Welcome back! You came back at the right time 🎁
Maybe you ran a drop or two and life got busy. Maybe you signed up, looked around, and never got to the “Schedule drop” button. Either way, we're glad you're here.
The holidays are the best time to pick it back up. Customers are looking for homemade food to serve, gift and share, and a lot has changed on Hotplate since you last logged in. Start with this quick video from Rishi, then read on for what's new and a refresher on the basics.
Coming soon: welcome back portal tour with Rishi
What's new
A new, faster portal app
We rebuilt the chef portal from the ground up this spring, so if it looks different from what you remember, that's why. It now lives at portal.hotplate.com, it's faster, and it comes with new tools:
Drop stats that update live and show how much you sold at-a-glance
Manual orders you can attach to a drop
Better date and time pickers
Quicker order actions, plus 80+ smaller improvements
Your customers' experience didn't change.
If you have an iPhone, download our iOS app for the best mobile experience. Customize your notifications (SMS or push) and take advantage of Pop-up Mode when you’re in front of customers.
Pop-up Mode, with Tap to Pay
Selling at a holiday market, a school fair or your front porch? Pop-up Mode lets you take card or Apple Pay payments in person with Tap to Pay on your iPhone. No card reader to buy. You can also look up preorders right at pickup.
Here's the best part: after a customer taps, they can enter their phone number and subscribe to your drops. Next time you open orders, they get a text. Every walk-up becomes someone you can reach again. Coming soon: Tap to Pay at holiday markets
Collab drops
Team up with another chef or baker on one shared menu. You send a single drop text to both of your audiences, and Hotplate splits the revenue and tips automatically. Coming soon: why the holidays are a great time to collab
More you might have missed
Gift cards. Create gift cards right in your portal. An easy holiday gift for your regulars to give.
Payment links for custom orders. Send a secure link to pay for a one-off, VIP, or custom order.
Clearer order confirmations. Name, order number, pickup location and time are bigger and easier to read, and customers can pull up a QR code at pickup.
Reply to reviews. Respond to reviews on your storefront. Customers get a text when you reply.
Referral program. Refer another chef and earn 20% of their Hotplate fees for a full year, paid monthly.
Still here, still yours
Your account. Log in at portal.hotplate.com with your phone number, and we'll text you a one-time code. Your storefront, past drops, menu items and photos are all still there.
Your customers. Anyone who subscribed to your drops is still on your list. Your customer list is yours, and you can download it anytime.
The basics you liked. Customers pay up front, quantities cap automatically so you never oversell, and pickup windows keep things orderly.
First drop back in a while? Here's a refresher
If it's been a minute, here's how Hotplate works, start to finish. Selling dinners, not desserts? You're in the right place too. Coming soon: See what chefs are selling beyond pies →
How drops work
A drop is a menu you sell for a set window. You choose when orders open, how many of each item you'll make, and when customers pick up. When you sell out (or reach your scheduled cutoff), orders close on their own. No DMs, no unruly spreadsheets.
How customers order and pay
Customers order from your storefront link and pay up front by card or Apple Pay, so you know exactly what to make before you shop.
You can also turn on cash, Venmo or Zelle under Settings > Checkout, but we recommend leaving them off so you don’t have to chase payments down.
Pickup
Set pickup windows and limit how many customers can come at a time.
Subscribers
Customers who subscribe get a text the next time your orders open. They’ll get an order confirmation text, pickup reminders, and an invitation to leave a review 24 hours after pickup.
Fees
There's no monthly or subscription fee to use Hotplate. On each order, you pay the payment processing fee to Stripe, and your customer pays the Hotplate fee: 5% of the order subtotal plus 55 cents (that's $1.55 on a $20 order).
Set up your holiday drop
Pick one holiday and a small menu. Thanksgiving pies, a Christmas cookie box, a ticketed holiday dinner. 3–5 items is plenty.
Create your menu items. Add photos, prices and descriptions. Take new photos if the old ones are dated.
Set quantities and pickup windows. Hotplate stops taking orders when you hit your number.
Schedule when orders open and close. Your subscribers get a text when orders open.
Share your link. Put it in your Instagram bio and pin a "how to order" post.
Want the full list, including ticket printing and a holiday calendar? Coming soon: Get your Hotplate holiday checklist →
Ready when you are
Your storefront is waiting. Decide what you want to make, open orders, and we'll take care of the rest.
Questions? Text our support line at 1-888-CHEF-HOT (1-888-243-3468).
