Privacy Policy | BBQ Pit Finder

infoIntroduction

BBQ Pit Finder ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website and mobile application (collectively, the "Service").

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By accessing or using our Service, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy.

databaseInformation We Collect

Account Information

When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, and profile photo (if you sign in with Google). This information is used to identify you and personalize your experience.

Usage Data

We collect information about how you interact with our Service, including restaurants you favorite, bookmark, review, and visit. This data helps us improve your experience and provide personalized recommendations.

Location Data

We use two different kinds of location data, and they work differently:

Approximate location from your IP address. When you open the app or website, we derive an approximate location — typically the city or metro area — from your IP address, so we can show BBQ joints near you without interrupting you for permission. This does not use your device's GPS and is not precise. It is not stored to your account.

Precise location from your device. We ask your device for precise location only when you tap "Use my location," and only to sort venues by distance from you. We never collect precise location in the background. You can turn it off at any time in iOS Settings under Privacy & Security → Location Services, or in your browser's site settings on the web.

Advertising Data

Our website is supported by advertising served by Google AdSense, and the free version of our mobile app by Google AdMob. To deliver and measure those ads, AdMob receives your IP address, information about your device and app version, and how you interact with the ads it shows. Ads appear on the Home, Explore, Map, Saved, and venue screens. On the website, the AdSense script loads on every page and Google may set or read cookies on your browser to serve and measure those ads.

We do not track you. The app never asks for permission to track you, never accesses your device's advertising identifier (IDFA), and marks every ad request as non-personalized — meaning ads are not selected using a profile built from your activity across other apps and websites.

Serving ads still involves storing information on your device, so if you are in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom we show you a consent form before any ad loads, and you can change that choice later. Subscribing to BBQ Finder Premium removes ads from the app entirely.

Analytics

We record activity on venue listings — page views, and interactions such as tapping directions, a phone number, a website link, or share — so that restaurant owners can see interest in their listing and so we can understand which features are used. These records note the platform (iOS, Android, or web) and, where you are signed in, may include your account identifier.

Preferences

Your BBQ preferences (favorite styles, meats, and sauces) are stored to personalize your experience. You can update or remove these preferences at any time from your profile.

settingsHow We Use Your Information

check_circleProvide, operate, and maintain our Service
check_circlePersonalize your BBQ discovery experience
check_circleShow nearby restaurants based on your location (when permitted)
check_circleDisplay your reviews and ratings to the community
check_circleSend important service updates and notifications
check_circleImprove our Service and develop new features
check_circleServe and measure advertising in the free version of our mobile app
check_circleDetect, prevent, and address technical issues

shareSharing Your Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information, and we do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. Because the ads in our app are non-personalized and we never access your advertising identifier, serving them is not a sale of your personal information. We share information only in the following circumstances:

arrow_rightPublic reviews and ratings — visible to other users as part of the community experience
arrow_rightService providers — trusted partners who help us operate the Service: Google Firebase for authentication, data storage, and hosting; Apple MapKit for maps in our iOS app; and Google Maps on our website
arrow_rightAdvertising — Google AdSense on our website and Google AdMob in the free version of our mobile app, as described under Advertising Data above
arrow_rightEmail — Resend, which delivers the transactional email we send you, such as listing-claim confirmations and waitlist confirmations
arrow_rightPayments — Stripe, which processes payment details if you purchase a restaurant-owner subscription on our website. We never receive or store your full card number
arrow_rightRestaurant owners — aggregate interest in their own listing, such as page view and interaction counts
arrow_rightLegal requirements — when required by law, regulation, or legal process

lockData Security

We use industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information, including Firebase Authentication for secure sign-in and Firestore security rules to control data access. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

personYour Rights

You have the right to:

check_circleAccess and update your personal information through your profile
check_circleDelete your account and all associated data at any time
check_circleTurn off precise location at any time in iOS Settings or your browser's site settings
check_circleChange your advertising consent choice, if you are in the EEA or the UK
check_circleRemove ads entirely by subscribing to BBQ Finder Premium
check_circleModify your BBQ preferences at any time
check_circleRequest a copy of your data by contacting us

cookieCookies & Local Storage

On our website, we use cookies and browser local storage to keep you signed in and to remember your preferences. These are essential for the Service to function, and we do not use them to build an advertising profile of you.

On our website, Google AdSense and Google Analytics may set cookies in your browser to serve and measure ads and to understand how the site is used. In the free version of our mobile app, Google AdMob also stores information on your device in order to serve ads, measure them, and limit how often you see the same one. That storage is described under Advertising Data above. If you are in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, we ask for your consent before it happens.

mailContact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please reach out to our team:

support_agentHelp & Support