Platform is not responsible for the performance, actions, or timeliness of any independent driver.

Drivers are independent contractors and not employees of Virtuous Restaurants Ltd. The platform provides operational guidance only and does not assume legal responsibility or liability for any acts or omissions of the drivers.

Upon the placement of an order, the contract is exclusively between the customer and the restaurant, and the Platform does not guarantee delivery or assume any liability for failed, delayed, or incomplete deliveries. While the Platform recommends that the restaurant maintain a registered backup driver on the Platform, it cannot guarantee the availability of this backup when required.

The Platform is not responsible for ensuring the quality, safety, legality, or compliance of any menu items, food preparation, or services provided by the Partner Restaurant. The Partner Restaurant is solely responsible for all aspects of its offerings, including compliance with applicable laws, safety standards, allergen disclosures, and food preparation practices. The Platform’s role is limited to providing the technological services for communication, order processing, and delivery coordination, without endorsing or guaranteeing the quality or legality of the Partner Restaurant’s services or products.

Any disputes or refund requests related to delivery issues must be addressed directly between the customer and the restaurant. The Platform will facilitate refunds when it has received prior written authorisation from the restaurant. Refund requests and complaints must be made to the restaurant. Customers are encouraged to provide supporting evidence (photos or videos), but it is not mandatory to exercise statutory rights. The Platform only passes complaints on and does not approve or deny refunds. The Platform disclaims any liability for delivery-related issues and is not obligated to approve or process refunds outside the terms outlined in this agreement.

The Platform acts solely as a technology facilitator for facilitating the order process, and is not responsible for food quality, safety, delivery issues, or customer service failures. Any disputes regarding food quality, delivery, or fulfillment must be directed to the Partner Restaurant, as the Platform does not control or manage these aspects. The Platform is not liable for fraudulent transactions unless directly caused by a system failure, and any payment disputes related to fulfillment issues should be resolved with the restaurant. The Platform may assist in communication but is not liable for the outcome. Restaurants remain responsible for orders. Customers’ statutory rights under UK law (Consumer Rights Act 2015) are unaffected. The Platform is not liable for delays caused by events beyond reasonable control (force majeure).

Virtuous Restaurants Ltd acts solely as a technology platform. Any refunds or delivery issues remain the responsibility of the restaurant or independent driver. The platform may assist in facilitating communication but does not assume liability.

The Platform acts solely as a facilitator of orders between Customers, Restaurants, and independent Drivers. Customers acknowledge that they contract directly with the Restaurant for the supply of food. Once an order is collected by an independent Driver, the Driver is responsible for safe delivery. The Platform does not decide complaints or refunds. Customers must report any delivery issues to the restaurant. The Platform may facilitate communication, but all resolution is at the restaurant’s discretion. The Platform shall not be liable for any failure to deliver, loss, or damage caused by the independent Driver. Restaurants are responsible for preparing the order in accordance with its description, but are under no obligation to provide refunds for loss, damage, or failure caused solely by the acts, omissions, or accidents of the Driver. Customers must report any non-delivery to the restaurant promptly.

Where a restaurant authorises a refund in accordance with Section 30.13, the Platform may process the technical transaction as the Technology Provider. If you experience any issues with your order then please contact the Restaurant directly. If you experience any issue with our technology please contact the Platform at support@virtuousrestaurants.com.

If you experience any issues as a customer, please contact the contracted restaurant directly. If you contact us, we, the Technology-Partner Platform may forward the matter to the contracted restaurant (see Section 30.13).

Customers acknowledge and agree that, when placing an order via the Platform, their contract for the supply of food and/or beverages is formed solely and directly with the relevant restaurant whose menu they have selected. The Platform does not sell, resell, or supply any food or beverages and does not act as the restaurant’s agent for any purpose other than the technical transmission of orders and payment instructions.

The Platform acts exclusively as a technology service provider, enabling restaurants to offer digital ordering functionality via their own website, QR code, or in-venue interface. The Platform does not operate the restaurant, does not control the customer experience, and does not assume responsibility for the restaurant’s compliance with consumer, pricing, or trading laws.

The Platform is not a party to the contract between the customer and the restaurant and does not set, determine, approve, control, verify, or vary any prices, fees, charges, or surcharges (including any administrative, service, or similar fee) applied by the restaurant. All pricing and fee information is provided solely by the restaurant, and the Platform displays such information without verification, endorsement, or independent assessment.

The Platform has no discretion, oversight, or responsibility in respect of the application, calculation, justification, disclosure, or legal compliance of any prices or fees charged by the restaurant. Any queries, complaints, disputes, or claims relating to pricing, fees, disclosures, or refunds must be directed to the restaurant, which remains solely responsible for resolving them.

By placing an order, customers confirm that they have reviewed all order details, prices, and applicable fees prior to submission, accept responsibility for payment of the total amount displayed, and acknowledge that the Platform’s role is limited to facilitating the technical processing of the order.

Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes any non-excludable statutory rights available to consumers under applicable UK law (including the Consumer Rights Act 2015). Where such rights apply, responsibility for any refunds, remedies, or redress in relation to the order rests with the restaurant, unless the Platform is required to act otherwise by law.

Platform Facilitation Only: Virtuous Restaurants Ltd acts solely as a technology and marketplace facilitator; it does NOT operate, control, or employ drivers or delivery personnel, who are independent contractors.

Risk Allocation: All responsibility for food quality, preparation, and order accuracy rests with the Restaurant until collection. Upon collection of the order, all delivery risk, including responsibility for loss, damage, spoilage, delay, or non-delivery, transfers to the independent subcontracted delivery provider. The Platform acts solely as a facilitator and shall not be liable for any loss, delay, damage, non-delivery, or related claims arising from delivery or independent driver conduct, except to the extent that liability cannot be excluded under applicable UK consumer protection law.

Risk Allocation Explained In Detail: Customers acknowledge that they contract directly with the Restaurant for the supply of food and that the Platform acts solely as a technology provider facilitating orders and payments. Responsibility for food quality, preparation, and accuracy rests with the Restaurant until collection. Upon collection of the order, all delivery risk, including risk of loss, damage, spoilage, delay, or non-delivery, transfers to the independent subcontracted delivery provider. The Platform shall have no liability for any loss, delay, damage, or claims arising from delivery or driver conduct, except to the extent that liability cannot be excluded under applicable UK consumer protection law.

No Platform Liability: Use of the platform, ordering, and engagement with restaurants and delivery providers is at the ordering party’s own risk; the platform provides no warranty, guarantee, and accepts no liability for such matters beyond the extent required by applicable UK consumer law.

No Right to Cancellation or Refund After Acceptance: Once an order has been placed and expressly accepted through the platform, and preparation of the order has commenced, the ordering party shall have no statutory or contractual right to cancel, withdraw from, or obtain a refund for that order, including where the cancellation arises from a change of mind. The ordering party acknowledges that orders placed via the platform relate to the supply of freshly prepared food and drink, and accordingly become binding upon acceptance and commencement of preparation, in accordance with the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. This clause does not affect any mandatory statutory rights available to consumers in the event that goods are unsafe, defective, or not as described, which shall remain unaffected.

All platform service fees, delivery fees and any other non-food charges levied by or on behalf of the platform are payable in consideration of services provided by the platform and/or delivery partners, and shall be non-refundable once an order has been accepted, irrespective of whether the restaurant elects to issue a refund for the food component of the order.

Any refund, credit, or compensation provided by a restaurant after acceptance and commencement of preparation shall be granted solely at that restaurant’s discretion and as a gesture of goodwill only. Such refund shall apply exclusively to the restaurant’s portion of the order and shall not give rise to any right, entitlement, or expectation of a refund of platform fees or delivery fees.

Nothing in these terms and policy limits or excludes any rights that cannot be excluded under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or other applicable UK law.

This policy forms an integral and binding part of the agreement between you and Virtuous Restaurants® and applies to all participants, including customers, restaurants, drivers, referrers and driver suppliers.

Any Driver Supplier who is a social media influencer must comply with all applicable ASA advertising disclosure requirements when promoting the Platform’s driver registration opportunity. The Platform requires all Driver Suppliers to label commercial content as advertising in compliance with the CAP Code. The Platform shall have no liability for any Driver Supplier’s failure to comply with ASA or advertising standards requirements.

This version of the Policy is operative from the effective date stated above. Future updates will apply prospectively only and will be notified in accordance with Section 31.11. Any version in force at the time of a transaction governs that transaction.

By accessing or using the services of Virtuous Restaurants® where this Policy is clearly referenced and made available via a visible URL, the user expressly acknowledges that they have read, understood, and agree to be bound by the terms of this Policy as in force at the time of access or use. No change, amendment, revision, or update to this Policy, however communicated, including verbally or offline, shall apply retrospectively to any assignment, transaction, activity, or interaction undertaken by any party before its effective date.

For the avoidance of doubt, the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of all parties shall be governed solely by this version of the policy (Effective Date: 14th May 2026) in effect at the time of such assignment, transaction, or activity, and any subsequent modifications shall apply only prospectively and shall not affect any prior agreements, actions, or undertakings. The version in effect at the time of your agreement shall govern your rights and obligations and is binding on all parties. If any provision of this policy is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remainder shall remain in full force and effect. This policy does not alter the independent status of drivers, restaurants, or other parties as applicable.

This Delivery Responsibility, Risk Allocation and Accountability Policy (“Technology Partner Policy”) or (“Policy”) forms part of the contractual framework binding all Restaurants, Customers and Drivers using the Platform.

The purpose of this Policy is to clearly define responsibilities, reduce the likelihood of disputes, and ensure fair and consistent treatment for all parties using the Platform. It is designed to provide balanced and proportionate protection to restaurants, delivery drivers, customers, and the Platform in the event of a dispute. Risk associated with each order is clearly allocated and transfers in a defined sequence: from the restaurant to the driver at the point of delivery order collection, and from the driver to the customer upon PIN confirmation of delivery.

The menu, pricing, descriptions, and availability of items are determined solely by the relevant restaurant. The Platform provides the technology infrastructure through which such information is displayed and does not prepare, handle, or supply food. While the Platform encourages and supports the accurate display of ingredient and allergen information, responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, and compliance of all menu content, including allergen declarations, rests exclusively with the restaurant. Customers are advised that many restaurants operate from shared or multi-use kitchen facilities, and despite best efforts, the risk of cross-contamination cannot be entirely eliminated. Customers with food allergies or intolerances should contact the restaurant directly before placing an order.

Only emails originating from addresses explicitly authorised by Virtuous Restaurants Ltd shall be deemed to represent or bind the Company. The current list of authorised email addresses is published in our Terms of Use, available at https://virtuousrestaurants.com/terms/. Any communication from an email address not listed as authorised shall have no legal effect and shall not create any obligation, agreement, or liability for the Company.

Any communication—whether verbal, written, electronic, or by any other means—not originating from an authorised email address or from the official Company website shall have no legal effect and shall not create any obligation, agreement, or liability for the Company.

Important Note:

• The menu and available items are determined solely at the discretion of the restaurant. The Platform does NOT assume any liability for the content, availability, quality, or accuracy of the menu or any items listed on their menu.
• All customer payments are securely processed through Stripe. Any personal data collected is stored and handled in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including GDPR.
• Nothing in this Policy limits or excludes your statutory rights. Refunds, remedies, or redress are the responsibility of the restaurant, except where UK law requires action by the Platform.
• This Policy and any disputes arising under it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

1. Scope

1.1 This Technology Partner Policy applies to all parties engaged in the preparation, collection, transport, or receipt of orders facilitated through the Platform.

1.2 This Policy supplements and is enforceable alongside the Platform & Restaurant Contract, Driver Subcontractor Agreement and our Independent Driver Registration Form.

1.3 In the event of conflict between documents, this Policy will govern all matters relating to responsibilities, order verification, and the allocation of delivery risk.

1.4A The Platform acts solely as a facilitator of transactions between Customers, Drivers, and Partner Restaurants. It does not inspect, prepare, or guarantee the quality, safety, preparation standards, or allergen handling of any orders. The Platform assumes no liability beyond the reasonable operation of its ordering technology infrastructure. The Platform does not review, determine, or resolve any dispute between any parties. All dispute resolution functions are as described in Section 30.13.

1.4B Alternative Delivery Confirmation Procedure: Where a Driver contacts support because a Customer cannot provide the standard PIN, support will: (1) send the SMS/email/WhatsApp alternative confirmation template to all contact details provided at checkout; (2) wait 10 minutes for response; (3) log all communications with timestamp, channel, and outcome; (4) instruct the Driver based on outcome. All alternative confirmation events are retained in the Platform’s compliance log with order reference, timestamp, channel used, customer response (if any), and driver evidence submitted.

Where a customer is physically present but no contact details are reachable, support will: (1) instruct the driver to verbally verify the customer’s order knowledge (restaurant name, items); (2) accept the customer’s in-person alternative number; (3) send the YES template to that number immediately; (4) log the alternative number, the verification steps taken, the driver’s confirmation of physical presence, and the YES reply received. All such events are logged as “verified in-person alternative confirmation” in the compliance record.

Where a Customer is unresponsive for 10 minutes from first attempted handover, the Driver must: (1) photograph the attempted delivery with timestamp and GPS; (2) contact support; (3) follow support’s instruction regarding the physical order — which may include returning it to the restaurant if within reasonable proximity. The delivery is deemed attempted and the customer bears all risk from the 10-minute threshold. The return of any perishable item to the restaurant is at the Platform’s operational discretion and does not create any right for the restaurant to reclaim Platform commission on that order.

For the purposes of this clause, knowledge of the order is demonstrated by the Customer confirming verbally to the Driver at least the name of the restaurant from which the order was placed and at least one item contained in the order. The Driver shall communicate this verification to Platform support as part of the alternative confirmation log.

Where a Customer has been unresponsive for the full 10-minute period following first attempted handover, and the Driver has documented the attempted delivery with timestamped photographic and GPS evidence, support will contact the Partner Restaurant to inform them of the situation and seek their instruction on how the physical order should be handled. The Partner Restaurant may instruct that the order be left at the delivery address in a safe and visible position, or that it be returned to the restaurant premises. Support will relay the Partner Restaurant’s instruction to the Driver. The Driver must follow that instruction and document the outcome — including a photograph of the final position of the order where it is left at the address, or confirmation of return to the restaurant. Where the Partner Restaurant cannot be reached within a reasonable operational period, support will issue instruction at its own discretion having regard to the perishable nature of the order, the distance from the restaurant, and the Driver’s safety and time. In all cases the delivery is deemed attempted from the 10-minute threshold and the Customer bears all associated risk from that point regardless of the final disposition of the physical order. The return of any perishable item to the restaurant does not create any right for the restaurant to reclaim Platform commission on that order.

The Driver must log their arrival at the delivery address through the Platform application at the point of first attempted handover. The Platform’s system automatically timestamps this event. The ten-minute unresponsive period is measured from this logged arrival timestamp. A Driver who submits an unresponsive report without a logged arrival event at least ten minutes earlier has not satisfied the ten-minute requirement.

1.5 Nothing in this Policy limits or excludes Customers’ statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or other applicable law.

1.6 The Platform acts solely as a transaction facilitator between Customers, Drivers, and Partner Restaurants. It takes proactive steps to ensure that allergen information, dietary options, and other order-related details are clearly presented to Customers during the ordering process. However, the Platform does not inspect, prepare, or guarantee the quality, safety, allergen handling, or availability of any orders, and assumes no liability beyond the reasonable operation of its ordering technology infrastructure.

Where the Platform implements customer dietary preference or allergen profile features, such features are provided as a convenience tool only. The Platform does not guarantee that allergen filtering is complete or error-free, and the Partner Restaurant remains solely and exclusively responsible for the accuracy of all allergen information displayed. Customers with allergies must always contact the restaurant directly regardless of any platform filtering applied to their account. The existence of a dietary preference or allergen profile feature does not transfer, reduce, or modify the restaurant’s sole responsibility for allergen compliance.

1.7 All order acknowledgments, Delivery Code submissions, and photographic/video evidence create a binding digital record. Customers acknowledge that these PIN records are sufficient proof for risk transfer and acceptance of orders.

Delivery confirmation tools, including PIN systems, are used solely as logistical confirmation mechanisms and do not limit, waive, or replace a Customer’s statutory rights under applicable law.

Where a Customer provides incorrect contact details at checkout and is consequently unable to receive standard delivery confirmation communications, any alternative confirmation mechanism employed by the Platform (including but not limited to SMS, email, or WhatsApp confirmation requests sent to the details provided at checkout) shall constitute valid delivery confirmation for the purposes of this Policy upon the Customer’s affirmative response. A Customer’s affirmative response (“YES” or equivalent) via any channel to which the Platform’s confirmation request was sent constitutes acceptance of the order and triggers risk transfer in the same manner as PIN confirmation. Where a Customer provides no response within ten (10) minutes of an alternative confirmation request, and the Driver has documented attempted delivery with timestamped photographic and GPS evidence, delivery shall be deemed completed. The Customer’s provision of incorrect contact details at checkout constitutes failure to comply with Platform procedures under Section 2.17 and 2.23, and any resulting inability to confirm delivery via standard means is the Customer’s sole responsibility. The Platform’s liability for non-delivery in such circumstances is excluded to the maximum extent permitted by law.

Where a Customer is physically present at the delivery address but all pre-provided contact details are incorrect, the Platform may accept confirmation of delivery via an alternative number provided by the Customer in person at the time of delivery, provided the Driver has verified physical presence at the correct address and the Customer has demonstrated knowledge of the order. Such confirmation, once provided, has the same legal effect as PIN or YES confirmation under this clause.

Where a Customer responds to an alternative confirmation request with a negative or unclear response (including but not limited to “NO,” “not received,” or similar), or where a Customer physically takes possession of the order and retreats inside without providing either a PIN or a YES confirmation, the following procedure applies:

(i) The Driver must immediately photograph the delivery address, the timestamp, and their GPS location. Where possible, the Driver should also photograph or video the door that was closed after the bag was taken.

(ii) The Driver must notify support immediately, providing the order reference, the exact response received (or description of what occurred), and all photographic evidence.

(iii) Where a Customer has physically taken possession of the order, risk transfers to the Customer from the point of physical possession, regardless of whether a PIN or YES confirmation was provided. A Customer cannot simultaneously take physical possession of goods and claim non-delivery. This principle is recorded in the Platform’s compliance log with the Driver’s account of events as contemporaneous evidence.

(iv) Where a Customer affirmatively responds NO — indicating they are rejecting the order at the door — the Driver must not leave the order. The Driver must contact support immediately, retain the order at the address for a further 5 minutes, and then follow support’s instruction on physical return of the order. The Customer bears all costs associated with re-delivery refusal including the full order value if the restaurant confirms the order was correct and complete.

(v) All such events are logged as “disputed handover” in the Platform’s compliance record. The Platform’s administrative facilitation role under Section 30.13 applies. The restaurant retains sole discretion on any refund.

For the avoidance of doubt, the specific delivery confirmation mechanisms described in this Policy represent current operational implementations only. Any future mechanism that produces independently verifiable, tamper-evident, timestamped proof of delivery to the correct recipient at the correct address has equivalent legal effect to PIN confirmation, subject to the technology-neutral principles in Section 31.22.A.7.

1.8 Delivery services depend on driver availability, network conditions, and other operational factors outside the Platform’s control. The Platform will use reasonable skill and care to display current availability information; however, delivery or pickup may not be available for every location, time slot, or period of high demand, and availability may change without notice. Partner Restaurants must not rely on or expect delivery to be available at all times.

1.9 Any preparation, collection, or delivery times displayed by the Platform on behalf of the Restaurant to its Customers are approximate estimates provided for general guidance only and do not constitute a firm offer, representation, or contractual guarantee. Actual times may vary due to factors beyond the Platform’s control, including but not limited to order volume, traffic conditions, weather, or technical disruptions.

Where the Platform implements real-time order status tracking, including kitchen preparation status, sealing confirmation, and driver collection status, all timestamps and status updates displayed are generated by the Platform’s operational systems and constitute part of the Platform’s compliance record for that order. Display of such information does not alter the risk allocation sequence in this Policy or create any additional liability for the Platform where actual times vary from displayed estimates.

Where the Platform provides predictive demand forecasting or preparation timing tools to Partner Restaurants, such tools are provided as operational guidance only. All predictions, estimates, and recommendations generated by such tools are non-binding. The Partner Restaurant remains solely responsible for all operational decisions including staffing, preparation capacity, and order acceptance. The Platform makes no warranty regarding the accuracy of any predictive tool and accepts no liability for any operational or financial consequence arising from a Partner Restaurant’s reliance on such tools

1.10 By confirming an order, the Customer acknowledges that any delivery or collection times provided by the Platform are indicative only and for guidance purposes. Actual times may vary due to factors beyond the Platform’s or Restaurant’s control, including but not limited to order volume, traffic, weather, or driver availability. The Platform and the Restaurant will exercise reasonable skill and care to minimise delays, but shall not be liable for any delay, temporary unavailability, or driver shortage. Customers accept that these circumstances are inherent to the service and do not constitute a breach of contract.

