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Terms of Service

The terms and conditions that govern your use of AlfaCaters. Please read them carefully before making a booking.

Last updated: 1 October 2026

1. About these terms

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) apply to everyone who uses the AlfaCaters website, web app and mobile apps (together, the “Platform”). By creating an account or making a booking, you agree to these Terms, our Privacy Policy and our Cancellation & Refund Policy.

Caterers who list on AlfaCaters also agree to the Caterer Agreement, which forms part of these Terms.

Nothing in these Terms limits any right you have under the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (“CPA”) or the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (“ECTA”) that cannot lawfully be limited.

2. What AlfaCaters is

AlfaCaters is an online marketplace owned and operated by HENSIMFRA (Pty) Ltd, registration number 2024/105355/07 (“AlfaCaters”, “we”, “us”). AlfaCaters is a trading name of HENSIMFRA (Pty) Ltd. Full company details are on our Company Information page.

We connect people planning events (“Customers”) with independent catering businesses (“Caterers”).

  • We are not the caterer. Caterers are independent businesses. When you book, the agreement for the catering service is between you and the Caterer.
  • We run the Platform. We provide search, booking, messaging, payment collection, reviews and dispute support, and we verify Caterers as described in section 8.

3. Your account

  • You must be at least 18 years old and able to enter into a binding agreement.
  • The information you give us must be accurate and kept up to date.
  • You are responsible for activity on your account. Keep your login details private and notify us immediately at support@alfacaters.com if you suspect unauthorised use.
  • One person may not hold more than one Customer account, and you may not use someone else’s account.

4. Making a booking

Depending on the Caterer, you can book in one of two ways:

  • Instant Book: you choose a package, any extras and the number of guests, and proceed directly to payment.
  • Request to book: you send your event details to the Caterer, who has up to 48 hours to accept, decline or send you a custom quote. When the event is close, the time to reply ends at noon on the day before the event. If that leaves the Caterer less than 4 hours, they have 4 hours instead, a deadline that would fall between 22:00 and 07:00 moves to 09:00 the next morning, and no request stays open after the event day. The app shows the deadline before you send a request. Requests not answered in time expire. A quote shows its total, what is included, its cancellation policy and an expiry date.

A booking is confirmed only once the deposit (or full amount, where required) has been paid successfully. Before you pay, we show you the full price, the payment schedule and the Caterer’s cancellation policy.

5. Prices and payment

  • One inclusive price. The price shown includes the food, chosen extras and any travel fee for your event address. AlfaCaters does not add a booking or service fee for Customers.
  • Currency and VAT. Prices are shown and charged in rand (ZAR). Where a Caterer is registered for VAT, VAT is included in the price shown.
  • Deposit. Most bookings require a deposit of between 30% and 50% of the total, as set by the Caterer and shown before you pay.
  • Balance. The remaining balance is due 7 days before the event. If your event is less than 7 days away when you book, the full amount is payable upfront.
  • Payment provider. Payments are processed by an independent, regulated payment provider. We do not store your full card details.
  • Funds held for your protection. Your payment may be held by the payment provider and released to the Caterer in stages as each part can no longer be refunded under the booking’s cancellation policy, with the final amount released after the event if no issue has been reported.
  • Missed balance payments. If the balance is not paid by the due date, we will remind you. If it remains unpaid, the Caterer may cancel the booking and the cancellation will be treated as a cancellation by you.
  • Pay through the Platform only. Paying a Caterer outside AlfaCaters for a booking made through the Platform removes the protections in these Terms and is not allowed.

6. Changing a booking

  • Number of guests: you may increase the number of guests at any time if the Caterer has capacity. You may reduce it by up to 10% until 7 days before the event. An increase after the balance has been paid requires an additional payment.
  • Other changes (such as date, menu or venue) need the Caterer’s agreement. Request them through booking chat so there is a clear record.

7. Cancellations and refunds

Cancellations and refunds are governed by the Cancellation & Refund Policy and the cancellation policy shown on your booking. If a Caterer cancels a confirmed booking, you receive a full refund.

8. Verification, food safety and allergies

  • “Verified” means our team has checked the Caterer’s identity and bank details. It does not mean we have inspected their kitchen or tasted their food.
  • “Food safety certified” means the Caterer has uploaded a certificate of acceptability for food premises (or equivalent) that our team has reviewed. We cannot guarantee a certificate remains valid after review.
  • Caterers are responsible for the safety, quality, preparation, handling and legality of the food and services they provide.
  • Allergies and dietary needs. You must tell the Caterer about allergies, intolerances and dietary or religious requirements before the booking is confirmed, and confirm them in booking chat. Dietary labels on listings are provided by Caterers.

9. Reviews and content

  • Only Customers with a completed booking may review that booking, within 14 days of the event.
  • Reviews must be honest, relevant and respectful. We may remove reviews or content that is false, abusive, discriminatory, defamatory, unlawful, or that contains personal information or advertising.
  • You keep ownership of content you post, but grant us a licence, free of charge and not exclusive to us, to display it on the Platform and in our marketing.

10. Problems and disputes

If something goes wrong with your booking, report it in the app as soon as possible and no later than 48 hours after the event, with photos or other evidence where you can. We will ask the Caterer to respond and then make a decision, which may include a full or partial refund from funds we still hold. Taking part in our dispute process does not affect your right to approach the National Consumer Commission, a consumer court or any other forum.

11. Things you may not do

You may not:

  • Use the Platform for anything unlawful, fraudulent or misleading.
  • Arrange to pay or be paid outside the Platform for a booking that started on AlfaCaters.
  • Harass, threaten or discriminate against any user.
  • Post fake reviews or manipulate ratings.
  • Copy, scrape or reverse engineer the Platform, or interfere with its security or operation.

12. Our responsibility to you

  • We take reasonable steps to keep the Platform accurate, secure and available, but we cannot guarantee that it will always be uninterrupted or free of errors.
  • Because Caterers are independent businesses, we are not responsible for their acts or omissions, except where the law makes us responsible or where we have been negligent.
  • To the extent permitted by law, our total liability to you for any claim relating to a booking is limited to the total amount you paid for that booking through the Platform.
  • Nothing in these Terms excludes liability for gross negligence, fraud, or anything that cannot be excluded under the CPA or other law.

13. Suspending or closing accounts

You may close your account at any time from the app or by emailing us, subject to completing or cancelling any active bookings. We may suspend or close accounts that break these Terms, put other users at risk, or where the law requires it. We will tell you why unless we are legally prevented from doing so.

14. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms as the Platform grows. If a change materially affects you, we will notify you by email or in the app at least 14 days before it takes effect. Bookings already confirmed stay under the Terms that applied when they were made.

15. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Subject to your rights under the CPA, disputes will be heard by a competent South African court.

16. Contact us

You can reach HENSIMFRA (Pty) Ltd, trading as AlfaCaters, at support@alfacaters.com.