Privacy Policy | Local Foodies

Local Foodies helps people discover restaurants, markets, caterers, and food-related events in their local area. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have.

1. Information we collect

Account information you provide when you register, such as email address, display name, and password (stored hashed).
Business information you submit when you claim or manage a listing, including business name, contact details, and any content you add to your profile.
Waitlist and email preferences you give us when you join a waitlist or sign up for updates, such as your email address, the audience type you select, and your subscription or unsubscribe choices.
Usage information such as pages viewed, searches performed, listing actions (for example saving a favourite or following a link), and general device information, used to operate and improve the service. Some of this is recorded in our own systems; see “Cookies, analytics and storage” below for what goes to Google Analytics.
Optional location you grant through your browser to show distance to nearby listings. Location is used in the browser and is not stored on our servers.

2. How we use information

We use the information above to operate Local Foodies, authenticate you, deliver requested features (such as saved listings and business claims), send the emails you asked for, maintain security, and improve the product. We do not sell personal information.

3. Cookies, analytics and storage

We use essential cookies and browser storage to keep you signed in and to remember basic preferences. We also use Google Analytics, which starts in a privacy-protective mode with analytics storage switched off: until you choose “Help improve Local Foodies”, no analytics cookies are written or read and no identifier is kept for you. Choosing “Help improve Local Foodies” turns on normal analytics measurement; choosing “No thanks” leaves it off. You can change your mind whenever you like using the “Privacy choices” link in the footer. The site works fully when analytics is blocked or declined — the choice only affects measurement, not features. We never send your name, email address, phone number, or anything you type into a form to Google, and we do not run advertising or remarketing trackers.

4. Email and unsubscribe

We send account, waitlist, and notification emails through our managed email delivery provider, using the sending address on our domain (notify.localfoodies.app). Every waitlist email includes an unsubscribe link. When you unsubscribe, your address is added to a suppression list so we do not email it again; the suppression record is kept so the choice is honoured on future sends. Unsubscribing does not delete your account or any other data.

5. Sharing

We share information only with the service providers that run the product and where required by law. The categories currently in use are:

Platform, database and authentication hosting (our managed application platform, served through Cloudflare).
Billing — Stripe, when a business pays for a plan.
Email delivery — our managed email provider, which sends the emails described above and enforces the suppression list.
Error and performance monitoring — server-side logging operated with our hosting platform, used to diagnose failures.
Maps — MapTiler, which serves the map tiles your browser loads (map data © OpenStreetMap contributors). Your browser contacts MapTiler directly when you view a map.
Analytics — Google Analytics, as described in section 3.

Any content you publish to a public listing (business name, description, hours, links, images) is shown publicly by design.

6. Your choices

Update your profile at any time from your account page.
Change your analytics choice at any time using the “Privacy choices” link in the footer.
Unsubscribe from waitlist emails using the link in any waitlist email.
Request account deletion from your account settings. Deletion runs on a scheduled window and can be cancelled before it completes.
Contact us with any question or request through the contact page.

7. Data retention

We keep account data while your account is active and for a short period after deletion to satisfy backup, security, and legal obligations, after which it is removed. Unsubscribe suppression records are kept for as long as needed to honour the unsubscribe choice.

8. Children

Local Foodies is not directed to children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information, contact us and we will remove it.

9. Changes

We may update this policy as the product evolves. Material changes will be reflected in the effective date at the top of this page.

10. Contact

Questions or requests about privacy: use the contact page.