1.11 Once a delivery order has been accepted by a Restaurant, it may not be cancelled or refunded solely due to any delay, including delays in driver assignment or variation in timing, except where a refund is expressly required under applicable consumer protection law. The Platform and Restaurants will exercise reasonable skill and care to minimise delays, and such circumstances shall not constitute a breach of contract, misrepresentation, or unfair practice.

1.12A The Platform acts solely as an online marketplace facilitating connections between customers, restaurants, and independent drivers. It does not own, operate, or manage any restaurant or delivery service, and it does not control or guarantee the performance, timing, or availability of delivery drivers. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Platform’s responsibility is limited to the reasonable operation of the ordering technology itself.

For the avoidance of doubt, references in this Policy to ‘Driver,’ ‘Delivery Driver,’ or ‘independent driver’ refer to the party that accepts responsibility for an order from the point of collection until confirmed handover, regardless of the physical means by which delivery is accomplished. References to any specific technology, application, device, or delivery mechanism describe the current operational implementation only and do not limit the scope of this Policy to any particular technology. Where the Platform introduces new delivery mechanisms, fulfilment methods, or operational tools, this Policy applies to those mechanisms to the extent they involve the acceptance of an order, its transport, and its handover to a customer, unless the Platform issues an updated version of this Policy in accordance with Section 31.11.

Where the Platform operates an autonomous delivery mechanism (including but not limited to drone, autonomous vehicle, or robotic delivery system), all references in this Policy to ‘Driver,’ ‘collection,’ ‘delivery,’ and ‘handover’ shall be interpreted in accordance with the operational parameters of that delivery mechanism. In such cases: (a) ‘collection’ refers to the moment the autonomous delivery mechanism accepts possession of the order from the restaurant premises; (b) ‘delivery’ refers to the confirmed placement of the order at the customer’s designated delivery location as recorded by the Platform’s autonomous system; (c) ‘delivery confirmation’ refers to the completion mechanism used by the autonomous system in lieu of the standard PIN confirmation — which may include geofenced confirmation, photographic evidence, customer app confirmation, or a combination thereof, with equivalent legal effect to the standard PIN; (d) all risk allocation provisions in this Policy apply equally to autonomous delivery mechanisms as to human driver delivery, with the Platform’s technology infrastructure serving as the equivalent of the independent driver for the purposes of risk transfer documentation.

1.12B Autonomous Delivery and Driver Non-Involvement: Where the Platform deploys autonomous delivery mechanisms (including drone delivery systems) for any order, no independent human delivery driver is involved in or responsible for that delivery. All delivery risk for autonomously delivered orders passes from the restaurant at the point of acceptance by the autonomous delivery mechanism. The autonomous delivery system operates as a Platform-managed infrastructure component. Independent human drivers have no authority to accept, intercept, or influence any autonomously assigned delivery. Driver Suppliers who refer independent human drivers have no commercial entitlement to any aspect of the Platform’s autonomous delivery operations, and their Driver Supplier Agreement does not extend to autonomous delivery mechanisms under any circumstances.

1.13 Verbal statements, emails, app notifications, or other informal communications cannot create additional obligations or override the terms set out by the Platform. All parties acknowledge that the provisions of this clause govern availability, timing, risk, refunds, and liability in full.

1.14 Delivery and collection services depend on restaurant capacity, driver availability, network conditions, and other operational or logistical factors beyond the control of the Platform or Partner Restaurants. The Platform will use reasonable skill and care to display current availability, but makes no representation, promise, or guarantee that delivery or collection options will be available at any location, time, or under any conditions. Customers, Drivers, and Restaurants acknowledge that services may be temporarily unavailable and accept that the Platform and Partner Restaurants shall not be liable for such unavailability.

1.15A The Platform does not guarantee continuous or uninterrupted access to the service for Partner Restaurants, including during app updates, scheduled maintenance, periods of high demand, or technical disruptions. Users acknowledge that temporary unavailability may occur and accept it as a normal part of the service.

1.15B The Platform may from time to time change the third-party ordering technology provider, delivery management system, or driver application used to operate the Platform’s services. The Platform will provide Partner Restaurants and registered Drivers with reasonable advance notice of any such change via the email address on record. A change of technology provider does not constitute a material change to the contractual obligations of any party under this Policy, the Platform Services Agreement, or the Driver Subcontractor Agreement, provided that the core operational framework — including the order verification and sealing procedure, the PIN confirmation system, the risk allocation sequence, and the compliance obligations of each party — remains in effect under the replacement technology. All parties are required to cooperate reasonably with any transition to a replacement technology provider.

1.16 Customers represent and warrant that they understand how to use the Platform correctly. They are responsible for carefully placing their orders and reviewing all details displayed on the screen, including any information at the top of the checkout page. By placing an order, the Customer is deemed to have accepted all such details. Any misuse, misinterpretation, or failure to follow Platform instructions is the sole responsibility of the Customer, and the Platform shall not be liable for any resulting errors, losses, or issues.

1.17 The Platform acts solely as a facilitator of orders between Customers and Restaurants. Once an order is accepted by the Restaurant and collected by a Driver, the Restaurant assumes full responsibility for the quality, condition, and timely delivery of the order. The Restaurant is solely responsible for handling any Customer complaints, requests for refunds, or compensation arising from loss, damage, or dissatisfaction with the order. The Platform shall have no liability for any such issues and is under no obligation to issue refunds or provide compensation on behalf of the Restaurant.

1.18 Where a Customer provides the Driver with any required confirmation, including a PIN or other acceptance code, the order is deemed to have been received in accordance with the details provided on the Platform. In such cases, the Restaurant shall have discretion to determine whether any refund or compensation is offered. The Restaurant is not obliged to provide refunds or compensation for complaints relating to minor dissatisfaction or subjective preferences, provided that the order complies with statutory consumer rights, including that the food is of satisfactory quality, as described, and fit for purpose. The Customer acknowledges and accepts that placing an order constitutes agreement to these terms and that the Platform is acting solely as a facilitator.

1.19 By placing an order or engaging with the Platform, Users acknowledge and electronically accept all policies, disclaimers, risk allocations, and limitations of liability clearly presented to them on the Platform, including through any independent driver registration form or restaurant contractual agreement. These terms are intended to be legally binding and enforceable under UK law.

1.20 Many Partner Restaurants operate shared kitchens where cross-contamination of allergens may occur. All allergen and ingredient information is provided and maintained by the Restaurant and cannot guarantee inclusion of all allergens. The Platform takes reasonable steps to ensure this information is reviewed regularly; however, the Restaurant is solely responsible for the accuracy and currency of the information displayed. Customers with allergies or dietary restrictions must contact the Restaurant directly before placing an order to confirm suitability. By placing an order, the Customer acknowledges and accepts the potential risk of allergen exposure in shared kitchens. The Platform shall not be liable for any allergic reactions, adverse health events, or other consequences arising from the Customer’s order.

2. Customer Responsibilities

2.1 Customers should, where reasonably possible, verify at the time of delivery that they have received the correct order. The Delivery Code (security PIN) should only be provided once the Customer confirms receipt of the delivery.

For hygiene and safety reasons, sealed food packaging should not be opened in the presence of the Driver. The Driver is not responsible for verifying the contents of sealed items. Submission of the Delivery Code confirms receipt of the delivery only and does not constitute acceptance of the contents of sealed items, nor does it affect the Customer’s statutory rights under applicable law. Any issues relating to missing items, incorrect orders, or product quality must be reported to the Restaurant or Platform promptly after delivery. All claims will be assessed fairly based on available evidence, including order records and delivery confirmation data. Nothing in this clause affects the Customer’s statutory rights.

For the avoidance of doubt, the purpose of inspection is to verify that the number of sealed items received corresponds to the order and that no packaging is visibly damaged, tampered with, or missing. Customers are not required or expected to open sealed packaging before providing the PIN. Any concern about the contents of sealed packaging must be raised with the restaurant after delivery.

2.2 Customers must report any missing, incorrect, or damaged items to the Restaurant or Platform within 24 hours of delivery to be eligible for discretionary compensation. Claims submitted after this period may not be accepted, except to the extent required under statutory consumer rights, including those under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

For the avoidance of doubt, the 24-hour reporting window in this clause applies only to discretionary compensation claims. It does not apply to, and nothing in this Policy limits, any claim arising from food-borne illness, allergic reaction, food safety failure, or any other adverse health event caused by consumption of the food. Where a Customer is unable to report within 24 hours due to illness, hospitalisation, medical emergency, or any other health-related circumstance arising directly from the consumption of the food in question, their statutory rights against the restaurant under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and applicable food safety legislation are wholly unaffected regardless of when the report is made. The Platform encourages any Customer who experiences illness following consumption of food ordered through the Platform to seek medical attention immediately, retain all medical documentation, and contact the relevant Partner Restaurant as soon as they are able.

2.3 Customers must not provide the Delivery Code to the Driver if any items are visibly missing, damaged, or incorrect at the point of handover, and should instead raise the concern with the Driver immediately, who must contact platform support on 07861409509 before leaving the delivery address. The customer must not refuse to accept the sealed delivery solely on the basis of suspected missing items without following this procedure. Any complaint about order accuracy must be raised directly with the restaurant. Contact details for the restaurant are available through the platform app. The platform’s role in any subsequent complaint is strictly limited to administrative facilitation as set out in Section 30.13.

2.4 The Platform, Independent Drivers, and Partner Restaurants shall not be liable for failed or delayed deliveries resulting from incorrect addresses, inaccessible or unsafe premises, no response from the Customer after 10 minutes of attempted handover, or failure to provide the correct PIN. Delivery shall be deemed completed once the Customer takes possession of the order and provides the correct PIN, or if the Driver has reasonable timestamped photographic, video, or digital proof of attempted delivery and the Customer is unavailable or unresponsive after 10 minutes. Customers are expected to accept delayed deliveries, and any refusal solely due to delay shall be considered the Customer’s responsibility, as delivery timing is beyond the reasonable control of the Platform, Independent Drivers, and Partner Restaurants. Nothing in this clause affects statutory rights under UK consumer law, including the right to reject goods that are not of satisfactory quality, as described, or fit for purpose.

2.5 Customers must inspect all items in the presence of the Driver in full and in satisfactory condition, meaning that the number of sealed items corresponds to the order and no packaging is visibly damaged or tampered with, as further described in Section 2.1. The Customer should provide the Delivery Code (security PIN) only after confirming that the order has been received in full and in satisfactory condition. If a Customer refuses or fails to inspect the items with the Driver present for any reason, responsibility and risk for the order immediately transfer to the Customer, and any subsequent claims will be assessed solely based on evidence from the Customer and/or Driver. This approach ensures that the Customer’s right to inspect the order and the Driver’s and Platform’s ability to confirm delivery are protected fairly and transparently. If the Customer accepts the order without providing the Delivery Code, the order shall be deemed received in full and in satisfactory condition. Submission of the Delivery Code or other confirmation constitutes the Customer’s acknowledgment that the order has been received in full and in satisfactory condition, to the best of their knowledge. In the event of a dispute, evidence provided by the Customer and/or Driver shall govern the determination of delivery completion and order condition.

2.6 Submission of the Delivery Code to the Driver constitutes confirmation that the Customer has inspected and accepted the order for discretionary compensation purposes. Customers must report any missing or incorrect items for discretionary compensation within 24 hours of delivery. Claims outside this period may not be accepted, except for statutory rights under UK law, which remain unaffected.

2.7 Customers are entitled to a reasonable period to inspect their order, proportional to its size and complexity. For standard orders, this period is typically 5 minutes; larger or more complex orders may require additional time. Submission of the PIN code constitutes confirmation by the Customer that sufficient inspection has taken place and that they accept the order. Nothing in this Policy prevents Customers from raising legitimate complaints directly with the Partner Restaurant or the Platform in accordance with UK consumer law.

2.8 Once an order is placed on the Platform, it is final and cannot be cancelled. Orders are sent directly to the restaurant for immediate preparation. Preparation and delivery times are estimates only and not guaranteed.

2.9 Orders are final once placed, and any modifications, substitutions, or refunds are at the sole discretion of the Partner Restaurant, except as required under applicable UK consumer law. Once the order is accepted and preparation has begun, the Restaurant commits time, ingredients, and other resources, and refunds will generally not be issued except as required under applicable UK consumer law. If an item is unavailable, the Customer will be contacted to arrange a suitable replacement. By placing an order, Customers acknowledge and accept that delays, unavailability, substitutions, or other changes to the order may occur and are beyond the reasonable control of the Partner Restaurant and Platform.

2.10 All preparation, pickup, and delivery times shown on the Virtuous Restaurants Platform are estimated only and provided for guidance purposes. While restaurants and drivers always aim to meet scheduled times, occasional delays can occur due to order volume, traffic, or other factors beyond their control. Delays in delivery, including those caused by traffic, accidents, weather, or driver availability, do not in themselves constitute a failure to supply goods under UK consumer law.

2.11 Once an order is placed, it is non-refundable and non-cancellable, whether for delivery or pickup except as required by applicable UK consumer protection law including the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Selecting or specifying a pickup or delivery time does not create a guarantee that the order will be ready or delivered exactly at that time. The Platform, restaurants, and drivers are not liable for delays or for any related refunds, discounts, or compensation unless required by UK consumer law (for example, if the food is unsafe or not as described).

2.12 By placing an order, customers acknowledge and accept that all times are approximate and that the Platform acts only as a facilitator between customers, drivers, and restaurants.

2.13 All preparation, pickup, and delivery times displayed on the Platform are estimates for guidance only. The Platform, Partner Restaurants, and Drivers do not guarantee that an order will be ready or delivered at any specific time. Delays do not entitle Customers to refunds, discounts, or compensation unless required by UK consumer law.

2.14 All estimated preparation, pickup, and delivery times are provided for guidance only. The Platform, Restaurants, and Drivers are not liable for delays, and Customers are not entitled to refunds, discounts, or compensation due to timing differences.

2.15 All orders placed via the Platform are final. Customers are not entitled to cancel or receive refunds once an order is submitted, including for pickup orders, except as required by statutory consumer rights.

2.16 Customers acknowledge that they have read and agreed to all terms, including inspection, Delivery Code submission, and risk allocation. Claims of not understanding the Policy will not be entertained.

2.17 Customers are solely responsible for providing accurate delivery or pickup information. Incorrect addresses, inaccessible locations, or unsafe premises transfer all associated risks to the Customer. Without limitation, incorrect delivery address, telephone number, or email address constitutes inaccurate information for the purposes of this clause. Where incorrect contact details prevent standard delivery confirmation, the Customer bears all associated risk.

2.18 Allergy and allergen information provided on the product page is for guidance only. Customers must verify allergen information directly with the Partner Restaurant before placing an order. The Platform does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any allergen information and shall not be liable for any allergic reactions, illness, or other damages resulting from the consumption of food. Customers with allergies or intolerances are strongly advised to exercise caution and confirm all relevant information with the Partner Restaurant.

2.19 All preparation, pickup, and delivery times provided on the Platform are estimates only and not guaranteed. Customers acknowledge that the Platform and Partner Restaurants are not liable for delays, even for pre-scheduled orders. No refunds or compensation will be provided for late preparation or late delivery.

2.20 Customers with allergies or dietary restrictions must confirm with the Partner Restaurant directly. The Platform is not liable for the presence of allergens, cross-contamination, or unsafe preparation of food.

2.21 If a pre-scheduled order is not ready at the requested pickup or delivery time, the Platform and Restaurant are not liable for refunds, discounts, or compensation. Times are indicative and not binding.

2.22A All preparation, collection, and delivery times shown are estimates for guidance only. Customers acknowledge that times may vary due to traffic, weather, restaurant delays, or operational factors, and such variation does not constitute a breach or entitle the Customer to a refund or discount.

2.22B In the event that an independent Driver experiences theft, robbery, accident, or any other unforeseen incident while fulfilling an order, the Platform shall have no liability to the Customer for any resulting loss, damage, or failure to deliver. Customers acknowledge and agree that such events are beyond the control of the Platform, the Driver, and the Partner Restaurant. All orders are placed at the Customer’s own risk, and any claims for loss or non-delivery arising from such incidents must be addressed directly with the Partner Restaurant. Where applicable, the Customer may be required to provide reasonable documentary evidence from relevant authorities (e.g., police report or official documentation) to substantiate claims against the Restaurant. Except as expressly provided under applicable UK consumer law or this Policy, the Platform disclaims any liability for any loss, damage, or failure to deliver arising from the acts or omissions of independent Drivers or Partner Restaurant.

2.23 Customers acknowledge that the Platform is designed for users who can accurately place orders, provide correct delivery information, submit Delivery Codes, and inspect orders upon receipt. Customers who fail to follow instructions, misunderstand how the Platform operates, or provide incomplete or inaccurate information assume all associated risk. The Platform, Partner Restaurants, and Drivers shall not be liable for any losses, delays, errors, or disputes arising from misuse, misunderstanding, or failure to comply with Platform procedures. By placing an order, Customers confirm that they have read, understood, and agree to comply with all instructions and procedures.

2.24 Orders accepted by a Restaurant or Driver cannot be canceled or refunded solely because of delays, temporary unavailability, or estimated timing discrepancies, except where consumer law mandates otherwise. Customers acknowledge and accept that timing is approximate, and orders proceed at their own risk.

2.25 Any estimated preparation, delivery, or arrival times, suggested order modifications, or menu recommendations are for guidance only. Users agree they have not relied on any statements, endorsements, or estimates as a binding guarantee.

2.26 All photographic, video, GPS, or digital evidence must be submitted unaltered and in the original format. Tampering or failure to provide proper evidence renders the claim invalid, and the submitting party assumes full risk and liability.

2.27 Minor deviations in quantity, portion size, packaging, or appearance of delivered items do not constitute grounds for a refund, except where required by statutory consumer law.

2.28 Customers acknowledge that they understand how to use the Platform. If a Customer fails to correctly place orders, submit Delivery Codes, or provide evidence, they accept all resulting risk and cannot claim compensation.

2.29 The Customer must inspect and confirm that the sealed items presented correspond to their order at the time of delivery, in the presence of the Driver, with the Driver fully visible during the inspection. The Driver will request the completion PIN to finalise handover. Once the Customer provides the PIN, takes possession of the items, or allows the Driver to leave, the delivery shall be deemed complete, correct, and fully accepted, with no entitlement to refund, credit, replacement, or compensation for missing, incorrect, or damaged items. Any issue must be raised immediately and without exception at the point of delivery. If the Customer refuses inspection, delays verification, conducts it out of the Driver’s view, or closes the door after taking the item(s)/bag(s) without providing the PIN, the order will be treated as correct and completed.

Nothing in this clause limits or excludes any non-excludable statutory right available to the Customer under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or any other applicable UK consumer protection law, including the right to reject goods that are not of satisfactory quality, not as described, or not fit for purpose.

The requirement to raise issues immediately at the point of delivery applies to visible issues at the point of handover including missing bags, visibly damaged packaging, or broken seals. Issues relating to the contents of sealed packaging that could not reasonably be inspected before the Driver’s departure arise after delivery and may be raised with the restaurant within 24 hours of delivery in accordance with Section 2.2, without prejudice to the Customer’s statutory rights.

2.30 The Customer fully understands, acknowledges, and agrees that in respect of any order, including but not limited to any order placed in advance or scheduled for a future date and/or time (“Scheduled Order”), the Restaurant shall retain sole, absolute, and unfettered discretion to determine whether such order shall be accepted, prepared, fulfilled, or cancelled, and whether any refund, credit, or compensation shall be granted to the Customer. By placing an order, the Customer expressly accepts that all orders are final, binding, and placed entirely at the Customer’s own risk, and that no refund, cancellation, or modification shall be available once the order has been confirmed, except where the Restaurant, in its sole and absolute discretion, elects to authorise such refund or cancellation. In the event that the Restaurant elects to authorise a refund, the applicable Platform Service Fees, Payment Gateway Fees, Processing Charges, and any other transactional or third-party costs incurred in connection with such order shall be deducted from the refund amount prior to disbursement, and such charges shall be borne exclusively by the Restaurant. If the Restaurant declines to authorise a refund, the Customer shall have no claim or entitlement whatsoever to any refund, credit, or compensation, and the Restaurant’s decision in this regard shall be final as between the parties for the purposes of any discretionary goodwill remedy, subject always to the Customer’s non-excludable statutory rights set out below. The Customer further acknowledges and agrees that the Platform acts solely as an intermediary facilitating transactions between Customers and Restaurants and shall, under no circumstances, be held responsible or liable for any cancellations, refund decisions, order fulfilment issues, losses, damages, or disputes arising out of or in connection with any order placed by the Customer. Nothing in this clause affects or limits any non-excludable rights available to Customers under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or any other applicable UK consumer protection law. Customers retain their full statutory right to seek remedies from the restaurant in connection with any order.

