Do I need to know how to code?

Not at all. Cottage is built so that you never need to write any code or use any plugins. We want to streamline the parts you care about, making your product. We've spent a long time crafting the most intuitive and friendly experience for ordering that your customers will be highly encouraged to not only place orders but come back and experience your website again.

How do I start?

Simply create an account at https://dashboard.cottage.menu. Once you've created your account, continue through the new onboarding steps, where you'll add information for your business (like address and phone number) and choose your Cottage plan tier. We recommend starting with the free tier, we know you'll love it so you can always upgrade later if you need the additional features.

Why is my stripe requiring verification?

Once your create your business you'll need to provide some additional information to Stripe. Click the link in the Settings page. In the meantime feel free to start uploading your products and getting familiar with the rest of the dashboard.

What is an operating location?

Think of an operating location as a geographical area where you do business. We recommend using the name of your city to distinguish between operating locations. For example if you have an operation in Los Angeles and San Francisco then it makes sense to create two separate operating locations instead of one called California. This allows you to offer the same products with various prices in the two locations. Your customers create accounts with your business but they interact directly with your operating location.

How is a pickup location different from an operating location?

A pickup location is created within an operating location. Lets say your operating location is San Francisco. Within San Francisco you can choose to offer multiple pickup locations. Maybe its a farmers market, a pop up shop, your physical brick and mortar address if you have one, or all of the above. We are all about supporting ghost kitchens so pickup locations allow you to be fluid and move around the operating location.

How do I manage my Cottage settings?

Once you log in, you're in the Cottage dashboard, which allows you to control every part of your online experience. Upload your custom logos and product images. If you need help with this reach out to us, we've got it covered. We'll send a photographer to come take beautiful photos for you.

What is the link to my free Cottage website?

While you're adding information for your business and your first location, Cottage will create a user-friendly URL based on your name and location so you can give your customers a memorable URL. It will look like: yourbusiness.mycottage.menu. If you have your own domain, you can use it with Cottage working behind-the-scenes, although this is a non free tier feature.