Service Partner & Rider Terms

Last updated 2 October 2026 · Version 2026-10-02

These terms apply to businesses that sell on Urban Bites ("Service partners"), to the people who deliver orders ("riders"), and to staff invited to manage either. They sit on top of the general Urban Bites Terms of Service.

1. Who this is for

By applying, accepting an invitation, or starting work on the platform you accept these terms. If you act for a business, you confirm you have authority to bind it. These terms don't make you our employee, partner or agent.

2. Service partners

• Licences. You must hold and keep valid every licence you need (business permit, food-hygiene certificate, pharmacy licence from the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, etc.) and give us copies on request.
• Listings. Keep menus, prices, photos, allergen information and stock accurate. You're responsible for what you sell and how it is prepared, packed and described.
• Orders. Accept or decline promptly, prepare on time, and hand the order to the rider in sealed, clean packaging. Don't cancel confirmed orders without good reason.
• Regulated goods. Pharmacies dispense prescription medicines only against a valid prescription and in line with the law. You must not sell items you aren't licensed to sell.
• Commission and fees. Urban Bites charges a commission on each completed order at the rate agreed for your Service (shown in your dashboard), plus any delivery-related fees we've told you about. We collect payment from the customer and pay you your share by M-Pesa according to the settlement schedule shown in your dashboard, after deducting commission, refunds and chargebacks attributable to you.
• Refunds. If an order is refunded because of your error (wrong, missing, unsafe or late goods), the cost can be deducted from your next settlement.
• Taxes. You are responsible for your own taxes (including VAT where applicable) and for issuing any tax invoices you must issue.
• Suspension. We may suspend a Service for repeated complaints, safety or licence problems, or breaches of these terms, and will tell you why.

3. Riders

• Independent contractor. You choose when to go online and which deliveries to accept. You are not our employee. You provide your own vehicle, phone and data, and you are responsible for your own insurance and taxes.
• Eligibility. You must be 18 or older, have the right to work in Kenya, a valid driving licence for your vehicle, and (where required) valid insurance and a roadworthy vehicle. We may verify your ID and documents.
• Conduct. Follow traffic law and ride safely. Treat customers and Service staff with respect. Never open or tamper with an order. No discrimination, harassment, or taking payments outside the app.
• Location. While you're online and on a delivery, the app uses your location to dispatch and track deliveries. You can go offline at any time to stop sharing it.
• Earnings. Your earnings per delivery and any bonuses are shown in the app. Completed delivery earnings are paid to your M-Pesa number according to the payout schedule in the app. We may withhold or reverse earnings for fraud, a delivery that wasn't completed, or amounts customers were refunded because of the rider.
• Handover. Hand the order only to the customer (or the person they've named), after confirming the order number. Restricted items require the checks described in the Terms of Service.
• Incidents. Report accidents, theft or unsafe situations in the app straight away. We're not liable for your vehicle, health or property except as the law requires.

4. Staff and access

Staff are invited by an administrator and receive a role limited to the permissions that role grants (for example orders only, finance only, or marketing only). Keep your sign-in private; don't share accounts. Everything staff do in the admin tools is recorded in an activity log with the person's name and the reason given for sensitive actions. Misusing access — such as viewing data you don't need, or changing records without a reason — can lead to removal and legal action.

5. Customer data

You and riders receive customers' names, phone numbers, addresses and order details only to fulfil the order. You must keep it confidential, secure and use it for nothing else — no marketing, no sharing with others, no keeping it after the order is complete beyond what the law requires. You must follow the Data Protection Act, 2019 as it applies to you, and tell us promptly if there is a data breach. Our Privacy Policy explains how we treat the data.

6. Ending the relationship

You can stop at any time after finishing open orders and settling any balances. We may suspend or end your access immediately for serious breaches (fraud, safety, unlawful goods) and otherwise on reasonable notice. We'll pay what you're owed for completed orders, less amounts these terms allow us to deduct. Sections about customer data, confidentiality, liability and disputes continue after you leave. These terms are governed by Kenyan law, and disputes go to mediation first, then the courts of Kenya (Nairobi).