2.31 Provision of a Delivery Code, or taking possession of the order without providing a Delivery Code, constitutes confirmation that the order has been delivered and accepted, subject to statutory rights.

2.32 The Customer using the restaurant’s ordering systems fully acknowledges and understands that any mandatory administration fee applied to their order is clearly displayed before payment at checkout and, where applicable, on the QR self-ordering system checkout page, and agree to pay the admin fee as part of their order. Customers are responsible for reviewing their order and total charges, including the Admin Fee, before confirming payment. Use of the QR self-ordering system or website ordering system is optional, and customers may choose alternative ordering methods such as staff-assisted ordering, which may not include the fee. Customers acknowledge that the Admin Fee is mandatory, is not a tip, service charge, or gratuity, and cannot be removed or refunded except where statutory rights under UK law apply.

2.33A Customers of the Restaurant menu they are ordering from acknowledge that their contract for the order is with the restaurant, and that the platform acts solely as a technology provider executing the restaurant’s instructions, is not a party to the contract, and has no discretion over the application, calculation, or legality of the Admin Fee. By placing an order, customers confirm they understand the fee, their obligations regarding order review and payment, and that the platform is not responsible for the fee’s legality, calculation, or disclosure. Customers retain all statutory rights afforded under UK consumer protection law, including rights to refunds or remedies where applicable.

2.33B Customers acknowledge that Partner Restaurants may, at their sole discretion, apply different prices, fees, and surcharges across different ordering channels (including but not limited to dine-in, pickup, delivery, and in-venue digital ordering) and that the price displayed at the point of ordering on the Platform is the only price applicable to that transaction. The Platform does not control, verify, or guarantee that prices displayed on the Platform are identical to prices available through any other channel operated by the Partner Restaurant, including physical menus, external websites, or other ordering systems. Customers are responsible for reviewing all pricing information before submitting their order.

2.34 All delivery of orders is carried out exclusively by independent third-party drivers engaged by the Restaurant. The Platform may register drivers for legal or regulatory purposes, but acts solely as a technology facilitator and does not control, direct, supervise, or assume any responsibility for the drivers, their conduct, or the delivery of orders. Any issues relating to late, missing, or otherwise undelivered orders must be addressed directly with the Restaurant. For the avoidance of doubt, the Platform shall have no liability, obligation, or responsibility whatsoever for any delay, failure, loss, damage, or claim arising from or relating to the delivery of orders.

2.35 The Platform and Partner Restaurants are committed to compliance with the Equality Act 2010. Customers who require a reasonable adjustment to any procedural requirement in this Policy — including but not limited to the inspection period at the point of delivery, the timeframe for reporting missing or damaged items, the method of providing delivery confirmation, or any other procedural step — due to a disability, medical condition, or other protected characteristic are invited to contact the relevant Partner Restaurant or the Platform at support@virtuousrestaurants.com. Reasonable adjustments will be considered and implemented in accordance with applicable law. No Customer shall be penalised under this Policy for failure to comply with a procedural requirement where that failure was caused by a disability or other protected characteristic and no reasonable adjustment was made available. Nothing in this clause limits any right available to a Customer under the Equality Act 2010.

3. Driver Responsibilities

3.1A All registered independent drivers engaged through the Platform are independent contractors operating under their individual Driver Subcontractor Agreements with Virtuous Restaurants Ltd. Nothing in this Policy or the payment adjustment provisions below creates or implies any employment, worker, agency, or dependent contractor relationship between any driver and the Platform. Payment adjustments described in this section are contractual payment mechanisms governed exclusively by the Driver Subcontractor Agreement between the Platform and the relevant independent driver. They are not dispute resolution decisions and are not governed by the complaint, refund, or dispute resolution provisions of this Policy. The Platform’s role as a technology intermediary that does not investigate or decide substantive disputes is not altered or contradicted by these payment adjustment provisions. Participation in the Platform’s delivery operations is entirely voluntary. No driver is under any obligation to accept any delivery opportunity. These provisions apply only to deliveries that a driver has voluntarily accepted and completed or partially completed through the Platform’s official application.

3.1B The Platform operates a mandatory pre-seal photographic verification system. Every registered independent driver is required to capture a timestamped photographic record of the sealed order at the point of collection from the partner restaurant and a timestamped photographic record confirming delivery at the point of handover to the customer. These records are automatically uploaded to the Platform’s system through the official driver application. PIN confirmation constitutes the definitive record of completed delivery. When a customer enters their unique delivery PIN through the Platform’s customer application this constitutes conclusive confirmation that the order was delivered to the correct recipient at the correct address. The PIN confirmation timestamp and GPS coordinates are recorded automatically by the Platform’s system. A pre-seal photograph showing a sealed order at the point of collection combined with a valid PIN confirmation at the point of delivery constitutes conclusive evidence that the driver fulfilled their delivery obligation correctly and completely. In these circumstances no payment adjustment may be made to the driver’s earnings in connection with that delivery regardless of any subsequent customer complaint about missing items, incorrect items, or damaged items. Responsibility for the contents of a sealed order rests entirely with the partner restaurant that packed and sealed it. The pre-seal photograph and PIN confirmation records held by the Platform constitute the primary and definitive evidence record for all purposes under this Policy and the Driver Subcontractor Agreement. No other evidence submitted by any party takes precedence over these records.

3.1C A circumstance in which a payment adjustment may be made is where the Platform’s GPS records and delivery confirmation data conclusively establish that the driver delivered the order to an address materially different from the confirmed delivery address and no valid PIN confirmation was obtained from the correct recipient. The absence of a pre-seal photograph does not automatically establish driver fault but removes the primary evidence protection available to the driver. Subjective customer allegations unsupported by objective platform data do not constitute sufficient evidence for a payment adjustment under this provision. The Platform does not investigate, adjudicate, or make findings of fact on customer complaints. Payment adjustments are made only where the Platform’s own system records provide objective evidence of the specific circumstances described in this clause.

3.1D Payment adjustments shall not be applied as a penalty, deterrent, or disciplinary measure. They represent only the recovery of a documented and proportionate loss directly caused by a specific and evidenced driver action or omission.

3.2A Drivers must check all items and packaging at the point of collection. Any missing items, leakage, or unsealed packaging must be reported immediately to the restaurant. Drivers must ensure that all items in the order are complete, undamaged, and correctly packaged at the restaurant before attempting delivery. Any discrepancies or missing items must be reported to the partner restaurant or dispatch team before approaching the Customer. Where the Platform implements a pre-seal photographic verification mechanism, the Driver must photograph all order items visibly laid out before restaurant staff applies the designated tamper-evident seal. Such photographs must be captured through the Platform’s driver application, which shall automatically record a timestamp and GPS location at the point of capture. A minimum of one photograph and a maximum of three photographs must be taken, collectively showing the complete order contents. These photographs constitute the primary record of order contents at the point of collection. Where a valid pre-seal photograph record exists and the driver accepts the sealed order without objection, the driver assumes full responsibility for the contents matching the photographic record.

The Driver must maintain continuous and uninterrupted visual contact with all photographed items from the moment photograph capture is complete until the tamper-evident seal is fully applied and the sealed package is in the Driver’s physical possession. Any break in the Driver’s visual contact between photograph capture and seal application must be immediately logged as a collection anomaly in the Platform application. Where a collection anomaly is logged the evidentiary value of the pre-seal photograph is reduced and the Driver must request re-photography of the complete order before accepting the sealed package.

3.2B Collection Verification: Where the Platform’s driver application implements a collection PIN mechanism, the Driver must present their collection PIN code to restaurant staff before receiving the order. Restaurant staff must verify the PIN against the Platform’s order management system before releasing the order to the Driver. Where the Driver does not present a valid collection PIN and the restaurant has been configured to require PIN verification at collection, the restaurant must not release the order and must contact Platform support at 07861409509. The collection PIN constitutes the formal record of the driver’s identity at collection and the restaurant’s confirmation that the order was released to the correct driver. Risk transfers from the restaurant to the driver upon the restaurant’s confirmation of collection by valid PIN or app verification, whichever the Platform implements as the primary verification method.

3.3A Drivers are responsible for the safe transport of the order. Risk transfers to the Driver upon acceptance of the order via the Platform app, or once the Driver confirms collection without objection.

3.3B Drivers must complete each delivery within a reasonable time having regard to the estimated route time displayed in the Platform application. Where a Driver’s GPS records show a delivery time that materially exceeds the estimated route time without any documented reason — including traffic, accident, alternative confirmation procedure, or force majeure event — and a missing item or order integrity complaint is subsequently received in connection with that delivery, the unexplained time excess may be treated as a relevant factor in assessing the Driver’s liability for that delivery under the evidence standards in Section 3.1C.

3.4 Drivers must obtain proof of delivery using the Delivery Code system. If a customer is unwilling or unable to provide the code, drivers are required to document the delivery with clear photographic or video evidence showing:

• Handover to the Customer
• Delivery address
• Timestamp
• GPS/location data (if available)

Submission of such evidence constitutes valid confirmation of delivery, and risk transfers to the Customer upon submission. Without either the Delivery Code or sufficient evidence, the driver may be held accountable for the order.

Where the Customer has provided incorrect contact details preventing standard PIN confirmation, and the Platform has issued an alternative confirmation request to the details provided, the Driver must: (i) remain at the delivery address for a minimum of ten (10) minutes following the confirmation request; (ii) document the attempted delivery with clear timestamped photographic evidence showing the order at the delivery address; (iii) notify support of the outcome. This documentation constitutes valid delivery evidence regardless of whether the Customer responds.

Where an order comprises multiple bags or packages, the Driver must capture a single photograph showing all bags or packages simultaneously at the delivery address before presenting any item to the Customer. This photograph constitutes the primary record of the total number of items presented for delivery. The Driver must not allow the Customer to take possession of any individual bag before this photograph is captured.

3.4A Where a Customer has selected a contactless or leave-at-door delivery preference at checkout, the Driver must: (i) photograph the complete order placed at the specific location designated in the delivery instructions or at the door of the delivery address; (ii) capture the door number or unit identifier visible in the same frame; (iii) upload both photographs through the Platform application immediately. Contactless delivery constitutes delivery completion from the point of photograph upload. Risk transfers to the Customer from that point. The Customer’s selection of contactless delivery constitutes pre-authorisation of this method and acceptance that standard PIN confirmation is replaced by timestamped photographic evidence.

3.5 Drivers who fail to comply with camera evidence requirements assume the associated risk until compliance is met.

3.6 Drivers must obtain the Customer’s Delivery Code only after the Customer has fully inspected the order and confirmed that it is complete and satisfactory. Submission of the Delivery Code constitutes Customer acceptance for discretionary compensation purposes. Any refusal or failure to provide the code transfers responsibility and risk for the order to the Customer, except for statutory rights under UK law.

3.7 Drivers must obtain the Delivery Code only after the Customer has fully inspected the order. If the Customer cannot provide the code, drivers must submit photographic or video evidence showing handover, delivery address, timestamp, and GPS/location if available. Submission of either the Delivery Code or compliant evidence constitutes valid proof of delivery and transfers risk to the Customer for discretionary compensation purposes, except for statutory rights under UK law.

3.8 Drivers operate as independent contractors and are not employees. The Platform is not liable for Driver negligence, omissions, delays, or misconduct.

3.9 Where a Driver operates using the Platform application with GPS location services enabled, GPS records generated through the application form part of the Platform’s system evidence for that delivery. Where GPS records are absent or show material gaps during an active delivery and a dispute subsequently arises, the driver bears increased evidential responsibility under Section 3.1C for demonstrating the delivery was completed correctly, as the Platform’s primary objective location evidence is absent. This clause does not create an obligation on any driver to maintain GPS coverage in circumstances where signal loss is outside their control.

3.10 Any party found to manipulate Delivery Codes, photographic/video evidence, or GPS/location data may face account suspension, termination, and legal action, including civil and criminal liability.

3.11 Drivers are independent contractors engaged on a non-exclusive, on-demand basis. The Platform does not guarantee the availability of delivery requests or any minimum level of income, volume, or work. Access to delivery opportunities depends on restaurant demand, customer orders, and network conditions.

3.12 Drivers are independent contractors. Nothing in this agreement or Platform communication creates an employment, partnership, or joint venture relationship. Drivers have no entitlement to minimum work, compensation, or benefits, and all liability for acts or omissions rests solely with the Driver.

3.13 The Driver must present the sealed quantity of items to the Customer visibly and allow the Customer a reasonable opportunity to verify the items presented against the order. The Driver must request the completion PIN and must not leave the delivery location until the Customer has either (i) provided the PIN or (ii) explicitly refused to inspect or accept the delivery. If the Customer refuses or fails to inspect the items in the Driver’s presence, or attempts to take the items out of sight, the Driver must immediately record this in the delivery app or notify dispatch. The Driver is required only to present the sealed items and confirm that the items presented correspond to the order list in the Platform App; the Driver is not responsible for verifying the contents of sealed packaging. The Driver must allow a reasonable inspection period of up to 30 seconds for item correspondence verification.

This 30-second period covers external visual verification only — confirming that the number of bags presented corresponds to the order and that all seals are visibly intact. It does not require or contemplate the opening of sealed packaging. The Customer’s rights to report issues with sealed contents within 24 hours under Section 2.2 and the inspection windows in Sections 2.7 and 12.1 apply to content-related issues that arise after the Driver has left and sealed packaging has been opened.

3.14 The Driver must present all sealed items to the Customer visibly and allow the Customer a reasonable opportunity, up to 30 seconds, to verify the items presented against the app. in the Driver’s presence. The Driver must request the Customer’s delivery PIN to finalise the handover. If the Customer refuses to inspect the items in front of the Driver, or closes the door after taking the bag(s) without providing the PIN, the Driver must immediately log the incident in the delivery app or notify dispatch/support. The Driver is only responsible for presenting sealed items and confirming that the items presented visually correspond to the app order list; the Driver is not responsible for verifying the contents of sealed packaging. Compliance with these procedures is mandatory and forms part of the Driver’s contractual obligations.

3.15 If the Customer refuses or fails to inspect the items in the Driver’s presence, or attempts to take the items out of sight, or closes the door after taking the bag(s) without providing the PIN, the Driver must immediately record evidence of this and notify support.

3.16 For the purposes of this clause, a missing or incorrect item identified during inspection in the Driver’s presence means: (a) a bag or container visibly absent from the total number presented against the Platform order record; or (b) an item visible through damaged or unsealed packaging. This clause does not apply to items inside intact sealed packaging as the contents of sealed packaging cannot and should not be inspected before the Driver’s departure in accordance with Section 2.1. Issues relating to the contents of sealed packaging must be raised with the restaurant within 24 hours of delivery under Section 2.2.

If a Customer identifies a missing or incorrect item during inspection in the Driver’s presence, and no valid pre-seal photograph was taken by the Driver at the point of collection, and the Restaurant confirms through its own records that the complete and correct order was prepared and sealed before handover, the Platform may assess its own objective automatically generated system records to determine whether the specific documented circumstances described in Section 3.1C are established by those records alone, in accordance with the evidence standards and notification procedure set out in Sections 3.1C, 3.25, and 3.26. Where a valid pre-seal photograph exists showing the complete order at the point of collection, Section 3.1B applies and no payment adjustment may be made regardless of any customer claim. This clause does not alter the Platform’s role as a technology intermediary and does not constitute investigation or determination of a substantive dispute.

For the purposes of this clause, restaurant records means only records generated automatically and timestamped within the Platform’s ordering system — including kitchen display system records, order acceptance timestamps, and sealing confirmation records generated through the Platform’s technology. Verbal assertions, handwritten notes, photographs taken outside the Platform application, or any record not automatically generated and timestamped within the Platform’s own technology system do not constitute restaurant records for the purposes of this clause.

3.17 The Driver confirms that they have fully reviewed and understood all information provided at virtuousrestaurants.com/become-our-driver prior to engaging in any driving activity. The Driver further agrees to read in full and remain aware of all agreements, onboarding materials, emails, and any official correspondence issued by the Company. Failure to review such information does not exempt the Driver from their obligations under these Terms.

3.18 In the event that a Driver’s vehicle becomes inoperable, is involved in an accident, or otherwise prevents timely delivery, the Driver must, where reasonably possible, notify the Platform immediately. The Platform shall use reasonable efforts to assist in resolving the situation. Drivers are independent subcontractors and are personally responsible for any loss, damage, or spoilage of goods resulting from their negligence, failure to notify the Platform, or failure to comply with applicable traffic and safety laws. The Platform and Restaurants shall not be liable for any loss, damage, or delay caused by the acts, omissions, or negligence of the Driver. Customers acknowledge that delivery times and order condition may be affected by circumstances outside the control of the Platform and Restaurants.

3.19A Driver compliance matters, including document verification reminders, compliance notifications, right-to-work monitoring correspondence, onboarding communications, and all driver-related contractual correspondence. These are managed by The Virtuous Contractor Standards Institute (VCSI), a division of Virtuous Restaurants Ltd established to develop, publish, and maintain the UK Independent Contractor Delivery Platform Compliance Standard.

Communications from the VCSI will be sent from driver.support@virtuousrestaurants.com or notifications@legalesign.com and will be signed on behalf of The Virtuous Contractor Standards Institute (VCSI) — a division of Virtuous Restaurants Ltd.

Such communications form part of the Platform’s authorised communications framework and carry the same legal authority as communications from Virtuous Restaurants Ltd directly. For a full list of authorised communication channels, see virtuousrestaurants.com/authorised-communications.

3.19B Where a Driver becomes aware during transit that an order has been damaged, compromised, or rendered undeliverable through their own actions, negligence, or through an accident, the Driver must notify Platform support immediately and must not attempt delivery of a visibly damaged or compromised order without support instruction. The Driver must photograph the order and their location with timestamp and GPS at the point of discovery. Delivery of a visibly damaged order without notification constitutes a breach of these obligations and the Driver assumes full personal liability for the resulting customer claim and any associated costs.

3.20A Where a Driver accepts a delivery opportunity through the Platform’s driver application and subsequently becomes uncontactable — including by failing to respond to Platform support communications, failing to complete the delivery, and failing to submit any photographic or video evidence of attempted delivery — the Platform may treat this as a verified breach of the Driver’s obligations under this Policy and the Driver Subcontractor Agreement. In such circumstances the Platform may immediately cease making its technology available to that Driver. This is a technology access decision as described in Section 31.21.A.2 and does not constitute dismissal or disciplinary action. Where an order remains undelivered as a result of a Driver becoming uncontactable, the Platform will use reasonable operational efforts to reassign the delivery to an available Driver where this remains practicable given the time elapsed and the perishable nature of the order. The Platform makes no guarantee that reassignment will be possible. Where reassignment is not possible, the restaurant retains sole discretion on any refund to the customer, subject always to the customer’s non-excludable statutory rights. The Driver bears personal liability for any verified loss caused by their abandonment of a confirmed delivery.

3.20B For the avoidance of doubt, a Driver who becomes genuinely uncontactable due to a medical emergency, road accident, or other verifiable life-threatening event beyond their control during an active delivery is not deemed to have abandoned the delivery under this Section provided they notify the Platform of the event within 24 hours of recovering the ability to do so and provide documented verification of the event. Section 6.3 applies to such circumstances where the event is verified. The Platform will assess such claims against all available system records including GPS data and timestamp records for the period of the event. In the absence of documented and verified emergency circumstances, Section 3.20 applies in full.

3.21A Where a partial delivery occurs as a result of the Driver’s own actions, negligence, or failure to safeguard the complete order during transit — including but not limited to items lost, damaged, or left behind by the Driver after collection — the Driver assumes personal liability for the value of the missing or damaged items. The Platform may recover such losses from the Driver by deduction from future earnings or by other lawful means. The customer’s right to a remedy for missing items in such circumstances rests with the restaurant as the contracting party, subject to the restaurant’s right to recover from the Driver where the Driver’s liability is established. Where the Driver disputes liability for missing items, the burden of proof rests on the Driver to demonstrate by photographic or other contemporaneous evidence that the complete order was in their possession throughout transit. In the absence of such evidence, liability defaults to the Driver for any shortfall identified at delivery.

