EN ES
← Back to Cerca

How Cerca Works

Last updated: July 7, 2026

Cerca is a hyperlocal marketplace: homemade food, local shops, and services right around you — order for pickup or delivery, book appointments, grab tickets to local events, and earn rewards, all in one app.

For Users ("neighbors")

  1. Download the app. Free on the App Store (Android coming soon).
  2. Discover what's nearby. Browse home kitchens, local shops, service providers, and events around you.
  3. Order, book, or grab a ticket — all in one place:

- Order your way — pickup or courier delivery, with the live delivery fee and arrival estimate shown before you pay.

- Book appointments with local service providers and manage everything in "My Appointments."

- Buy tickets to nearby events, with QR-code entry right on your phone.

  1. Checkout securely. Pay by card in seconds through an Apple-native payment sheet — guest checkout, order notes, and utensil preferences included. Payments are processed by Stripe.
  2. Track it live. Watch your order get accepted, prepared, and delivered — with your courier's name and a photo captured at drop-off. Delivery is fulfilled through Uber Direct's on-demand courier network.
  3. Stay in the loop. Get instant push notifications when your order is accepted, ready, and delivered, plus friendly email confirmations and receipts.
  4. Earn rewards. Collect points and fill digital stamp cards in your Apple Wallet, unlocking rewards from your favorite spots.
  5. Buyer protection. If a Business doesn't accept your order within 5 minutes, you're automatically refunded in full.
  6. Leave a review. Rate and review Businesses you've ordered from or booked with, in line with our Community Guidelines.

For Businesses ("makers" and sellers)

Cerca treats home cooks, bakers, crafters, and small service providers as a first-class category — right alongside restaurants and retail shops. No licensed commercial kitchen is required for cottage-food and homemade businesses.

  1. Sign up and get approved. Submit the seller application on our website with your business name, type, address, contact details, and a short description — a quick review, no commercial kitchen required.
  2. Add what you offer. Build your menu or catalog with photos, categories, combos with options, and promotions (percent off, BOGO, or free items).
  3. Manage orders on your Order Board. See incoming orders live, accept and set a prep time, mark items ready, and track completed/delivered orders — with an audible and visual alert the moment a new order comes in.
  4. Manage appointments and events. Set weekly hours and holiday exceptions on a built-in calendar; host ticketed events with multiple price tiers and check guests in by scanning their QR tickets.
  5. Run loyalty programs. Launch stamp cards and coupons branded with your logo and colors, delivered straight to customers' Apple Wallet, with in-store barcode scanning to stamp at the counter. Keep regulars coming back with trivia games that reward points.
  6. Add your team. Give staff clear permission levels — owner, manager, media manager — in a fully bilingual (English/Spanish) backoffice.
  7. Connect your bank account. Secure setup through Stripe — no merchant paperwork.
  8. Get paid, simply. Every order shows a transparent breakdown: your sale, tax, the platform fee, and card processing costs, always shown upfront. Delivery fees go to the courier, never out of your pocket. Payouts are tied to fulfillment — you're paid when the order is completed, the delivery is confirmed, or the appointment is finished.
  9. Delivery without the headache. Choose to fulfill orders through Cerca's on-demand courier network, powered by Uber Direct — when you accept a delivery order, a courier is dispatched automatically, tracked live, with a photo captured as proof of delivery. Prefer to keep it simple? Offer pickup only.

How Users and Businesses interact

  1. A Business creates a profile and lists what it offers (menu items, products, services, or events).
  2. A User discovers that Business in the app, places an order, books an appointment, or buys an event ticket.
  3. Payment is collected securely through Stripe at checkout (or, for buyer protection, refunded automatically if the Business doesn't accept within 5 minutes).
  4. The Business fulfills the order — prepares the food/product for pickup or delivery, confirms the appointment, or hosts the event/scans the ticket at the door.
  5. If delivery was selected, a courier from Uber Direct's network picks up the order, and the User tracks it live to drop-off.
  6. The User receives their order/service and may leave a review; the Business can see and respond to reviews and manage its reputation on the platform.
  7. Both sides are expected to follow Cerca's Community Guidelines — prohibited listings and non-discrimination/anti-harassment rules apply to every interaction, order, and review.

For the legal terms governing this relationship, see our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.