The site seems to be down for me. Can someone describe what's it all about?
You can view one page here:
https://web.archive.org/web/20140101130924/http://cozymeal.c...
Hopefully the site will be back up soon :)
Show HN: A new way of eating out – by dropping in
31–40 of 56 posts
Re: Show HN: A new way of eating out – by dropping in
#32What about zoning restrictions? Food service licenses? In many places, if you prepare food for sale to be consumed onsite, you are treated like a restaurant - most home kitchens aren't going to pass local health department requirements.
The sharing economy now provides a predictable playbook here:
1) get popular 2) get hassled by local government 3) make deal with local government
I don't see why this idea is different.
Re: Show HN: A new way of eating out – by dropping in
#33Does the site offer hosts/guests any protection (a la AirBnB) in case something goes wrong?
Cozymeal has a lot of safety mechanisms to ensure a safe and good experience for both sides (vetting of ALL hosts, mandatory Facebook registration for hosts/guests, etc.). In addition to that, Cozymeal will soon offer an insurance to hosts/guests similar to that offered by AirBnB.
Re: Show HN: A new way of eating out – by dropping in
#34Re: Show HN: A new way of eating out – by dropping in
#35Feature request: Sort by distance. I don't live in SF so it would be nice to see things close to me first. Edit: Also Facebook only sign in is a deal-breaker. I never use services where it's required.
My guess is that Facebook (or some other nearly ubiquitous account) will always be a requirement for this site since it's all about inviting people into your home.
Re: Show HN: A new way of eating out – by dropping in
#36Re: Show HN: A new way of eating out – by dropping in
#37What about zoning restrictions? Food service licenses? In many places, if you prepare food for sale to be consumed onsite, you are treated like a restaurant - most home kitchens aren't going to pass local health department requirements.
Many great new ideas aren't legal. Use your own car like a taxi? Rent your spare bedroom to strangers? Sell electric cars direct, without a dealer? Share music, books and movies with your friends? Run a mesh network in your city to bypass the local monopoly? Trade cryptocurrency for national currency? Just because it's illegal doesn't mean it's not a killer idea. Congratulations, Cozymeal!
In the case of unsanitary food preparation, it very well could be a killer idea.
By the way, none of those other ideas are illegal (in the US). Taxi drivers can own their own cabs; some do but most do not due to the expense of acquiring/maintaining an adequate vehicle. It's always been okay to rent your "spare bedroom" to strangers--just as long as you occupy the remainder of the unit (though whether your lease or HOA agreement allows this is a separate issue). Sharing your physical copy of an artistic work has always been allowed. Private mesh networks have never been illegal. Cryptocurrencies are legal forms of exchange (or in this context, "consideration") between two consenting private parties, just like any other form of property.
Re: Show HN: A new way of eating out – by dropping in
#38It would be incredibly unfortunate if this were found to be illegal. You take many of the same health risks when eating at a friend's house. The only difference is you don't pay your friend.
The exchange of payment is precisely what makes this endeavor subject to food safety/preparation laws and (in many jurisdictions) illegal. It changes a social event into a commercial transaction: you pay someone else to eat food they prepared.
This is not remotely the same thing as friends splitting up the cost to buy food, or reimbursing one friend for purchasing food for a social gathering. We don't regulate social gatherings between friends because they have other means to deal with issues that could arise, even, if necessary, the tort system.
There are different expectations when dealing with commercial food transactions--and some of the major expectations are that the food be safe and prepared safely.
Re: Show HN: A new way of eating out – by dropping in
#39Thanks for showcasing vegan dishes.
Also a filter for vegan only dishes will be great.
Re: Show HN: A new way of eating out – by dropping in
#40hacker news broke the cozymeal :/
It's back.