3.21B Where a valid pre-seal photograph record exists showing the complete order at the point of collection, Section 3.1B applies and the driver’s liability under this clause is limited to verified losses arising after the point of photographic capture.

3.22A Where a Driver delivers an order to an address other than the delivery address specified in the Platform’s driver application, and no PIN or valid alternative confirmation is obtained, the Driver bears full personal liability for the loss of that order. GPS records and timestamped photographic evidence will be used to determine the delivery location. A delivery to an incorrect address does not constitute a completed delivery for the purposes of this Policy regardless of any PIN obtained from a person at that incorrect address who was not the ordering customer.

3.22B In multi-occupancy buildings, blocks of flats, or any premises containing multiple addressable units, delivery to the correct GPS location does not constitute verified delivery to the correct unit. The Driver must verify the specific flat or unit number against the delivery address specified in the Platform application before completing handover. The Driver’s delivery photograph must capture the door number, floor indicator, or unit identifier of the specific unit to which delivery was made. Where a Driver cannot verify the specific unit identifier from the delivery address provided, the Driver must contact Platform support before completing handover.

3.23 Where a Driver collects multiple orders simultaneously from one or more Partner Restaurants, the Driver bears sole personal responsibility for ensuring that each order is delivered to the correct customer at the correct delivery address as specified in the Platform’s driver application. The Platform’s PIN confirmation mechanism operates on a per-order basis. Where a customer provides a PIN in respect of an order that was not their own due to the Driver delivering the wrong order, that PIN confirmation does not constitute valid delivery for the purposes of this Policy and does not transfer risk to the receiving customer for the incorrectly delivered order. The Driver bears full personal liability for any loss, re-delivery cost, refund obligation, or customer claim arising from a confirmed order mix-up during simultaneous collections. The restaurant whose order was incorrectly delivered is not liable for the Driver’s failure to match orders correctly after collection. Documentary evidence of order mix-up including GPS records, timestamped photographs, and Platform order records will be used to determine liability in any such dispute.

3.24 The payment adjustment provisions in this section apply only to deliveries voluntarily accepted and completed by a driver through the Platform’s official application. They do not create any ongoing obligation on the Platform to offer deliveries or on the driver to accept them. These provisions do not confer on the Platform any right to direct, supervise, control, or manage the manner in which a driver performs any delivery. The driver retains full discretion over how they carry out their delivery obligations subject only to the outcome-based documentation requirements described in this section. Compliance with the pre-seal photograph and PIN confirmation requirements constitutes outcome-based documentation of a completed delivery. It does not constitute supervision or control of the driver and is consistent with the driver’s status as an independent contractor operating their own business.

3.25 Before any payment adjustment is applied to a driver’s earnings the Platform must notify the driver in writing by email to their registered email address stating the specific delivery reference number, the specific grounds for the proposed adjustment, the evidence relied upon, and the amount of the proposed adjustment. The driver has seven calendar days from receipt of the notification to submit a written response to driver.support@virtuousrestaurants.com disputing the proposed adjustment. The driver may provide any documentary evidence they consider relevant including their own photographic records, correspondence, or other objective documentation.

3.26 The driver’s right to dispute a payment adjustment under this clause does not affect their right to pursue any other remedy available to them under their Driver Subcontractor Agreement or applicable law.

4. Restaurant Responsibilities

4.1 Restaurants are solely responsible for the preparation, packaging, and presentation of all orders, including accurate allergen and ingredient information, and compliance with all applicable food safety laws.

4.2 Partner restaurants may refuse discretionary claims provided this does not conflict with the Customer’s statutory rights under UK consumer law. Partner restaurants may refuse discretionary claims for missing, incorrect, or damaged items once the Delivery Code has been provided by the Customer, provided that the order was accurate and complete at the time of handover. This clause does not affect statutory consumer rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

4.3A All orders must be delivered in a sealed, tamper-evident package provided by the restaurant. Customers and drivers must verify the seal is intact upon delivery. If the seal is broken or missing upon arrival, the Customer must notify the driver immediately. Once the Customer accepts the order with an intact seal and submits the Delivery Code, the order is deemed received in satisfactory condition for discretionary compensation purposes, except for statutory rights under UK law.

4.3B Tamper-evident packaging for the purposes of this Policy means packaging that bears a seal which, once broken, displays irreversible and clearly visible evidence of opening that cannot be replicated or concealed by any resealing attempt. The Partner Restaurant is responsible for ensuring that all tamper-evident seals used meet this standard. The Platform may from time to time specify minimum seal standards and provide approved seal materials to Partner Restaurants. Use of packaging that does not meet the tamper-evident standard described in this clause constitutes a failure of the Restaurant’s packaging obligation and responsibility for any contents dispute remains with the Restaurant where the seal standard cannot be verified.

4.3C Partner Restaurants must maintain adequate tamper-evident packaging supply throughout all active trading hours. Where a restaurant exhausts its tamper-evident packaging during a trading period it must immediately pause order acceptance through the Platform system until supply is replenished. A restaurant that releases an unsealed or improperly packaged order when tamper-evident packaging was unavailable assumes full responsibility for any contents dispute regardless of any pre-seal photographic record and regardless of any PIN confirmation obtained. The driver protections under Section 3.1B apply only where the restaurant provided genuinely tamper-evident packaging meeting the standard in Section 4.3B.

4.4 Partner restaurants remain fully responsible for missing items, incorrect orders, or packaging defects identified by the Driver at the time of collection. Any such discrepancies must be resolved by the restaurant before the order is accepted for delivery.

4.5 The Platform acts solely as a facilitator between Customers and Partner Restaurants. The Platform is not responsible for the content, quality, safety, allergens, or temperature of any food or beverage, including items prepared in shared kitchens. All such responsibility remains with the Partner Restaurant, and Customers should address any related complaints or claims directly with the restaurant.

4.6 Partner Restaurants must ensure all items are packaged and handled appropriately to maintain food safety, hygiene, and temperature until collection by the driver.

4.7 Drivers are not responsible for the quality, safety, allergen content, or preparation of any items. Drivers may refuse delivery if items are visibly unsafe or improperly packaged.

4.8 The Platform acts solely as a facilitator between Customers and Partner Restaurants. The Platform does not prepare, handle, or deliver food, and is not responsible for the content, quality, safety, allergens, or temperature of any items, including those prepared in shared kitchens. All responsibility for food rests with the Partner Restaurant.

4.9 While the Platform facilitates transactions, any obligations relating to food preparation, safety, or quality remain solely with the Partner Restaurant.

4.10 Restaurants are responsible for accurate allergen labeling and safe preparation. The Platform and Drivers assume no liability for allergen exposure, contamination, or foodborne illness after risk transfer to the Customer.

4.11 The Platform does not guarantee any revenue, order volume, or service availability to Partner Restaurants. Access to orders and delivery opportunities depends entirely on customer demand, the Restaurant’s capacity, network or platform conditions, and may fluctuate without notice.

4.12 Partner restaurants must keep the laminated Quick Guide on their premises at all times and use the telephone numbers provided to contact Platform support if a delivery driver does not arrive. While the Platform’s support team may provide assistance where reasonably possible, the Platform does not guarantee the attendance, availability, or punctuality of any delivery driver. Restaurants acknowledge that any reliance on the Platform to provide a delivery driver is entirely at their own risk, and the Platform shall not be liable for any loss, delay, or damage arising from the non-attendance or failure of a delivery driver. Restaurants are therefore strongly encouraged to maintain their own arrangements for delivery in the event that an independent Platform driver is unavailable.

4.13 In the event that an independent Platform driver collects an order for delivery, the Platform shall not be liable for any loss, damage, or spoilage of the food during transit. Responsibility for the safe preparation, packaging, and condition of the food at the time it is collected rests with the restaurant. Restaurants acknowledge that any reliance on an independent Platform driver for delivery is at their own risk, and the Platform merely provides the technology to facilitate the collection and delivery process.

4.14A Partner restaurants must ensure that all orders are prepared accurately, complete, and in good condition prior to handover to the driver. Any missing, damaged, or incorrect items must be resolved before the order leaves the restaurant.

Where the Platform implements pre-seal photographic verification, restaurant staff must present all order items visibly and completely before sealing to enable the driver to capture the required photographic record. Staff must not apply the tamper-evident seal until the driver confirms the photograph has been captured through the Platform application. Only after photographic capture is complete may the seal be applied. Once the seal is applied following valid photographic capture, the restaurant’s responsibility for order contents is conclusively documented by the photographic record.

Restaurant staff must complete the sealing process as a continuous action immediately following the Driver’s confirmation of photograph capture, with the Driver maintaining visual contact throughout. Staff must not remove items from the collection point or handle the order between the Driver’s photograph capture and the completion of sealing. Any instruction by a restaurant manager or other staff member to delay sealing or to handle items after photograph capture must be refused by the Driver and logged immediately.

4.14B Where the Platform’s ordering system implements a Driver Collection PIN mechanism, the Partner Restaurant is responsible for verifying the PIN against the Platform’s order management system before releasing any order to a Driver. Failure to verify the collection PIN and releasing an order to an unverified party constitutes a failure of the Restaurant’s collection procedure, and risk does not transfer from the Restaurant until valid collection verification is complete.

4.15 Restaurants accept that any delivery undertaken by an independent Platform driver is at their own risk. The Platform shall not be liable for any loss, damage, or spoilage occurring during delivery, including accidents, delays, or theft.

4.16 All Platform service fees and delivery fees are non-refundable once an order is accepted, regardless of any refund or credit issued by a restaurant.

4.17 Any dispute relating to an order shall first be raised with the relevant restaurant. The Platform shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential losses arising from disputes between restaurants and customers.

4.18 Restaurants agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Platform from any claims, losses, damages, or liabilities arising from their preparation, packaging, delivery, or supply of food or beverages.

4.19 The Platform encourages restaurants to provide accurate allergen information. Restaurants remain fully responsible for compliance with all food allergen regulations.

4.20 Restaurants must ensure that all menu items, descriptions, pricing, and availability are accurate, up-to-date, and compliant with all applicable UK food labeling laws, including allergen and dietary information requirements under Natasha’s Law. The Platform may provide guidance, tools, or support to assist restaurants in maintaining such accuracy; however, ultimate responsibility for the content, accuracy, and compliance of all menu information remains solely with the restaurant.

4.21 Restaurants are solely responsible for the preparation, handling, storage, and packaging of all food and beverages in accordance with the Food Safety Act 1990, HACCP principles, and any other applicable health and safety regulations.

4.22 Restaurants must ensure that all orders are packaged securely and appropriately to preserve food quality, temperature, and prevent contamination or damage during collection or delivery.

4.23 Restaurants must prepare orders exactly as received, including quantity, special instructions, dietary requirements, and allergen specifications.

4.24 Restaurants are responsible for the accuracy of all allergen and dietary information provided to customers. Where the kitchen is shared or multi-use, restaurants must clearly communicate the potential risk of cross-contamination.

4.25 Restaurants acknowledge that reliance on Platform drivers is at their own risk and are strongly encouraged to maintain their own delivery arrangements in the event a Platform driver is unavailable.

4.26 Restaurants must comply with all applicable UK laws and regulations, including food safety, health and safety, employment, and data protection laws.

4.27 Any refunds or goodwill gestures provided by the restaurant are entirely discretionary and do not create any entitlement for the customer nor affect the Platform’s fee and Delivery charge.

4.28 Restaurants must maintain adequate public liability, product liability, and employer liability insurance, where applicable, and provide proof of such insurance upon request by the Platform.

4.29 The Partner Restaurant acknowledges and agrees that any mandatory administration fee (the “Admin Fee”) applied to customer orders is implemented solely at the restaurant’s instruction, and the restaurant is entirely responsible for ensuring that the fee is legal, correctly calculated, clearly disclosed, and applied only to the designated ordering method (e.g., QR self-ordering / website). The restaurant must ensure that customers are made fully aware that the fee is mandatory, cannot be removed or refunded except where statutory rights apply, is not a tip, service charge, or gratuity, and that staff-assisted orders are not subject to the fee. The restaurant is also responsible for displaying the fee prominently at all points of ordering, including QR code screens, tabletop notices, website menus, and checkout screens, and for providing accurate, truthful, and non-misleading information about the fee. The restaurant retains full responsibility for handling any complaints, disputes, investigations, or enforcement actions arising from the Admin Fee, including any fines, penalties, or claims, and fully indemnifies the platform for any losses, costs, or legal exposure related to the fee. The restaurant further acknowledges that the platform acts solely as a technology provider executing its instructions, does not recommend, endorse, or provide legal advice regarding the Admin Fee, and cannot be relied upon for compliance, disclosure, or legality of the fee.

4.30 The Restaurant Client acknowledges and agrees that all delivery of orders is carried out exclusively by independent third-party drivers. The Platform may register drivers for legal or regulatory purposes, but its role is strictly limited to providing notifications of orders, facilitating technical access to the ordering system, and maintaining such registration. The Platform does not control, direct, supervise, or assume any responsibility for the drivers, their conduct, or the delivery of any orders. Use of drivers, including arranging alternative or backup drivers if a driver is unavailable or fails to complete a delivery, is entirely at the sole discretion of the Restaurant Client and the drivers. For the avoidance of doubt, the Platform shall have no liability, obligation, or responsibility whatsoever for any delay, failure, loss, damage, or other claim arising from or relating to the delivery of orders, and acceptance of this term occurs upon execution of the Agreement.

4.31 Drivers are independent contractors and not employees of Virtuous Restaurants Ltd. Restaurants have full discretion to accept or reject any driver. If a restaurant chooses to hand over an order to a driver, the restaurant assumes all risk for the delivery. Virtuous Restaurants Ltd merely provides access to the driver and is NOT responsible or liable for any loss, accident, or failure that may occur during delivery. Nothing in this clause affects any statutory rights under UK law.

4.32 Partner Restaurants acknowledge that where a post-settlement unauthorised refund invoice remains unpaid beyond the 24-hour period specified in the Platform Services Agreement, the Platform’s legitimate business interest in prompt recovery is significant: delayed recovery disrupts Stripe reconciliation, requires manual intervention across third-party payment systems, and exposes the Platform to chargeback risk during the period of non-resolution. The parties confirm that the daily late payment rate set out in the Platform Services Agreement represents a genuine pre-estimate of these cascading operational costs, which the parties have assessed and agreed are not adequately compensated by statutory interest alone at the Platform’s current operational scale. This acknowledgment forms part of the contractual record for the purposes of enforceability under English law.

4.33 Where a Partner Restaurant is included in the Marketplace App as a standard condition of its Platform Services Agreement, it acknowledges that its menu and related content will be displayed alongside other partner restaurants for purposes of customer discovery. The partner restaurant remains solely responsible for the accuracy and compliance of all content displayed. The Platform’s role in the Marketplace App is that of technology host only; it does not verify, endorse, or guarantee any content displayed therein.

4.34 The Partner Restaurant is solely responsible for ensuring that its order-taking device remains operational at all times. Where an order has been accepted, the Partner Restaurant must not request payment again from the customer. The Platform will settle the applicable net amount to the Partner Restaurant in accordance with the settlement timeline agreed in the Platform Services Agreement. Any failure by the Partner Restaurant to maintain a functioning device, or to check the payment confirmation status, shall be entirely at its own risk, and the Platform shall have no liability for any resulting loss.

4.35 The Partner Restaurant is responsible for ensuring that a member of authorised staff is reachable by telephone by the Platform’s support team during all hours that the restaurant has active orders on the Platform. Where the Platform attempts to contact the Partner Restaurant by telephone in connection with an unresponsive customer or disputed delivery and cannot reach authorised staff within a reasonable operational period, the Platform will log the time and outcome of that call attempt in its operational compliance record and will issue instruction to the Driver at its own discretion. The Partner Restaurant acknowledges that its unavailability by telephone in such circumstances does not create any liability for the Platform and does not affect the outcome of any subsequent refund or compensation decision.

4.36 The Partner Restaurant must not accept orders through the Platform during any period in which it does not have sufficient staff or capacity to fulfil those orders. Where a Partner Restaurant anticipates early closure or reduced capacity during an active trading period, it must disable order acceptance through the Platform’s ordering system before that closure or reduction takes effect. Where a Partner Restaurant accepts an order and subsequently becomes unable to fulfil it due to closure, staff absence, or any other operational reason, the restaurant is solely responsible for notifying the Platform immediately via the support number on the laminated Quick Guide and for issuing a full refund to the customer for that order. The Platform’s role in such circumstances is limited to administrative facilitation as set out in Section 30.13. The restaurant bears sole responsibility for all refunds, customer claims, and any associated costs arising from its failure to fulfil a confirmed order. The Platform shall have no liability to the customer or the restaurant in such circumstances.

4.37 Where a Partner Restaurant becomes subject to suspension, closure, or enforcement action by any regulatory authority — including but not limited to environmental health, the Food Standards Agency, or any local authority — during a period in which it has active orders on the Platform, the Partner Restaurant must immediately notify the Platform by telephone on the support number provided in the laminated Quick Guide and must immediately disable order acceptance through the Platform’s ordering system. The Partner Restaurant bears sole and complete responsibility for issuing full refunds to all customers with confirmed orders that cannot be fulfilled as a result of the regulatory action. The Platform’s role in such circumstances is strictly limited to administrative facilitation as set out in Section 30.13. The Platform shall have no liability to any customer for the restaurant’s failure to fulfil orders in these circumstances and no liability to the restaurant for any loss of revenue, reputation, or opportunity arising from the regulatory action. The restaurant fully indemnifies the Platform for any claims, costs, or regulatory exposure arising from its continued acceptance of orders during a period of suspension or enforcement action.

4.38 The partner restaurant is solely responsible for the accuracy, completeness, quality, and packing of every order it prepares. Where a customer complaint relates to missing items, incorrect items, poor quality, or allergen issues in connection with an order that was photographed sealed at the point of collection and delivered with valid PIN confirmation the complaint is a matter between the customer and the relevant partner restaurant. The driver bears no responsibility and no payment adjustment shall be made.

4.39 The partner restaurant’s obligation to verify driver identity and order details before releasing any order is set out in the Platform’s Terms of Use. A restaurant that releases an order without proper verification assumes full responsibility for any resulting issues. No payment adjustment may be made to a driver’s earnings where the issue arose from the restaurant’s failure to follow the verification procedure.

5. Risk Allocation

5.1 Restaurants are responsible for ensuring that orders are correctly prepared, securely packaged, and ready for collection at the agreed time. Any loss, damage, or spoilage occurring before the order is collected by a delivery driver remains the responsibility of the restaurant. Where the Platform implements a Driver Collection PIN mechanism, this risk does not pass to the driver until the collection has been verified by the relevant mechanism.

Where pre-seal photographic verification has been completed in accordance with Sections 3.2 and 4.14, and the tamper-evident seal is confirmed intact at the point of customer delivery, the photographic record shall constitute conclusive evidence of order contents at the point of collection. Any customer claim regarding missing items in circumstances where a valid pre-seal photograph exists and the seal was intact at delivery shall be assessed against the photographic record as primary evidence. The restaurant’s liability for missing items is substantially discharged where the photographic record confirms the item was present at sealing and the seal integrity is confirmed at delivery.

5.2 Risk of loss, damage, or spoilage passes to the customer upon verified handover by the driver. In the absence of such proof, responsibility remains with the restaurant.

5.3 Where an independent Platform driver collects an order, the driver is responsible for ensuring the safe handover of the order to the customer. Customers must provide the required Delivery Code, PIN, or other verifiable proof of undeniable acceptance receipt.

5.4 The Platform shall not be liable for any loss, damage, delay, or spoilage during delivery, including accidents, collisions, or other unforeseen events. Any facilitation of communication regarding incidents is strictly administrative and does not involve investigation or determination of responsibility (see Section 30.13). All substantive responsibility for the food and any related claims rests with the restaurant or driver as applicable.

5.5 If a delivery driver is found to be negligent or at fault, responsibility for any resulting loss or damage shall rest with the driver (or their insurer). If the driver is not legally liable, responsibility defaults to the restaurant. Under no circumstances shall the Platform be liable for any loss, damage, or delay.

5.6 Nothing in this clause affects the statutory rights of customers under UK law, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Discretionary goodwill remedies offered by restaurants do not create any Platform obligation or precedent.

