Privacy Policy

Last Updated: December 12, 2024

BudgetBites ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application.

Quick Summary: We collect minimal data to provide our service - just your email (which may be hidden through Sign in with Apple) and your app preferences like favorited restaurants and menu items. We don't sell your data, and you can delete your account at any time.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Account Information

When you create an account with BudgetBites, we collect:

Email Address: Your email address provided through Sign in with Apple (which may be a private relay address if you choose to hide your email)
Apple ID: A unique identifier from Apple to authenticate your account

1.2 Usage Data

To provide and improve our service, we collect:

Favorited Restaurants: Restaurants you save as favorites
Favorited Menu Items: Specific menu items you mark as favorites
Savings Tracking: The amount you've saved using BudgetBites recommendations
Search History: Your restaurant searches and budget preferences to improve recommendations
City Unlocks: Which cities you've unlocked for restaurant discovery

1.3 Information We Do NOT Collect

BudgetBites does not collect:

Your precise location (we only use city-level data you provide)
Payment information (handled directly by Apple)
Personal identifiers beyond email
Device information or analytics
Contacts or photos

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Provide the Service: Display personalized restaurant recommendations and track your savings
Account Management: Authenticate your account and manage your subscription status
Improve the App: Understand which features are most useful to improve BudgetBites
Customer Support: Respond to your questions and support requests

We do NOT:

Sell or rent your personal information to third parties
Use your data for advertising purposes
Share your information with third parties except as described in this policy

3. Data Storage and Security

3.1 Where Your Data is Stored

Your data is securely stored using Supabase (a database service) with industry-standard encryption. All data transmission between the app and our servers uses HTTPS encryption.

3.2 Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:

Encrypted data transmission (HTTPS/TLS)
Secure authentication through Apple Sign In
Regular security assessments
Access controls to limit who can access your data

3.3 Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to provide you with our service and as required by law. If you delete your account, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it by law.

4. Third-Party Services

BudgetBites uses the following third-party services:

4.1 Apple Sign In

We use Apple's Sign in with Apple service for authentication. Apple's privacy policy applies to their service: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/

4.2 Apple In-App Purchases

Subscription payments are processed by Apple. We do not have access to your payment information. Apple's privacy policy governs the processing of payment data.

4.3 Supabase (Database)

We use Supabase to store your account data and preferences. Supabase complies with GDPR and other privacy regulations. Learn more: https://supabase.com/privacy

5. Your Privacy Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

5.1 Access and Portability

You can request a copy of your personal data by emailing us at budgetbites.contact@gmail.com. We will provide your data in a commonly used, machine-readable format.

5.2 Correction

You can update your favorited restaurants and menu items directly in the app. For other corrections, contact us at budgetbites.contact@gmail.com.

5.3 Deletion

You can delete your account at any time through the app settings. This will permanently delete your personal data within 30 days.

5.4 Opt-Out

You can stop all data collection by deleting the app and your account.

6. Children's Privacy

BudgetBites is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at budgetbites.contact@gmail.com, and we will delete such information.

7. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

Right to know what personal information we collect and how it's used
Right to delete your personal information
Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell your information)
Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise these rights, email us at budgetbites.contact@gmail.com.

8. International Users

BudgetBites is operated in the United States. If you are located outside the United States, please be aware that information we collect will be transferred to and processed in the United States. By using BudgetBites, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by:

Posting the new Privacy Policy in the app
Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
Sending you a notification if the changes are significant

Your continued use of BudgetBites after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Email: budgetbites.contact@gmail.com
App: BudgetBites
Response Time: We typically respond within 48 hours

11. Consent

By using BudgetBites, you consent to this Privacy Policy and agree to its terms.