5.7 The Platform acts solely as a technology facilitator, providing the infrastructure to connect restaurants, delivery drivers, and customers. The Platform does not prepare, handle, or deliver food and accepts no responsibility for the quality, safety, accuracy, or timeliness of any orders. The Platform shall not be liable for any loss, damage, delay, or defect in orders, including, without limitation, spoilage, contamination, incorrect preparation by the restaurant, or delay, negligence, or failure by any independent driver. Nothing in this clause affects the statutory rights of customers under UK law, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

5.8A Submission of the Delivery Code by the Customer constitutes confirmation that the order has been received. Please check your order on delivery for the correct items and any obvious issues with packaging (e.g. damaged or unsealed containers). Restaurants may, at their discretion, provide refunds or other goodwill remedies for subjective issues such as taste, temperature, or spiciness; however, the Platform is not responsible for such matters. Any missing, damaged, or incorrect items that are not identified at the time of delivery remain the responsibility of the restaurant. Nothing in this clause affects the Customer’s statutory rights under UK law, including rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

5.8B For the avoidance of doubt, where sealed items could not reasonably be inspected without opening tamper-evident packaging, any deficiency relating to the contents of sealed items that is reported in accordance with Section 2.2 is not excluded by this clause, and the restaurant’s responsibility under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 for the accuracy of the order is unaffected by the Customer’s inability to inspect sealed contents at the point of delivery.

5.9 Partner Restaurants are fully responsible for ensuring that all items are accurate, complete, and properly packaged at the time of collection by the driver. Any missing, damaged, or incorrect items identified at collection must be resolved by the restaurant before the order leaves the premises. Once an order is collected in accordance with this clause, responsibility for safe transport passes to the driver, and risk for accuracy and packaging passes to the Customer upon submission of the security PIN or other verifiable proof of receipt. In the event that the driver is unable to rectify or cover any loss or damage, responsibility for such loss, damage, or discrepancy defaults to the restaurant. Nothing in this clause limits the statutory rights of the Customer under UK law.

5.10 For the avoidance of doubt, the Platform operates solely as an intermediary between Customers, Drivers, and Partner Restaurants, and does not itself sell, prepare, or deliver food. Risk for the order, including accuracy, completeness, and packaging, remains with the Partner Restaurant until the Driver inspects and accepts the order without objection. Once the Driver has accepted the order in accordance with inspection procedures, risk for delivery transfers to the Driver and subsequently to the Customer upon submission of the Delivery Code, except for statutory rights under UK law.

5.11 Risk in the order passes to the Customer upon provision of the security PIN code, as the Customer is expected to verify the items for completeness and condition in the presence of the driver before providing the PIN, or upon submission of valid photographic evidence in accordance with Section 3.

5.12 Drivers may refuse to collect or deliver an order if items are missing, unsafe, or improperly packaged, without incurring any penalty or liability. Restaurants remain responsible for ensuring all orders are complete, safe, and properly packaged for collection.

6. Special Provisions

6.1 To the maximum extent permitted by UK law, the Platform shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential losses, including but not limited to loss of profits, loss of goodwill, or delays, arising from the use of the Platform or from interactions between Customers, Drivers, and Partner Restaurants. Nothing in this clause excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence or for other liability that cannot be excluded under applicable law.

6.2 Responsibility for allergy warnings rests solely with the Restaurant; the Platform is not liable.

6.3 The Driver shall not be liable for any delays, loss, or damage caused by unforeseen events beyond their reasonable control, provided that such events are properly documented and verifiable.

6.4 Fraudulent claims, tampering with orders, or submission of falsified evidence by Customers, Drivers, or Restaurants are strictly prohibited. Such actions may result in account suspension or termination, and the Platform reserves the right to pursue full personal liability for losses, including civil or criminal remedies as permitted under UK law.

6.5 Drivers must report all issues at collection; once accepted without objection, subsequent claims by Customers regarding missing or damaged items are invalid unless evidence per Section 3 is submitted.

6.6 In the event of app or platform downtime, fallback procedures including photographic or video evidence submission apply; risk allocation follows the standard rules.

6.7 Platform is not liable for menu errors, substitutions, unavailability, preparation quality, or shared kitchen items.

6.8 All orders placed via the Platform are final. Any modifications, cancellations, or refunds are solely at the discretion of the Partner Restaurant. The Platform is not responsible for any failure to modify, substitute, cancel, or refund an order, and assumes no liability for any resulting losses, except as required by applicable UK law or statutory consumer rights.

6.9 To the maximum extent permitted by law, the total aggregate liability of the Platform in respect of any single order or series of related orders shall not exceed the total fees paid by the Customer for that order, except where otherwise required by UK consumer law.

6.10 Deliberate fraudulent claims, tampering with orders, or submission of falsified evidence are illegal and may result in criminal or civil action. The Platform reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts and seek full recovery of any losses arising from fraudulent activity.

7. Enforcement

7.1 Breach of this Policy may result in liability for compensation, suspension from the Platform, or termination of agreement.

7.2 This Policy is enforceable as part of the Driver Subcontractor Agreement, Driver Compliance Agreement, and Customer Terms of Use.

7.3 Compliance with this Policy is a condition of participation on the Platform.

7.4 In the event that photographic or video evidence of delivery is contested, the Platform may perform a limited administrative check of the submitted evidence for basic completeness and timeliness (see Section 30.13). The Platform does not review, decide, or determine the outcome of any food quality, safety, order accuracy, risk, liability, or compensation issues. Our only role is strictly logistical and administrative: we may forward the evidence and messages to the restaurant (or relevant party) if requested, and process any refund or remedy only if the restaurant gives us prior written authorisation. Any reference to the Platform “reviewing” or “determining” evidence means purely logistical assistance and does not create any legal responsibility, duty of care, or decision-making power on our part (see Section 30.13 for the strictly limited facilitation role). All substantive decisions regarding the food or order remain the sole responsibility of the restaurant (subject always to statutory consumer rights).

7.5 Evidence must be submitted within a reasonable timeframe following delivery (within sixty minutes). Late submissions may be rejected on logistical grounds (see Section 30.13).

7.6 Any administrative assessment or facilitation performed by the Platform is for logistical purposes only and is not a final or binding determination on any substantive issue (see Section 30.13). This does not affect any party’s statutory rights to seek redress under applicable UK law. Once the restaurant has made a decision regarding a refund, replacement, or remedy (or once the Platform has processed a restaurant-authorised refund), further claims regarding the same order are generally not accepted by the Platform (except where required by non-excludable statutory consumer rights). This internal administrative process does not prevent any party from pursuing mediation, arbitration, or legal remedies under UK law where permitted.

7.7 Fraudulent or manipulated evidence, including falsified photos, videos, or GPS/location data, may result in suspension, termination, and legal action.

7.8 The Platform may retain all delivery records, evidence, and correspondence for auditing, dispute resolution, or legal purposes. Photographic and video delivery evidence will be retained for no longer than is necessary to resolve disputes or meet legal obligations, after which it will be securely deleted.

8. Payments & Data Privacy

8.1 All payments are processed securely via Stripe or other designated processors. All personal data processing is subject to the Virtuous Restaurants Ltd Privacy Policy, available on our website.

8.2 The Platform is not responsible for payment failures caused by third-party systems.

8.3 The Platform is not responsible for failures, errors, or downtime caused by any third-party services, including payment processors, mapping/navigation providers, telecommunication networks, or software integrations. All risk arising from such third-party failures rests with the relevant party (Customer, Driver, or Restaurant) as per Sections 3–5.

8.4 Customers agree to pay all fees, taxes, and applicable charges in full.

8.5 All personal and payment data is stored securely and handled in compliance with GDPR and applicable data protection regulations. Photographic and video delivery evidence will be retained only for the period necessary to resolve any related disputes, meet statutory or regulatory obligations, or complete audits. Once the order is fully resolved and all legal/audit obligations have been satisfied, the evidence will be securely deleted. The retention period will not exceed 180 days from the date of delivery unless otherwise required by law.

8.6 The Platform is not liable for data breaches caused by third-party systems beyond its control.

9. Force Majeure

9.1 The Platform, Restaurants, and Drivers are not liable for delays, failure to deliver, or any issues arising from circumstances beyond their reasonable control, including natural disasters, wars, strikes, or system outages.

9.2 In such events arising from circumstances beyond the Platform’s reasonable control, the Platform will use reasonable endeavours to restore service or issue appropriate credit at its sole discretion.

10. Acceptance of Terms

10.1 By using the Platform, placing an order, or completing a delivery, all parties acknowledge and agree to this Policy in full. This includes acceptance of order finality, delivery proof requirements, no-refund rules, and liability limitations.

10.2 Continued use of the Platform following any updates to this Policy constitutes acceptance of the revised version.

11. Definitions and Clarifications

11.1 Acceptance Without Objection occurs when a Driver inspects and confirms collection of an order via the Platform app, reports no discrepancies, and does not raise objections to the Partner Restaurant or dispatch team. Risk transfers from the Restaurant to the Driver only upon such acceptance.

11.2 Valid photographic or video evidence must include:

• Full visibility of all items delivered
• Clear timestamp
• Delivery address clearly visible
• GPS/location data if available
  Evidence missing any of these elements may be deemed invalid for discretionary compensation purposes.

Where the Platform has implemented enhanced verification mechanisms including weight records, QR or NFC scan records, or pre-handover bag documentation, such records shall constitute valid primary evidence and shall take precedence over conflicting witness accounts for the purposes of determining delivery completion and order accuracy in any dispute.

Where the Platform has implemented pre-seal photographic verification, valid evidence for the purposes of this Policy additionally includes pre-seal photographs captured through the Platform’s driver application showing order contents before sealing, together with the associated timestamp, GPS record, and seal integrity confirmation at delivery. Such photographs take precedence over conflicting witness accounts for the purposes of determining order contents at the point of collection.

11.3 Items are considered unsafe or improperly packaged if:

• Packaging is leaking, broken, or tampered with
• Temperature or storage requirements are visibly violated
• Items pose a risk to health or safety
  Drivers may refuse to deliver such items without penalty.

12. Customer Inspection and Delivery Code

12.1 Customers must inspect all items within 10 minutes for standard orders and within 20 minutes for complex or multi-item orders. Failure to do so constitutes acceptance if the Delivery Code is submitted.

12.2 If a Customer does not provide the Delivery Code within 15 minutes of attempted delivery and no valid evidence is submitted, the order shall be deemed accepted, and risk transfers to the Customer.

13. Partial Orders and Substitutions

13.1 Risk and responsibility for items delivered transfer to the Customer upon PIN submission.

13.2 Substitutions may only occur with customer consent. If a substitution is made without consent, the Partner Restaurant retains risk until the Customer confirms acceptance via Delivery Code or valid evidence.

14. App, Platform, and Technical Issues

14.1 In the event of Platform downtime, GPS failure, or app errors, Drivers must submit photographic or video evidence. Risk allocation follows standard rules once evidence is submitted.

14.2 Evidence submitted after the standard 60-minute window may be rejected unless the delay is caused by a verified technical issue beyond the Driver’s control.

15. Fraud, Tampering, and Misrepresentation

15.1 Any falsified or manipulated evidence, Delivery Code, or order information may result in immediate suspension or termination of accounts. The responsible party may be liable for full compensation of losses and legal fees.

15.2 The Platform may use automated tools to detect manipulation of delivery data, photos, videos, or GPS/location information.

15.3A Where the Platform has verified that a Customer has made a fraudulent claim in connection with any order — including but not limited to submitting falsified evidence, providing false accounts of non-delivery or missing items, or manipulating delivery confirmation data — the Platform reserves the right to permanently refuse that Customer access to any ordering interface operated by the Platform. This right applies regardless of whether the Customer places future orders through the same or a different Partner Restaurant’s ordering system on the Platform. The Platform will maintain a record of verified fraudulent claims and may share relevant information with Partner Restaurants and law enforcement where appropriate and permitted by applicable data protection law. A Customer whose access has been refused on grounds of verified fraud has no right of appeal through the Platform’s administrative facilitation process. Nothing in this clause affects the Customer’s right to pursue any non-excludable statutory remedy through the courts.

Before the Platform implements permanent access refusal under this Section, it must: (a) notify the Customer in writing specifying the verified grounds for the proposed refusal; (b) allow the Customer 14 calendar days from receipt of that notification to submit a written response; (c) conduct an internal review of the evidence and any response received; and (d) confirm the decision in writing with reasons. Permanent access refusal may only be implemented where the fraud has been positively verified against objective Platform system records. The Customer’s sole external remedy following a confirmed decision is through the courts of England and Wales.

15.3B The Platform maintains a compliance monitoring system that analyses claim patterns, evidence submission records, GPS data, and order records across all users over time. Where the system identifies patterns consistent with systematic or repeated fraud — including but not limited to abnormally high missing item claim rates by any Customer, abnormally high delivery disputes involving any Driver, repeated claims involving the same Customer and Restaurant combination, repeated allergic reaction claims, or GPS records indicating repeated delivery anomalies — the Platform may escalate that user’s account for enhanced compliance review. Users subject to enhanced compliance review may be required to provide additional verification before submitting further claims. Evidence of systematic fraud across multiple orders may be referred to law enforcement in accordance with Section 26.14. This monitoring constitutes a technology security function and does not constitute a departure from the strictly limited facilitation role described in Section 30.13.

15.4 Coordinated or colluded fraud — meaning deliberate coordination between two or more parties to manipulate order records, delivery evidence, refund claims, or payment flows in a manner that causes financial loss to the Platform, any Partner Restaurant, or any Customer — constitutes the most serious category of prohibited conduct under this Policy. Where the Platform identifies evidence of coordinated fraud through its compliance monitoring systems, it may immediately suspend platform access for all implicated parties without prior notice, refer all available evidence to law enforcement, and pursue civil recovery of all losses directly and indirectly caused by the coordinated activity. The indemnification obligations in Sections 26.6 and 28.6 apply jointly and severally to all parties who participated in coordinated fraud regardless of their individual contribution to the scheme.

16. High-Risk Deliveries

16.1 High-risk deliveries include fragile, perishable, or unusually large items, or deliveries during severe weather or unsafe conditions. Risk allocation may be adjusted in such cases and will be documented by the Platform.

16.2 Drivers are not liable for delays, damages, or failed deliveries caused by unforeseen high-risk conditions if properly documented.

17. Dispute Resolution

17.1 The Platform will respond to delivery-related messages within five (5) business days by forwarding them to the restaurant as administrative assistance only (see Section 30.13). The Platform does not resolve or determine disputes.

17.2 Any request for further assistance is handled on a strictly logistical basis. Parties should direct substantive issues to the restaurant. Unresolved matters may proceed to mediation, arbitration, or court as permitted by law.

17.3 Unresolved disputes may proceed to mediation or arbitration before pursuing legal remedies.

17.4 Where a Customer pursues a statutory remedy against a Partner Restaurant through the courts, including through the small claims track of the County Court, the Platform will provide the Customer with a copy of all order records, delivery confirmation data, records, timestamped photographic evidence, and compliance log entries held by the Platform in relation to their specific order, upon written request to resolutions@virtuousrestaurants.com quoting the order reference number. This information will be provided within 10 business days of the written request at no charge to the Customer. The Platform’s provision of this data constitutes administrative assistance only and does not constitute the Platform taking any position on the substantive merits of the claim. Nothing in this clause creates any obligation on the Platform beyond the provision of records it already holds in its compliance systems.

18. Customer Acknowledgement

18.1 By placing an order, the Customer acknowledges that:

• The order is final and non-cancellable
• Delivery Code submission constitutes acceptance
• The Platform and Drivers are not liable for discretionary claims after submission, except as required by UK law

19. Liability and Record Retention

19.1 The Platform’s maximum aggregate liability for any single order or related orders shall not exceed the total fees paid by the Customer for that order, except where otherwise required by law.

19.2 Photographic and video delivery evidence will be securely stored for up to 180 days or longer if required to meet legal or regulatory obligations. Evidence will be securely deleted once disputes are resolved and all obligations are met.

20. Evidence Standards

20.1 Photographic or video evidence must clearly show:

• All items delivered, fully visible and identifiable
• The delivery address
• A timestamp (embedded in the file or via app metadata)
• GPS/location data if available

Partial, blurry, cropped, or otherwise unclear evidence will be deemed invalid for discretionary compensation purposes.

20.2 Drivers must submit all photographic or video evidence within sixty (60) minutes of delivery. Failure to submit within this timeframe will not prevent automatic risk transfer to the Customer if the Delivery Code is subsequently provided.

20.3 If only part of the order is delivered or accepted, risk transfers only for the items delivered and accepted. Any missing or rejected items remain the responsibility of the Partner Restaurant until properly delivered or documented.

21. Driver vs Restaurant Risk Allocation

21.1 If a Driver accepts an order with known discrepancies or visible defects, the Driver assumes shared responsibility with the Restaurant for those items unless the defect is documented to the Platform prior to leaving the Restaurant.

21.2 Any defects or missing items identified at collection must be reported to the Partner Restaurant and Platform via the app before leaving the premises. Risk does not fully transfer to the Driver until such reporting is complete.

22. Technical and Platform Failures

22.1 In the event of Platform downtime, GPS failure, or app errors, the Platform will verify the technical issue via server logs or other means. Discretionary claims relying on technical failure must be submitted within sixty (60) minutes of delivery.

22.2 Drivers must use photographic or video evidence to confirm delivery during technical failures. Standard risk allocation applies once evidence is submitted and verified by the Platform.

22.3 Where the Platform’s own ordering technology fails — including system outages, widget errors, or order transmission failures — the Platform’s maximum aggregate liability to any Partner Restaurant for all claims arising from a single incident or series of related incidents shall not exceed the aggregate fees paid by that Partner Restaurant to the Platform in the calendar month immediately preceding the incident.

22.4 Where a customer’s payment is processed successfully through the Platform’s payment infrastructure but the order confirmation fails to reach the Partner Restaurant due to a Platform technology failure — including but not limited to system outages, widget errors, or order transmission failures — the Platform will use reasonable endeavours to notify both the customer and the Partner Restaurant of the transmission failure as soon as it becomes aware. In such circumstances the customer is entitled to a full refund of the payment taken. The Platform will process that refund administratively as a technical correction arising from its own system failure. This refund is not subject to restaurant authorisation because no order was ever received or accepted by the restaurant. The restaurant bears no liability and no commission or fee is payable to the Platform in respect of an order that was never successfully transmitted. The Platform’s maximum aggregate liability to any party for losses arising from such a transmission failure is limited to the transaction value of the affected order or orders, except where liability cannot be excluded under applicable UK law.

23. Fraud, Misrepresentation, and Evidence Manipulation

23.1 Manipulation includes, but is not limited to:

• Editing, cropping, or filtering images/videos in a way that misrepresents the order
• Using altered GPS/location metadata
• Submitting false Delivery Codes

23.2 Any customer or driver who provides manipulated, falsified, or misleading evidence shall be subject to immediate account suspension or termination and may be held personally liable for all resulting damages, expenses, and legal costs.

24. Statutory vs Discretionary Claims

24.1 Submission of the Delivery Code or valid evidence constitutes acceptance for discretionary compensation purposes. Customers cannot claim both discretionary compensation and statutory remedies for the same issue beyond what UK law allows.

24.2 Nothing in this Policy limits the Customer’s statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or other applicable UK law.

25. Evidence Retention and GDPR Compliance

25.1 All photographic or video evidence will be securely deleted within 180 days after resolution of any disputes, unless retention is legally required.

25.2 The Platform shall implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect evidence from unauthorised access or disclosure during the retention period.

25.3 Retention and deletion procedures shall comply with GDPR and all applicable UK data protection laws.

26. Additional Clauses

26.1 Independent Contractor Liability
All Drivers are independent contractors. Nothing in this Policy or any agreements with Drivers creates an employment relationship between Drivers and the Platform. The Platform is not liable for any acts, omissions, negligence, or misconduct of Drivers, including but not limited to delayed deliveries, mishandling of items, or inaccurate delivery evidence.

26.2 Restaurant Liability
Partner Restaurants remain fully responsible for all food and beverage preparation, hygiene, allergen labeling, and packaging until acceptance by the Driver. The Platform is not liable for any claims arising from food quality, safety, allergens, or regulatory compliance.

26.3 Insurance Recommendation
Drivers are strongly encouraged to maintain adequate insurance coverage, including but not limited to:

• Public liability insurance
• Vehicle insurance (if using personal vehicles)
• Personal accident coverage
  The Platform assumes no liability for damages, losses, or injuries sustained during delivery.

26.4 Force Majeure – Expanded
Neither the Platform, Drivers, nor Partner Restaurants shall be liable for delays, failed deliveries, or damages caused by:

• Natural disasters, severe weather, floods, earthquakes, strikes or civil unrest
• War, armed conflict, acts of terrorism, or government-imposed sanctions or restrictions arising from any of the foregoing
• Traffic accidents, road closures, or public transport failures
• Power outages, internet failures, or Platform system downtime
• Pandemic-related restrictions or government-mandated closures
  Reasonable efforts will be made to mitigate disruptions, but no liability shall attach under such circumstances.

26.5 Limitation of Liability – Expanded
To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Platform’s total aggregate liability for any single order or series of related orders shall not exceed the total fees paid by the Customer for that order. This limit applies regardless of the cause, including negligence, breach of contract, or misrepresentation, except where liability cannot be excluded under UK law.

26.6 Indemnification
Customers, Drivers, and Partner Restaurants agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Platform from any claims, losses, damages, or liabilities arising out of:

• Misuse of the Platform
• Violation of this Policy or applicable law
• Fraudulent or negligent acts
• Delivery or preparation of orders outside the scope of this Policy

26.7 No Waiver
Failure by the Platform to enforce any provision of this Policy does not constitute a waiver of that provision or the Platform’s rights.

26.8 Severability
If any clause of this Policy is deemed invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

26.9 Governing Law and Jurisdiction – Expanded
This Policy, and all claims or disputes arising hereunder, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. All parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

26.10 Entire Agreement
This Policy, together with all associated agreements (Driver Subcontractor Agreement, Driver Compliance Agreement, Customer Terms of Use), constitutes the entire agreement regarding delivery responsibilities, risk allocation, and liability, superseding any prior oral or written agreements.

26.11 No Implied Obligations
No provision of this Policy shall create any obligations, warranties, or guarantees other than those expressly stated herein. All parties acknowledge that they have read and understood the terms.

26.12 Precedent for Risk Transfer
Risk allocation rules in this Policy are binding and shall take precedence over any contrary communications, including verbal statements, app notifications, or email correspondence.

26.13 Customer Consent to Platform Discretion: Customers acknowledge that the Platform’s role is strictly limited to administrative facilitation (see Section 30.13). Any assistance with evidence or communications does not involve the Platform reviewing, resolving, or making determinations on disputes. Such matters remain the responsibility of the restaurant (subject always to statutory consumer rights).

26.14 Fraud and Criminal Remedies
Any intentional misrepresentation, falsified evidence, or fraudulent claim may result in:

• Immediate account suspension or termination
• Civil recovery of all losses, fees, and damages
• Reporting to law enforcement for potential criminal prosecution

26.15 Audit and Record Retention
The Platform may retain all order, delivery, and evidence records for auditing, legal, or regulatory purposes. Records will be securely deleted after 180 days or when legally permissible, whichever is later.

26.16 No Third-Party Beneficiaries
Nothing in this Policy is intended to confer any rights or remedies to any third party, including Customers, except as expressly set forth.

27. Additional Risk, Evidence, and Liability Protections

27.1 High-Risk Deliveries
For deliveries classified as high-risk (fragile, perishable, unusually large, or delivered under unsafe or severe weather conditions), Drivers and Restaurants must document conditions via clear photographic or video evidence, GPS/location data, and timestamps. Failure to document high-risk conditions shifts all risk for damages or delays to the Customer. The Platform’s liability for high-risk deliveries is capped at the fees paid by the Customer for that order, except where liability cannot be excluded under UK law.

27.2 Evidence Integrity and Authentication
All photographic, video, or digital evidence submitted must be unaltered and verifiably authentic. Any tampering with timestamps, GPS metadata, or image/video content renders evidence invalid for discretionary compensation and may result in immediate personal liability and account termination. The Platform may employ automated or manual tools to verify authenticity of evidence.

27.3 Third-Party System Failures
The Platform is not liable for any failures, errors, delays, or losses caused by third-party systems, including but not limited to payment processors, mapping/navigation services, telecommunication networks, GPS, and software integrations. All risks arising from such third-party failures rest with the responsible party (Customer, Driver, or Restaurant), even if they affect delivery, evidence submission, or order acceptance.

27.4 Order Finality and No Informal Modifications
Orders placed through the Platform are final once submitted. Any modifications, substitutions, cancellations, or refunds must occur only through the Platform or the Partner Restaurant’s official channels. No verbal, written, or informal communications from any party can override this Policy.

27.5 Strict Timeframes for Evidence and Claims
Photographic, video, or other delivery evidence must be submitted within sixty (60) minutes of attempted delivery, unless a verified technical failure can be demonstrated. Claims or requests for discretionary compensation submitted outside this window will not be considered, except for statutory rights under UK law.

27.6 Waiver of Class or Collective Actions
All parties waive the right to initiate class, collective, or representative claims against the Platform. All disputes must be resolved individually under the dispute resolution procedure outlined in Section 17. For the avoidance of doubt, this waiver does not affect any rights available to consumers under UK law, including any rights to bring or participate in collective proceedings available under applicable UK legislation.

27.7 Customer Acknowledgement of Risk
By placing an order, Customers acknowledge and accept responsibility for providing accurate delivery addresses, ensuring accessible and safe delivery locations, and timely acceptance of orders. The Platform, Drivers, and Partner Restaurants shall not be liable for any losses arising from Customer negligence or failure to comply with these obligations.

27.8 Limitation of Platform Duty of Care
The Platform is solely a facilitator of transactions between Customers, Drivers, and Partner Restaurants. The Platform does not inspect, verify, or guarantee the quality, safety, preparation, allergen labeling, hygiene, or temperature of any order. All responsibility for the above remains with the Partner Restaurant.

27.9 Documentation and Record Retention
The Platform may retain all records, including order details, delivery evidence, and communications, for auditing, regulatory, legal, or dispute resolution purposes. Records will be securely deleted after 180 days or as soon as legally permissible, whichever is later.

27.10 Severability and Precedence
If any clause in this Section 27 is deemed invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of the Policy remains in full force. These provisions take precedence over any contradictory communications, notifications, or informal agreements.

27.11 Explicit Limitation on Duty to Verify
The Platform has no obligation to verify, audit, or monitor the accuracy, completeness, quality, safety, or packaging of orders, nor the authenticity of evidence submitted. All verification responsibilities rest with the submitting party (Driver, Restaurant, or Customer).

27.12 Liability Cap Reinforcement
Under no circumstances shall the Platform’s liability for any claims arising under or related to this Policy exceed the fees paid by the Customer for the relevant order(s), including but not limited to direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental losses, except where such limitation is prohibited by law.

27.13 No Reliance / Disclaimer of Representations
All parties acknowledge that they do not rely on any statements, representations, or warranties made by the Platform, whether oral or written, beyond those expressly set out in this Policy. No agent, employee, or representative of the Platform is authorised to make any additional commitments on its behalf.

27.14 Strict Evidence Submission Standards
All evidence (photographs, video, GPS logs, screenshots) must be submitted in the original format without alteration. The Platform reserves the right to reject any evidence that is incomplete, manipulated, or submitted outside the timeframes in Section 27.5. Submissions deemed invalid by the Platform cannot be used to hold the Platform liable.

27.15 No Implied Waivers or Estoppel
No delay, forbearance, or failure by the Platform to enforce any provision of this Policy shall constitute a waiver, estoppel, or acceptance of any liability. The Platform may enforce any provision at any time, even retroactively.

27.16 Exclusion of Third-Party Liability
The Platform is not responsible for any acts, omissions, or errors of third-party service providers, including Drivers, Restaurants, payment processors, and delivery tools. All such parties are independent and solely responsible for their own actions.

27.17 Right to Modify Procedures
The Platform may, at its discretion, update evidence submission procedures, dispute resolution methods, or risk allocation processes. Any such updates apply immediately to ongoing and future orders, provided that statutory rights under UK law are preserved. The Platform will notify all users via email/app notification at least 48 hours prior to changes affecting ongoing orders.

27.18 Indemnity for Fraud / Misrepresentation
Customers, Drivers, and Restaurants shall indemnify and hold the Platform harmless for any claims, losses, or damages arising from:
a) Fraudulent or false claims
b) Tampered or falsified evidence
c) Misrepresentation of orders or delivery conditions.

27.19 Electronic Agreement and Consent
Use of the Platform, submission of Delivery Codes, or photographic/video evidence constitutes electronic acknowledgment and agreement to all terms herein. Such consent is binding and enforceable under UK law.

27.20 No Obligation to Mediate or Compensate Outside Policy
The Platform is under no obligation to provide discretionary compensation, mediation, or adjustments outside the explicit procedures and timeframes defined in this Policy.

28. Additional Platform Protections

28.1 Explicit Customer Acknowledgment
By placing an order, Customers explicitly acknowledge that they have read, understood, and accepted the Delivery Responsibility, Risk Allocation, and Accountability Policy. Acceptance occurs via submission of an order through any ordering interface on which a URL link to this Policy is clearly displayed prior to submission. Failure to do so does not create any rights or obligations against the Platform.

28.2 Driver Equipment and Technology Disclaimer
Drivers are solely responsible for maintaining functional devices, internet connectivity, and app functionality. The Platform is not liable for delays, failed deliveries, or errors caused by hardware, software, network issues, or device malfunction on the Driver’s side.

28.3 Discretionary claims regarding missing, incorrect, or damaged items must be submitted through the official Platform channels within 24 hours of delivery. Claims submitted via alternative means or outside this timeframe may be rejected on logistical grounds (see Section 30.13), except to the extent required under non-excludable statutory consumer rights under UK law. All substantive decisions on such claims remain the responsibility of the restaurant.

28.4 Third-Party Systems Disclaimer
The Platform is not liable for any failure, error, delay, or loss caused by third-party systems or service providers, including but not limited to: payment processors, mapping/navigation providers, telecommunication networks, delivery tools, or other software used by Drivers or Restaurants.

28.5 Expanded Force Majeure / Government Restrictions
The Platform, Drivers, and Partner Restaurants are not liable for delays, failed deliveries, or damages caused by circumstances beyond reasonable control, including but not limited to: natural disasters, severe weather, wars, pandemics, government-mandated restrictions, strikes, road closures, public transport failures, or Platform system downtime. Reasonable efforts to mitigate disruptions will be made, but no liability shall attach under such circumstances.

28.6 Indemnification by Users
Customers, Drivers, and Partner Restaurants agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Platform for any losses, damages, or claims arising from:
a) Intentional misuse of the Platform
b) Providing inaccurate delivery information
c) Actions outside the Platform’s systems (unauthorised modifications, tampering, or unsafe practices)
d) Violations of applicable law, this Policy, or fraudulent acts

28.7 Dispute Resolution Location and Law
All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales. The Platform reserves the right to require internal dispute resolution before legal proceedings and may choose mediation or arbitration at its discretion.

28.8 No Reliance on Informal Communications
No verbal, written, or informal communications, app notifications, or email correspondence from any party override this Policy or create any additional obligations for the Platform.

28.9 Precedence of Policy and Updates
This Policy, including Section 28, takes precedence over any contrary statements, notifications, or informal agreements. The Platform may update procedures, risk allocation rules, or evidence submission requirements at any time, provided statutory rights under UK law are preserved.

28.10 Electronic Agreement
Use of the Platform, submission of Delivery Codes, or delivery evidence constitutes electronic acknowledgment and agreement to all terms herein. This consent is binding, enforceable under UK law, and applies to all orders, whether ongoing or future.

29. Platform Protections and Disclaimers

29.1 Platform Content Disclaimer:
The Platform is not responsible for any user-generated content, including but not limited to reviews, messages, photographs, or ratings, nor for any third-party advertising, promotions, or links. Users acknowledge that reliance on such content is at their own risk, and the Platform shall not be liable for any inaccuracies, disputes, or damages arising therefrom.

29.2 Technology and Software Limitations:
The Platform does not guarantee uninterrupted, error-free, or secure access to its software, applications, APIs, or integrations. Users assume all risks arising from technical failures, interruptions, or errors not caused by the Platform’s gross negligence.

29.3 User Conduct and Compliance:
Customers, Drivers, and Partner Restaurants must comply with all applicable laws, regulations, safety guidelines, and Platform rules. The Platform is not liable for losses, damages, or claims resulting from illegal, unsafe, negligent, or unauthorised actions of any user.

29.4 Class, Collective, and Representative Actions Waiver:
All disputes must be resolved individually. Users waive any right to participate in or initiate class, collective, or representative claims against the Platform. For the avoidance of doubt, this waiver does not affect any rights available to consumers under UK law, including any rights to bring or participate in collective proceedings available under applicable UK legislation.

29.5 No Guarantee or Performance Disclaimer:
The Platform makes no guarantees regarding delivery times, order quality, food safety, order accuracy, or customer satisfaction. Responsibility for such matters rests solely with the Partner Restaurant and/or Driver as applicable.

29.6 Indemnity for Third-Party Claims:
Users agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Platform from any claims, losses, damages, or liabilities brought by third parties arising from:
a) Use of the Platform,
b) Delivery or preparation of orders,
c) Violation of this Policy, applicable law, or any fraudulent act.

29.7 Software / Hardware Instructions:
Drivers and Restaurants are responsible for correctly following any instructions provided by the Platform’s software, apps, or tools. Errors or failures caused by misinterpretation, misuse, or malfunction of personal devices are the responsibility of the user and shall not create liability for the Platform.

29.8 Severability Reinforcement:
If any provision in this Section 29 or elsewhere in this Policy is found invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect, continuing to provide full protection to the Platform.

29.9 Any administrative assessment or facilitation performed by the Platform (for example, forwarding evidence or processing a restaurant-authorised refund) is for logistical purposes only and is not a final or binding determination on any substantive issue (see Section 30.13). All decisions regarding food quality, safety, order accuracy, refunds, compensation, or risk allocation remain the sole responsibility of the restaurant (subject always to statutory consumer rights). This clause does not limit any party’s right to pursue legal remedies under UK law where permitted.

29.10 Cybersecurity and Data Breach Limitations:
The Platform is not liable for losses arising from unauthorised access, hacking, malware, or other cyber incidents beyond its reasonable control. Users are responsible for safeguarding their login credentials and access to Platform systems.

29.11 Precedence and Integration:
This Section 29 shall take precedence over any conflicting statements, informal communications, app notifications, or prior agreements. It supplements all other Sections of this Policy, including Sections 1–31, and is enforceable in conjunction with all applicable UK law.

29.12 In case of Platform downtime, GPS failure, or app errors, all submissions, timings, or evidence will be verified using system logs. The Platform is not liable for any losses resulting from third-party technical failures.

29.13 Users waive any right to initiate class, collective, or representative claims against the Platform. All disputes must be resolved individually according to the Policy. For the avoidance of doubt, this waiver does not affect any rights available to consumers under UK law, including any rights to bring or participate in collective proceedings available under applicable UK legislation.

30. Additional Clarifications

30.1 Inspection Windows and Delivery Code Timing:

• Customers acknowledge that inspection windows (5–10 minutes standard, 20 minutes for complex orders) are reasonable estimates.
• For unusually large or complex orders, additional inspection time may be required. Risk transfers upon submission of the Delivery Code or valid photographic/video evidence.
• Submission of the Delivery Code constitutes acknowledgment that sufficient inspection time has occurred.

30.2 Orders classified as fragile, perishable, unusually large, or delivered under unsafe/severe conditions must be explicitly marked by the Restaurant in the order details.

• Drivers and Customers acknowledge receipt of these notifications. Failure to document or notify does not shift liability to the Platform.
• Risk for high-risk items transfers according to standard procedures once evidence or Delivery Code is provided.

30.3A Food Safety, Allergens, and Contamination:

• Food Safety and Allergen Disclaimer. Food offered through the Platform may be prepared in shared or multi‑user kitchens. Allergenic ingredients may be present in menu items, or may be added in preparation, even if not listed on the restaurant’s menu. THE PLATFORM DOES NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PRESENCE OF ALLERGENS OR FOR CROSS‑CONTAMINATION; ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACCURATE ALLERGEN INFORMATION, SAFE PREPARATION, AND ANY RESULTING LIABILITY RESTS SOLELY WITH THE PARTNER RESTAURANT. Customers with allergies or intolerances should contact the Partner Restaurant directly before placing an order and are responsible for determining whether dishes are safe for them to consume.
• Restaurants remain fully responsible for food quality, safety, allergen labeling, and hygiene until accepted by the Driver.
• The Platform does not guarantee or verify the safety, preparation, or allergen compliance of any items.
• Customers are responsible for reviewing allergen and safety information provided by the Restaurant prior to consumption.

30.3B Where a Customer claims to have experienced an allergic reaction in connection with an order, the Customer is strongly advised to seek medical attention immediately and to retain any medical documentation. The Customer acknowledges that fraudulent claims of allergic reactions are a serious matter and may constitute criminal fraud. The Platform will flag any Customer who makes repeated allergic reaction claims to its compliance monitoring system for assessment under Section 15.3A. Nothing in this clause affects any Customer’s genuine statutory rights in connection with allergen-related harm.

30.4 Third-Party Service Failures:

• All delivery times are estimates. Delays or errors caused by payment processors, mapping/navigation tools, telecommunication networks, or other third-party systems do not create liability for the Platform, Driver, or Restaurant.
• Evidence submitted during technical failures follows standard rules for risk transfer once verified.

30.5 Evidence Standards and Dispute Review:

• All photographic, video, or GPS/location evidence must be unaltered and complete. Any manipulation invalidates the evidence and may result in personal liability.
• Submission outside the 60-minute window is invalid unless delayed by verified technical failure.

30.6 Restaurant Risk Allocation:

• Risk remains with the Restaurant until PIN acceptance via Delivery Code or valid evidence.
• Missing items not delivered or accepted remain the responsibility of the Restaurant.

30.7 Force Majeure and Government Restrictions:

• Neither the Platform, Drivers, nor Restaurants are liable for delays, failed deliveries, or damages caused by events beyond reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, severe weather, strikes, war, armed conflict, acts of terrorism, or government-imposed sanctions or restrictions arising from any of the foregoing, pandemics, road closures, or Platform downtime.
• Reasonable efforts will be made to mitigate disruption, but no liability shall attach under such circumstances.

30.8 Data Retention and Evidence Privacy:

• All evidence is securely stored up to 180 days or as legally required.
• Evidence is encrypted, access is limited to authorised personnel, and deletion occurs after dispute resolution or legal retention period.
• Customers, Drivers, and Restaurants consent to storage and use of such evidence solely for dispute resolution, audits, and regulatory purposes.

30.9 Customer Consent and Acknowledgment:

• Customers are deemed to have acknowledged acceptance of this Policy by submitting their order through any ordering interface on which a clear URL link to this Policy is displayed prior to submission. No further active step is required beyond submitting the order.
• Use of the Platform, submission of Delivery Codes, or photographic/video evidence constitutes binding electronic agreement.
• Failure to read or review the full Policy does not create liability for the Platform.

30.10 Clarification of Platform Role:

• The Platform acts solely as a facilitator of transactions between Customers, Drivers, and Restaurants.
• The Platform does not inspect, guarantee, or endorse the quality, safety, preparation, allergen labeling, hygiene, or packaging of any orders.
• All responsibility for the above rests with the Restaurant, and standard risk transfer rules apply as outlined in Sections 1–29.

30.11 Integration and Precedence:

• This Section 30 supplements all prior Sections and takes precedence over any informal communications, app notifications, verbal statements, or emails.
• All parties agree that Sections 1–31 constitute the full framework for delivery responsibility, risk allocation, and accountability.

30.12 Risk Transfer and Delivery Confirmation: Risk for the food itself (quality, safety, description, and compliance with the Consumer Rights Act 2015) remains with the Partner Restaurant until the goods are delivered to you. Risk associated with the physical delivery (loss, damage in transit, delay after collection) transfers from the restaurant to the independent driver upon collection, and from the driver to you upon successful confirmation of receipt. Submission of the Delivery Code (or clear, unaltered photographic/video evidence showing the order handed over in good condition) constitutes your confirmation that you have had a reasonable opportunity to inspect the order and that the delivery process is complete for the purposes of this platform’s dispute and compensation process. This confirmation does not affect or limit the restaurant’s statutory obligations or your non-excludable legal rights against the restaurant under UK consumer law (including the right to reject faulty or misdescribed goods even after receipt). Any claim for breach of the contract for the sale of goods must be directed to the restaurant.

30.13 Platform Role – Strictly Limited Facilitation: Virtuous Restaurants Ltd acts solely as a technology intermediary and marketplace facilitator. We do not review, decide, or determine the outcome of any food quality, safety, order accuracy, or delivery complaints. Our only involvement in any disputes is strictly administrative: we may forward your evidence and messages to the restaurant if requested, and process a refund or other remedy only if the restaurant gives us prior written authorisation. Any language appearing elsewhere on this site or in any communication that refers to the Platform “reviewing”, “handling”, “investigating”, or “determining” issues means purely logistical assistance and does not create any legal responsibility, duty of care, or decision-making power on our part. The restaurant remains solely responsible for deciding on refunds, replacements, or any other remedies (subject always to your non-excludable statutory consumer rights under UK law). This strictly limited facilitation role applies equally in the context of the commercial relationship between the Platform and Partner Restaurants. Any language in the Platform Services Agreement referring to the Platform “reviewing,” “collaborating,” “assisting,” or “determining” in the context of refunds or disputes describes only this same logistical and administrative function and does not create any duty of care, implied warranty, or decision-making obligation on the part of the Platform beyond the administrative processing of properly authorised refunds.

For the further avoidance of doubt, the strictly limited facilitation role described in this Section applies equally to payment adjustment decisions affecting independent drivers. The Platform does not investigate, review, evaluate, or determine whether any driver is liable for any missing, incorrect, or damaged item. Any payment adjustment applied to a driver’s earnings is made solely on the basis of objective data generated automatically by the Platform’s own technology systems as described in Sections 3.1C and 3.1D. No third party statement, account, or report — including any statement from a Partner Restaurant — constitutes a basis for any payment adjustment decision by the Platform.

30.14 For the avoidance of doubt, the restriction on the Platform’s decision-making role in this Section applies to disputes regarding food quality, safety, order accuracy, and delivery. It does not prevent the Platform from administratively authorising pre-settlement pickup refunds in accordance with the procedure set out in the Platform Services Agreement, which constitutes a technical processing function rather than a substantive determination of fault or liability.

31. Limitations, Consumer Safeguards, Evidence & Data Protection

31.1 Statutory Rights Preserved: Nothing in this Policy excludes or limits any consumer rights that cannot lawfully be limited under applicable UK law. To the extent any provision of this Policy conflicts with such statutory rights, that statutory right will prevail. References to specific legislation in this Policy include references to any legislation that amends, replaces, consolidates, or supersedes it.

31.2 Key contractual effects of this Policy (including: risk transfer upon Delivery Code submission; use and retention of photographic/video evidence; limits on liability; and any waiver of collective remedies) are brought to Customers’ attention by clear, prominent display of a direct URL link to this Policy at the point of order, positioned visibly within or immediately adjacent to the checkout interface before the Customer submits their order. Submission of an order through any such interface constitutes the Customer’s acceptance of this Policy as in force at the time of submission, provided the URL was clearly displayed. The Platform will maintain records of the checkout interface configuration, including the placement and visibility of the Policy URL, as evidence of the notice provided to Customers. The Platform is solely responsible for ensuring the Policy URL is clearly displayed in the ordering interface it provides. This notice is consistent across all Partner Restaurant deployments as the ordering interface is operated and controlled by the Platform. The Platform will use reasonable endeavours to maintain such records. Any failure to retain configuration records due to technical limitations, system updates, or events beyond the Platform’s reasonable control shall not affect the validity of the URL-based acceptance mechanism or the enforceability of these Terms against any party.

31.3 Reasonableness and Exceptions. Timeframes and evidence standards in this Policy (including inspection windows and the 60‑minute evidence submission rule) are reasonable estimates and may be extended where (a) an order is large or complex; (b) there is verified technical or network failure; or (c) other exceptional circumstances exist.

The Platform may perform a limited administrative check to accept alternative or supplementary evidence where strict compliance is not possible in good faith (see Section 30.13).

31.4 Consumer Protection and Unfair Terms: The Platform will not rely on any clause that a competent court or regulator determines to be an unfair term within the meaning of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or any equivalent applicable UK consumer protection legislation. The Platform will not enforce provisions that would contravene mandatory consumer protection legislation.

For the avoidance of doubt, a Customer making a genuine good-faith complaint about a missing item, food quality, or delivery issue in the normal exercise of their statutory rights is not subject to the fraud and misrepresentation provisions of this Policy. Those provisions apply exclusively to deliberate falsification, manipulation, or bad-faith exploitation of the claims process. Nothing in this Policy is intended to discourage Customers from exercising their genuine statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

31.5 Data protection and evidence retention: Photographic, video and related delivery evidence are personal data. The Platform processes such data on the lawful bases of: (a) performance of the contract; and (b) the Platform’s legitimate interests in fraud prevention, dispute resolution and record‑keeping. Evidence will be retained no longer than is necessary to resolve disputes, meet legal obligations or regulatory requirements (generally no more than 180 days), and will be stored securely with appropriate access controls, encryption, and audit logging. A formal data retention schedule and deletion procedure will be maintained and published in the Privacy Policy.

Where the Platform receives a Data Subject Access Request from any user in circumstances where disclosure would be likely to prejudice the prevention or detection of crime, the apprehension or prosecution of offenders, or the assessment or collection of any tax or duty, the Platform may apply the relevant exemptions under Schedule 2 of the Data Protection Act 2018 to withhold information forming part of an active fraud investigation or compliance review. The Platform’s Privacy Policy sets out full details of how personal data is processed, how Data Subject Access Requests are handled, and how any applicable exemptions are applied.

31.6 Proof integrity and chain of custody: The Platform may use automated or manual tools solely for basic verification of evidence integrity and completeness for logistical and operational purposes (see Section 30.13). This limited administrative check does not involve reviewing, investigating, determining, or deciding the substantive merits of any claim, risk allocation, liability, or compensation issue. If evidence appears altered, manipulated, or materially incomplete, the Platform may reject it on logistical grounds only and will forward the matter to the restaurant (or relevant party) where appropriate. The Platform will maintain a secure, auditable chain of custody for each piece of evidence submitted through the platform and will provide a summary of retained evidence to any party that has a lawful entitlement to receive it (subject to applicable data protection and privacy constraints).

Nothing in this section creates any legal responsibility, duty of care, or decision-making power on the part of the Platform (see Section 30.13 for the strictly limited facilitation role). All substantive responsibility for the food, order, or any remedies remains with the restaurant (subject always to your non-excludable statutory consumer rights under UK law).

31.7 Liability and carve‑outs: Any liability caps or limitations in this Policy do not apply to death or personal injury resulting from negligence, or other liabilities that cannot be limited or excluded by law. The Platform’s liability for any single order is capped at the fees paid for that order except where statute or public policy prevents such caps.

31.8 The Platform provides an administrative facilitation service only for delivery-related communications (see Section 30.13). It does not provide a decision-making or dispute-resolution process and does not review, investigate, determine, or resolve any food quality, safety, order accuracy, or compensation issues. Our role is strictly limited to forwarding evidence and messages to the restaurant (or relevant party) if requested, and processing a refund or other remedy only if the restaurant gives prior written authorisation. Where a matter cannot be resolved directly with the restaurant, parties may seek mediation, arbitration, or court remedies as permitted by law (subject always to non-excludable statutory rights). Nothing in this Policy prevents a customer from pursuing any statutory remedies against the restaurant or any other party in court where available under UK law (including the Consumer Rights Act 2015).

31.9 Insurance, indemnities and third parties. Restaurants and Drivers must maintain appropriate insurance coverage as recommended by the Platform. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Customers, Drivers and Restaurants agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Platform from claims arising from their negligence, breach of this Policy, or fraudulent actions.

31.10 No implied assurances. The Platform provides a facilitation service only and does not (unless explicitly stated in writing) inspect, guarantee, or endorse the quality, safety, allergen handling, hygiene, or preparation of food. Statements to the contrary in marketing, third‑party content, or other communications do not create any additional obligations unless expressly incorporated into a written contract.

31.11 The Platform will periodically update this Policy to maintain compliance with law and regulatory guidance. Notice of material changes will be provided to users in advance where practicable.

Where the Platform undergoes a fundamental change in the nature of its delivery technology — including but not limited to the introduction of autonomous delivery vehicles, drone delivery, AI- operated fulfilment systems, or any other technological development that materially alters the method by which orders are transported or confirmed — the Platform shall issue an updated version of this Policy via email notification to all active Partner Restaurants and via the official driver communication channel, with a minimum of 30 days’ notice before the updated version takes effect. All parties who continue to use the Platform after the effective date of the updated Policy are deemed to have accepted it. This provision is designed to ensure that the Platform’s compliance framework adapts with the technology it operates, maintaining its foundational principles of fair risk allocation, documented responsibility, and preserved consumer rights regardless of the delivery mechanism in use.

Where the Platform introduces autonomous delivery technology (including drone delivery), the Platform will issue an updated version of this Policy via email to all active Partner Restaurants and via the official driver communication channel with a minimum of 30 days’ notice. Existing Driver Subcontractor Agreements and Driver Supplier Agreements govern only the engagement of human independent delivery drivers and do not extend to, apply to, or create any rights or obligations in connection with the Platform’s autonomous delivery operations. Independent human drivers may continue to operate alongside autonomous delivery mechanisms under their existing agreements. The existence of autonomous delivery operations does not alter, reduce, or terminate any existing Driver Subcontractor Agreement.

31.12 The Platform acts solely as a facilitator between Customers, Drivers, and Partner Restaurants. It does not prepare, cook, repackage, or otherwise transform any food or beverage items. All responsibility for the quality, safety, allergen labeling, preparation, and hygiene of food rests with the Partner Restaurant. Nothing in this statement limits Customers’ statutory rights under applicable UK law.

31.13 Nothing in this Policy limits or affects Customers’ statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, nor liability for gross negligence, fraud, or other acts that cannot be excluded under applicable UK law. Force majeure events or statutory duties may override the terms herein where required by law.

31.14 No verbal, email, or app message from any party (Driver, Restaurant, or Customer) can modify the terms of this Policy. Only official Platform procedures or agreements are valid

31.15 Distinction Between Customer and Restaurant Claims – For the avoidance of doubt, the liability caps set out in Sections 19.1, 26.5, and 27.12 of this Policy apply exclusively to claims brought by Customers in respect of individual orders. They do not govern, replace, or supersede the liability caps applicable to disputes between the Platform and Partner Restaurants, which are governed by the Platform Services Agreement between those parties. Where a Partner Restaurant raises a claim arising from or connected to a delivery or order dispute, the applicable liability cap is that set out in the Platform Services Agreement, not the per-order customer cap in this Policy. The precedence of this Policy over the Platform Services Agreement applies only in respect of operational matters of risk allocation, refund procedure, and complaint handling — not in respect of the aggregate financial liability between the Platform and a Partner Restaurant as commercial contracting parties.

31.16 Scope of liability caps — consumer claims distinguished from commercial claims

31.16-A.1 The liability caps set out in Sections 19.1, 26.5, and 27.12 of this Policy apply exclusively to claims brought by Customers in respect of individual orders placed through the Platform. They reflect the per-transaction nature of consumer claims and are calibrated to the fees a Customer pays for a single order.

31.16.A.2 These per-order caps do not govern, reduce, replace, or supersede the liability framework applicable to disputes between the Platform and Partner Restaurants as commercial contracting parties. The financial liability of the Platform to a Partner Restaurant is governed exclusively by the Platform Services Agreement between those parties, which contains its own liability cap provisions reflecting the commercial relationship between the parties.

31.16.A.3 The precedence of this Policy over the Platform Services Agreement operates in respect of operational matters only — including risk allocation for individual orders, refund procedure, verification obligations, driver responsibilities, and complaint handling. It does not operate to alter or diminish the aggregate financial liability framework agreed between the Platform and a Partner Restaurant in their commercial agreement.

31.16.A.4 Where any provision of this Policy would, if applied to a dispute between the Platform and a Partner Restaurant, produce a result inconsistent with the commercial liability framework in the Platform Services Agreement, the Platform Services Agreement shall govern the financial quantum of any liability between those commercial parties, and this Policy shall govern the allocation of responsibility for the underlying operational matter.

31.16.A.5 Nothing in this Section affects any non-excludable consumer rights under UK law.

31.17 Late payment on commercial invoices — legitimate business interest

31.17.A.1 Where a Partner Restaurant is issued an invoice by the Platform in connection with an unauthorised refund, post-settlement refund, or associated administrative charge under the Platform Services Agreement, prompt payment is essential to the Platform’s ability to operate as a small business with constrained cash flow and direct Stripe reconciliation obligations.

31.17.A.2 The parties acknowledge and agree that delayed payment of such invoices causes the Platform genuine and measurable operational harm beyond that which is compensated by statutory interest alone, including: disruption to Stripe Connect reconciliation cycles; manual re-processing costs; extended exposure to chargeback risk during the unresolved period; diversion of administrative resource from operational functions; and the cost of recovery steps. These costs are not speculative — they arise directly and consistently from each instance of non-payment.

31.17.A.3 Accordingly, the daily late payment rate applicable to overdue commercial invoices under the Platform Services Agreement represents a genuine pre-estimate of these cascading operational losses, agreed by the parties at the time of contracting after a full and reasonable opportunity to review and seek independent advice. The parties confirm this rate is not intended as, and shall not be construed as, a penalty. It is compensatory in nature, reflecting the Platform’s legitimate interest in prompt commercial settlement.

31.17.A.4 This Section applies solely to commercial invoices issued to Partner Restaurants under the Platform Services Agreement. It does not apply to or affect any consumer rights or obligations.

31.17.A.5 Nothing in this Section affects the Platform’s right to recover statutory interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 in addition to or in substitution for any contractual rate, at the Platform’s election.

31.18 Marketplace App — content display and data processing

31.18.A.1 Partner Restaurants that are included in the Marketplace App as a standard condition of their Platform Services Agreement consent to the Platform displaying, hosting, aggregating, and making publicly available their menu items, pricing, descriptions, images, availability information, and allergen summaries within the Marketplace App for the purpose of enabling customer discovery and ordering.

31.18.A.2 The Platform processes the restaurant’s content data described in 31.18.A.1 on the legal basis of the contractual licence granted in the Platform Services Agreement and the restaurant’s acknowledgement of the mandatory standard condition set out therein. The restaurant remains the data controller for any personal data of its customers that flows through orders originating from the Marketplace App.

31.18.A.3 The restaurant remains solely and fully responsible for the accuracy, completeness, allergen compliance, pricing legality, and regulatory compliance of all content displayed in the Marketplace App. The Platform hosts and displays this content as provided by the restaurant without independent verification, endorsement, or assessment. Restaurant obligations regarding content accuracy under this Policy and the Platform Services Agreement apply equally to content displayed in the Marketplace App.

31.18.A.4 Any customer who places an order through the Marketplace App contracts directly with the relevant restaurant. The Platform’s role in the Marketplace App is that of technology host and facilitator only. All provisions of this Policy regarding the Platform’s limited facilitation role, the allocation of responsibility for food quality and order accuracy, and the customer’s rights against the restaurant apply equally to orders placed through the Marketplace App.

31.18.A.5 Partner Restaurants may withdraw from the Marketplace App at any time by written notice to admin@virtuousrestaurants.com, subject to any applicable notice period in their Platform Services Agreement. Withdrawal takes effect from the date confirmed in writing by the Platform.

31.18.A.6 Partner Restaurants must ensure their own customer-facing privacy notices disclose that orders placed through their menus may be facilitated through a shared marketplace platform operated by Virtuous Restaurants Ltd, to the extent required by UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

31.19 Commercial invoice payment obligations — timeframe hierarchy

31.19.A.1 Where the Platform Services Agreement imposes a 24-hour payment deadline for commercial invoices issued to a Partner Restaurant (including invoices for post-settlement unauthorised refunds and associated administrative charges), that 24-hour deadline is the primary and immediate payment obligation. It is not suspended, extended, or modified by any other timeframe referred to in the Platform Services Agreement.

31.19.A.2 The 3-day period referenced in the Platform Services Agreement’s dispute resolution provisions applies exclusively to the commencement of formal mediation proceedings between the parties. It is a minimum notice period before formal mediation is initiated — it does not extend, pause, or waive the 24-hour primary payment obligation. A Partner Restaurant may raise a dispute in writing within that 3-day window without the dispute suspending the payment obligation.

31.19.A.3 The 8-day period referenced in the Platform Services Agreement governs the earliest point at which the Platform may exercise its right to deduct outstanding amounts from future settlements payable to the Partner Restaurant. It operates as a minimum notice period protecting the Partner Restaurant before any settlement deduction occurs — it does not extend the primary payment deadline.

31.19.A.4 These three periods therefore operate sequentially and independently: (i) payment is due within 24 hours of invoice issuance; (ii) if unpaid, a written dispute may be raised within 3 days of invoice issuance, which triggers informal negotiation but does not pause the payment obligation; (iii) if still unpaid after 8 days, the Platform may begin deducting from future settlements on written notice. Raising a dispute in good faith will be taken into account by the Platform in exercising its deduction right, but does not as a matter of contract suspend or delay that right.

31.19.A.5 This Section applies solely to commercial invoice obligations between the Platform and Partner Restaurants. It does not affect any consumer rights or obligations.

31.20 Interpretive authority — scope of Section 30.13

31.20.A.1 The restriction on the Platform’s decision-making and investigative role set out in Section 30.13 of this Policy applies exclusively to consumer-facing complaint handling, refund processing, and dispute resolution between the Platform, Partner Restaurants, and Customers in connection with individual orders.

31.20.A.2 Section 30.13 does not limit or affect the Platform’s right under the Platform Services Agreement to make reasonable determinations regarding the interpretation of conflicting contractual provisions as between the Platform and a Partner Restaurant in a commercial dispute. That interpretive authority operates in the sphere of B2B contract administration and is entirely distinct from the consumer-facing facilitation restrictions in Section 30.13.

31.20.A.3 For the avoidance of doubt: any language in the Platform Services Agreement referring to the Platform “reviewing,” “collaborating,” “assisting,” or “determining” in the context of refunds or disputes describes the same administrative facilitation function defined in Section 30.13 and does not create any duty of care, implied warranty, or decision-making obligation on the part of the Platform beyond the administrative processing of properly authorised refunds.

Section 31.21 — Platform Operational Standards, Driver Engagement, Marketplace Transparency, and Allergen Protocol (Platform Operational Standards and Transparency)

31.21.A.1 — Dynamic Delivery Pricing: The delivery charge applied to orders placed through the Platform is a consumer-facing marketplace service charge that reflects real-time supply and demand conditions in the relevant local area. It is not driver remuneration, a wage, a piece rate, or a rate card for driver labour. The Platform exercises no direction or control over driver earnings through this mechanism. When driver availability is high relative to order volume, the delivery charge is reduced to stimulate consumer demand, generating additional job opportunities for available Drivers. When order volume is high relative to driver availability, the charge increases to reflect scarcity conditions and incentivise availability. This market-responsive pricing is determined by the Platform’s assessment of real-time supply and demand. Drivers may decline any delivery opportunity regardless of the delivery charge applicable to that opportunity, and such a decision carries no penalty, consequence, or reduction in future opportunities whatsoever. The delivery charge is a signal about consumer demand conditions; it does not create any obligation on any Driver and does not constitute direction of driver behaviour or labour. The fee payable for each delivery opportunity is determined by the Platform in accordance with its pricing model (which may take into account factors such as distance, time, demand and other relevant variables) and will be notified to the Driver via the Platform prior to acceptance. Each delivery opportunity constitutes an individual offer which the Driver is free to accept or decline. No fee shall be payable unless and until the Driver accepts the relevant delivery opportunity. The Platform reserves the right to set and vary its pricing model and the fees offered for delivery opportunities at its discretion from time to time. Such variations shall apply only to future delivery opportunities and shall not affect fees already accepted by the Driver.

The Platform’s delivery opportunity distribution algorithm does not use a Driver’s historical acceptance patterns, historical availability, or historical response times as a variable in determining the frequency or nature of future delivery opportunities presented to that Driver. Opportunities are distributed based on current proximity and real-time demand conditions only.

31.21.A.2 — Technology Access and Driver Safety Decisions: The Platform does not operate a performance management, disciplinary, or underperformance process in respect of independent Drivers, as no employment or worker relationship exists between the Platform and any Driver. The Platform does not monitor Driver acceptance rates, does not impose minimum engagement requirements, and does not take corrective or disciplinary action in respect of Driver conduct. Where the Platform becomes aware, through verified and documented third-party evidence, that a Driver’s continued access to the Platform’s technology poses a material safety risk, constitutes a verified breach of the Driver Registration Agreement (including but not limited to confirmed insurance lapse, confirmed right-to-work failure, or confirmed fraudulent manipulation of delivery confirmation systems), or involves confirmed criminal conduct in connection with a Platform delivery, the Platform may elect to cease making its technology available to that Driver. This is a technology access decision made by the Platform as a technology provider — equivalent in character to any software provider’s right to restrict access for a terms breach — and does not constitute disciplinary action, dismissal, or any other employment law concept. No Driver holds any right to continued access to the Platform’s technology, and the cessation of access does not create or evidence any employment or worker relationship. All such technology access decisions are documented in writing, identifying the specific verified event that triggered the decision, and retained in the Platform’s compliance records.

31.21.A.3 — Driver Ratings: Transparency Information Only: Driver ratings displayed within the Platform’s backend driver application interface are generated by customers based on their experience of the delivery. They are not generated, weighted, or modified by the Platform. The Platform does not use driver ratings for any of the following purposes: determining which Drivers receive delivery opportunities; algorithmically deprioritising or prioritising Drivers based on rating; making technology access decisions; or any other form of Driver management or control. The Platform may make available to customers limited Driver information, including the Driver’s name and contact number, solely for the purposes of facilitating the delivery, enabling customers to verify the name of the Driver at the point of delivery, and allowing customers to communicate in relation to that delivery and provide feedback. Such information is provided on a limited, purpose-specific basis and must not be used by customers for any other purpose, including marketing, harassment, or any form of unauthorised contact. The Platform reserves the right to determine the nature and extent of Driver information shared with customers and to modify such information at its discretion in order to comply with applicable data protection laws and operational requirements. A Driver’s rating, whether high or low, has no effect on the volume, frequency, or nature of delivery opportunities made available to that Driver through the Platform’s systems.

Customer contact information shared with Drivers (including but not limited to the customer’s name, delivery address, and contact telephone number) is provided solely for the purpose of facilitating the specific delivery to which it relates. Drivers must not use, retain, or contact customers using this information for any purpose other than completing the active delivery. Customer contact details are accessible to the Driver only during the active delivery window and are deleted from the driver-facing application within 72 hours of delivery confirmation or cancellation.

31.21.A.4 — Marketplace App Ranking Parameters (P2B Regulation Disclosure): In compliance with The Online Intermediation Services for Business Users (Enforcement) Regulations 2020, the Platform hereby discloses the main parameters used to determine the ranking order in which Partner Restaurants are displayed within the Marketplace App, and the relative weighting of those parameters.

Primary parameter — Google Reviews aggregate rating (50% weighting): The aggregate customer rating for each Partner Restaurant as publicly displayed on Google Reviews. This parameter is chosen because it represents the most widely trusted, independently verified, and publicly available quality signal for any food business, generated by real customers independently of the Platform. The Platform does not control, influence, or modify Google Reviews data. A higher aggregate Google rating results in a higher ranking position.

Secondary parameter — Demonstrable social media brand-building effort (50% weighting): An assessment of the Partner Restaurant’s demonstrable investment in its brand and customer relationships through its public social media presence, evaluated by reference to posting frequency, content quality, follower engagement, and consistency of brand communication. This parameter rewards Partner Restaurants that demonstrate active commitment to their customer relationships and brand identity. Assessment is made by the Platform periodically and updated when material changes in a Partner Restaurant’s social media presence are identified.

These are the only two parameters used to determine ranking. The Platform does not accept payment, commission, or any other consideration in exchange for ranking position. All Partner Restaurants included in the Marketplace App are displayed and accessible to customers — ranking affects display order only, not whether a restaurant is included. Restaurants are displayed in groups of six per screen, with all participating restaurants accessible through successive screens.

Partner Restaurants who wish to raise concerns about their ranking or request a review of the assessment of their social media presence may do so by contacting admin@virtuousrestaurants.com. The Platform will respond to such requests within fifteen (15) business days.

31.21.A.5 — Payment Facilitation Structure: All customer payments are processed within Stripe’s own FCA-authorised payment infrastructure under Stripe’s e-money institution authorisation. Customer funds flow into a Stripe-managed account structure and are automatically disbursed to Partner Restaurant Stripe Connect accounts through Stripe’s automated settlement system, applying the percentage arrangements agreed in each Partner Restaurant’s Platform Services Agreement. Disbursement is automated, rule-based, and non-discretionary — it occurs through integrated software without human intervention on individual transactions. The Platform does not hold customer funds at its own discretion.

Under this structure, the Platform acts as a commercial agent facilitating transactions between customers and Partner Restaurants, rather than as a payment institution.

All payment services are provided by Stripe, a regulated payment service provider. Customer payments are processed through Stripe’s infrastructure and are settled directly to connected accounts in accordance with pre-configured settlement parameters.

The Platform does not hold customer funds for its own bank account and does not exercise discretion over individual payment flows. Any settlement timing applied is predetermined, applied uniformly, and forms part of the Platform’s standard commercial arrangement with Partner Restaurants. The Platform’s role is limited to facilitating the underlying commercial transaction and instructing payment flows within Stripe’s regulated environment.

Each Partner Restaurant’s net settlement per transaction is calculated as the total transaction value, less: (a) the applicable Stripe processing fee for that transaction; (b) the Platform’s service fee or commission percentage as agreed in that Partner Restaurant’s Platform Services Agreement; and (c) any delivery fee or other deductions as applicable under that Platform Services Agreement. The resulting net amount is automatically disbursed to the Partner Restaurant’s Stripe connected account through Stripe’s automated settlement system. The deduction structure applicable to each Partner Restaurant is set out in their individual Platform Services Agreement.

Partner Restaurants have access to their own real-time transaction and settlement data directly through their Stripe connected account dashboard. Where a Partner Restaurant requires confirmation of specific payment amounts, payout dates, or deduction breakdowns for identified transactions, the Platform will provide this information upon request with reference to the relevant transaction IDs or order reference numbers. Requests should be directed to admin@virtuousrestaurants.com.

31.21.A.6 — Allergen Information Update Protocol: The Platform is committed to maintaining the accuracy of allergen information displayed through its ordering interfaces, to the maximum extent possible given that all allergen information is provided by and remains the sole legal responsibility of the Partner Restaurant. At a minimum of every three (3) months, the Platform will send a written communication to each active Partner Restaurant via the Partner Restaurant’s provided email address or dedicated WhatsApp support channel, explicitly requesting confirmation that all allergen information currently displayed in the ordering widget is accurate, current, and compliant with all applicable UK food allergen legislation including Natasha’s Law and the Food Information for Consumers Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 as retained in UK law. The communication will name the legal obligation, specify the information that requires review, and provide a clear mechanism for the Partner Restaurant to submit updates.

Where a Partner Restaurant does not respond to an allergen update request within seven (7) days, the Platform may (but shall not be obliged to) issue a follow-up communication via the same or an alternative channel. The Partner Restaurant remains solely responsible for the accuracy, completeness and timeliness of all allergen and food information provided to the Platform.

The Platform shall be deemed to have satisfied its obligation to take reasonable steps to obtain updated allergen information where it has made an initial request and at least one follow-up attempt. The Platform shall not be liable for any failure by a Partner Restaurant to respond or to provide accurate or updated information. All allergen update communications — including the date of despatch, the channel used, and any response received — will be recorded in the Platform’s operational compliance log and retained for a minimum of six (6) years.

The allergen update protocol does not transfer or reduce the Partner Restaurant’s sole and complete responsibility for the accuracy of allergen information. It constitutes the Platform’s voluntary proactive due diligence step in furtherance of customer safety, and evidence of this protocol will be maintained and available for production in any regulatory investigation or legal proceedings.

31.21.A.7 — Physical Quick Guide: Every Partner Restaurant onboarded to the Platform is provided with a laminated physical Quick Guide setting out the key operational procedures applicable to the Platform’s ordering and delivery system, including driver verification procedures, the delivery PIN system, the allergen update obligation, and the contact details for Platform support. The Quick Guide is provided at the point of onboarding and re-issued whenever material changes to operational procedures are made. Partner Restaurants are required under Clause 4.12 of this Policy to keep the laminated Quick Guide accessible on their premises at all times.

31.21.A.7A — Each registered independent Driver is provided with a copy of the Driver Quick Guide upon successful registration. Each Driver Supplier is provided with the Driver Supplier Quick Reference upon execution of their Agreement. Each Specialist Restaurant Referrer is provided with the Specialist Referrer Quick Reference upon execution of their Agreement. The Platform re-issues updated versions whenever material operational changes are made and notifies all relevant parties through their registered contact details. Any party who has not received their relevant Quick Guide or Quick Reference must notify the Platform in writing at the relevant contact address listed at virtuousrestaurants.com/authorised-communications to request a replacement copy. No party may claim ignorance of their operational obligations on the basis of not having received, read, or retained the relevant Quick Guide or Quick Reference, whether or not they requested a replacement copy when it was not received.

31.21.A.8 — Platform Insurance: The Platform maintains adequate insurance cover appropriate to its operations as a technology intermediary, including public liability and professional indemnity cover. Insurance is maintained with AXA, a financially rated insurer, and cover levels are reviewed annually. The existence of insurance cover does not alter, expand, or modify the Platform’s liability position as set out in this Policy and the Platform Services Agreement — it constitutes a practical backstop only.

31.21.A.9 — Driver Engagement Non-Monitoring Declaration:

For the avoidance of doubt and as a matter of recorded operational policy, the Platform hereby declares that it does NOT and will NOT:

(a) monitor or record Driver job acceptance rates for the purpose of making any operational, commercial, or access decision in respect of any Driver;

(b) algorithmically or manually deactivate or deprioritise any Driver based on their level of activity, availability, or responsiveness;

(c) impose or enforce minimum engagement requirements, minimum availability windows, or minimum job acceptance thresholds on any Driver;

(d) take any adverse action against any Driver based on their decision not to make themselves available, not to respond to any communication, or not to accept any delivery opportunity;

(e) use the WhatsApp group or any other communication channel to create or imply any obligation of engagement, response, or availability on the part of any Driver.

This declaration forms part of the contractual record between the Platform and all Drivers and may be relied upon by any Driver as a representation of the Platform’s operational conduct.

(f) require any Driver to wear, display, or use any branded clothing, equipment, or materials as a condition of accessing delivery opportunities, as a condition of any engagement, or as a factor in any technology access decision. Branded items — including but not limited to branded jackets, bags, and equipment — are available for optional purchase by Drivers at virtuousrestaurants.com/equipment. The purchase of branded items is a separate commercial transaction entirely independent of the Driver Subcontractor Agreement and the Platform’s delivery operations. Whether a Driver purchases, wears, uses, or displays any branded item, or chooses not to, has no effect whatsoever on the volume, frequency, or nature of delivery opportunities made available to that Driver, on any technology access decision, or on any other aspect of the Driver’s engagement with the Platform. The Platform does not record, monitor, or factor branded item purchases or non-purchases into any operational or access decision. Purchased branded items become the Driver’s personal property immediately upon purchase and are not returned to the Platform upon termination of the Driver Subcontractor Agreement for any reason.

31.21.A.10 — Partner Restaurant Branded Materials and Onboarding Supplies: The Platform may, at its discretion and as part of its technology service offering, provide Partner Restaurants with branded operational materials including but not limited to: branded tamper-evident packaging bags, branding stickers, window decals, and in-venue customer-facing materials identifying the restaurant as a Platform participant. Such materials are provided as part of the Platform’s technology service and are not sold. Their provision does not alter the independent nature of the Partner Restaurant’s relationship with the Platform, does not transfer any liability for food preparation, allergen compliance, or order fulfilment from the restaurant to the Platform, and does not create or imply any employment, agency, or partnership relationship. Partner Restaurants are responsible for using such materials in accordance with applicable law, including food safety and trading standards requirements.

31.21.A.11 — Following successful registration, Drivers are informed of the optional availability of branded items — including jackets, bags, and equipment — available for purchase at virtuousrestaurants.com/equipment. Purchase is entirely optional, at the Driver’s sole discretion, and constitutes a separate commercial transaction independent of the Driver Subcontractor Agreement. Whether a Driver purchases or declines to purchase any branded item has no effect on opportunity access, opportunity frequency, or any other aspect of the Driver’s engagement with the Platform. The Platform does not record purchase decisions or factor them into any operational determination. Purchased branded items are subject to the Platform’s standard terms of sale available at virtuousrestaurants.com/equipment.

Purchases of branded items are subject to UK consumer law including the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Customers have a 14-day right to cancel from the date of receipt. Full terms of sale are published at virtuousrestaurants.com/equipment.

31.21.A.12 — Platform Provided Marketing Materials Restaurant Distribution Responsibility: The Platform may, at its discretion, provide Partner Restaurants with printed marketing materials (including but not limited to promotional leaflets, window stickers, and table materials) designed to promote the Partner Restaurant’s direct ordering channels. Such materials are provided by the Platform for use at the Partner Restaurant’s sole discretion and are intended for distribution in the restaurant’s own direct orders, in-venue, or through any ordering channel operated directly by the Partner Restaurant. The Platform does not direct, instruct, or advise Partner Restaurants regarding the use of such materials in orders fulfilled through third-party delivery platforms. The Partner Restaurant is solely responsible for ensuring that its distribution of any Platform-provided marketing materials complies with all applicable agreements it holds with third-party platforms. The Platform shall have no liability for any consequences arising from the Partner Restaurant’s distribution of marketing materials through channels that are subject to third-party agreements the Platform is not a party to.

31.21.A.13 — Platform Marketplace Service Communications: Where a customer has placed an order through any ordering interface operated by the Platform, the Platform may, as an independent data controller and in accordance with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (as amended), contact that customer by electronic means (including email, SMS, or WhatsApp) to provide information about other restaurants available through the Virtuous Restaurants marketplace platform, subject to the following conditions:

(a) Communications are limited to informational content about the Platform’s marketplace, partner restaurants, and related services. The Platform does not sell customer data to third parties, and these communications are not third-party advertising.

(b) Each communication includes a clear, prominent, and functional opt-out mechanism. Any customer who has opted out will not receive further communications.

(c) This processing is carried out on the lawful basis of the Platform’s legitimate interests under UK GDPR Article 6(1)(f) and constitutes use of contact details obtained in the course of a sale for the purposes of marketing similar products or services under Regulation 22(3) of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003.

(d) The Platform’s Privacy Policy sets out full details of how customer data is processed and how customers may exercise their rights.

Partner Restaurants acknowledge and accept that this communication mechanism forms part of the Platform’s technology services and does not constitute processing of the Partner Restaurant’s customer data for purposes beyond those described in this Policy and the Privacy Policy.

31.22 — Universal Principles, Successor Technology and Temporal Permanence

31.22.A.1 — Foundational principles: This Policy is built on four foundational principles that are universal, technology-independent, and temporally permanent regardless of any future revision to specific provisions, technology, legislation, or operational implementation:

(i) Risk allocation follows verified physical custody. Risk in an order transfers at the point of verified transfer of physical possession, documented by objective and independently verifiable evidence, regardless of the technology used to create that evidence.

(ii) Evidence-based accountability. Liability attaches only where objective, independently generated, and unmanipulated evidence establishes it. No subjective account, verbal assertion, or unverified claim by any party constitutes sufficient basis for any determination under this Policy.

(iii) Consumer statutory rights are non-negotiable. No technological mechanism, no future revision of this Policy, and no evolution of the Platform’s operations shall reduce any right a consumer holds under applicable consumer protection law. This principle is absolute and survives any version of this Policy.

(iv) The Platform is a technology intermediary. The Platform creates and operates technology that connects parties. It does not supply goods, employ operatives, bear substantive liability for third-party conduct, or determine the outcome of disputes between the parties it connects. This principle is constitutive of the Platform’s legal identity and survives any change in technology, jurisdiction, or operational model.

31.22.A.2 — Technology-neutral implementation: All references in this Policy to specific technologies, platforms, or systems — including without limitation PIN confirmation, GPS records, photographic evidence, Stripe, Firebase, WhatsApp, QR codes, or any named application — describe the current operational implementation of the underlying principles only. Where any named technology is superseded, replaced, or evolved, this Policy shall be read as referring to the successor technology or mechanism that performs the equivalent function, provided the core operational framework — risk allocation sequence, delivery confirmation, evidence standards — remains functionally equivalent. No change of technology provider or confirmation mechanism constitutes a material change to this Policy provided the four foundational principles in 31.22.A.1 are preserved.

31.22.A.3 — Successor legislation: All references to specific legislation in this Policy — including without limitation the Consumer Rights Act 2015, Data Protection Act 2018, UK GDPR, Food Safety Act 1990, Natasha’s Law, Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, and all other named statutes — shall be read as including any legislation that amends, replaces, consolidates, or supersedes them. The Platform’s commitment is to the purpose and protection each piece of legislation represents, not to the specific enactment, and that commitment survives legislative change.

31.22.A.4 — Successor entities: All references to specific companies, regulators, or institutions — including without limitation Stripe, Google LLC, Firebase, the ICO, the CMA, the FCA, the FSA, Apple Inc., Google LLC, and any other named entity — shall be read as including any successor, acquirer, replacement regulator, or equivalent body that performs the equivalent function under applicable law at the relevant time.

31.22.A.5 — Payment mechanism neutrality: The payment facilitation framework in Section 31.21.A.5 applies regardless of the payment mechanism used, including without limitation traditional payment cards, bank transfers, digital wallets, central bank digital currencies, cryptocurrency, tokenised assets, or any future payment paradigm not yet in existence. The Platform’s role as commercial agent facilitating the underlying transaction and its non-custodial relationship with customer funds are the operative principles and survive any change in payment technology. Where a new payment mechanism is introduced, the Platform will operate it in a manner consistent with these operative principles and notify Partner Restaurants accordingly.

31.22.A.6 — Artificial intelligence and automated ordering: Where an order is placed through an automated system, artificial intelligence agent, large language model, algorithmic process, or any autonomous technology operating on behalf of a human individual or legal entity (an “AI Order”), the human individual or legal entity that authorised or deployed that system for the purpose of placing orders through the Platform is the Customer for all purposes of this Policy and bears all obligations, responsibilities, and liabilities of a Customer. The automated or AI nature of the ordering process does not alter the contracting restaurant’s obligations, the delivery driver’s obligations, or the allocation of risk under this Policy. Where an AI agent or automated system generates, captures, or submits evidence — including photographic, video, GPS, or confirmation data — such evidence is subject to the same authenticity, manipulation, and integrity provisions as human-generated evidence under this Policy. Evidence generated by an AI system controlled by or acting on behalf of any party is subject to the same fraud and misrepresentation provisions as if generated by that party directly.

31.22.A.7 — Future delivery mechanisms and confirmation technology: Any mechanism that produces independently verifiable, objective, tamper-evident, and timestamped proof that an order was received by the correct recipient at the correct address constitutes valid delivery confirmation with equivalent legal effect to PIN confirmation under this Policy. The PIN system is the current implementation of this principle. Future implementations — including without limitation biometric confirmation, blockchain-verified handover, geofenced autonomous confirmation, or any other technology producing equivalent evidentiary value — carry identical legal weight provided they satisfy the independence, objectivity, and tamper-evidence requirements of this clause.

31.22.A.8 — Jurisdictional adaptation: This Policy is governed by the laws of England and Wales. Where the Platform operates in or serves parties in additional jurisdictions, the four foundational principles in 31.22.A.1 apply in all jurisdictions to the maximum extent compatible with applicable local law. The Platform will maintain jurisdiction-specific supplementary provisions where required by applicable law. The consumer protection principle in 31.22.A.1(iii) is absolute and non-negotiable in all jurisdictions regardless of local law, to the extent permitted by that local law.

Customer Complaints and Resolution Process

If you experience any issue with your order — including missing items, incorrect items, food quality, or delivery concerns — please contact the restaurant directly in the first instance. The restaurant is your contracting party for the food and is solely responsible for resolving complaints about the order (subject always to your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015).

If you have a query about the platform’s technology — for example, a technical issue with the app or ordering system — contact us at support@virtuousrestaurants.com.

The Platform’s role in any food or order complaint is strictly limited to administrative facilitation as set out in Section 30.13 of this Policy. The Platform does not investigate, determine, or resolve complaints about food quality, order accuracy, or delivery. It may forward your message to the restaurant if requested.

If, after engaging with the restaurant directly, your complaint cannot be resolved and you wish to seek further redress, you may have rights under UK law to refer the matter to alternative dispute resolution (ADR) or to the courts. Nothing in this Policy affects those rights.

Conclusion

The policy is designed to be fair and clear for everyone involved—customers, independent drivers, and restaurants. When a customer places an order, the restaurant begins preparing it immediately, committing time, ingredients, and resources. Because of this, orders are final and cannot usually be canceled; however, customers retain the right to inspect the food, report missing or damaged items, and rely on their legal protections under UK consumer law.

Drivers are independent third parties. The Platform may register drivers for legal or regulatory purposes, but it does not control, direct, supervise, or assume any responsibility for their conduct or the delivery of orders. Drivers and restaurants are protected through the Delivery Code and photographic/video evidence system, which clearly shows when the order was handed over and in what condition. This ensures responsibility and risk are assigned properly at each stage—restaurant to driver, then driver to customer—so that no party is unfairly blamed.

This Delivery Responsibility, Risk Allocation, and Accountability Policy is intended as a practical framework to promote efficiency, accountability, and fairness in the use of our services.

Thank you for reading this policy and for your continued trust in our platform.