MealBeta Privacy Policy

2. Information we collect

The information we collect depends on the features you use and the permissions you grant. This may include account details such as your name, email address, phone number, profile photo, account type, preferences, verification status and communication choices.

If you sign in with Google or Apple, we may receive the name, email address, profile image and account identifier you authorise that provider to share. Your use of Google or Apple sign-in is also subject to the privacy terms of the relevant provider.

For meal planning, MealBeta may process preferred foods, cuisines, saved meals, disliked meals, allergies, ingredient restrictions, cultural or religious food preferences, budget range, meal times, household size, available ingredients, shopping-list items, search queries and recommendation feedback.

For nutrition features, MealBeta may process calorie goals, nutrition targets, protein, carbohydrate, fat and fibre preferences, meal records, voluntary wellness goals and nutrition-tracking history.

3. Location, microphone and device data

With your permission, MealBeta may use approximate or precise location, selected state, city, area and location searches to show nearby restaurants, recommend chefs serving your area, estimate service availability and improve local food recommendations. You can manage location permission through your device settings.

If you use voice search or voice meal requests, MealBeta may request microphone access to convert speech to text. MealBeta does not continuously listen through your microphone; microphone access is used only when you activate a voice-input feature and grant permission.

We may also collect device and usage information such as device type, operating system, app version, browser type, IP address, feature usage, search activity, session duration, crash logs, performance data and security signals.

4. Chefs, restaurants, bookings and payments

If you apply as a chef or service provider, MealBeta may collect business or profile details, biography, services offered, coverage area, availability, photos, menu or pricing information, verification details, subscription-plan information, ratings, reviews and booking history. Public chef profile information may be shown to users.

MealBeta may collect or display restaurant information such as restaurant name, address, contact details, location, cuisine, menus, opening hours, ratings, reviews and publicly available business information.

When you request a chef, restaurant or related service, we may process the selected service, date and time, location, number of people, dietary instructions, messages, booking status, price, transaction reference, cancellation details and feedback.

Payments may be handled by third-party payment processors or by Google Play Billing or Apple in-app purchase where required. MealBeta does not intend to store full card numbers, card security codes or online-banking credentials on its own servers.

5. How we use information

MealBeta uses information to create and manage accounts, authenticate users, secure access, generate meal suggestions, build weekly plans, estimate calories and costs, create shopping lists, display nearby restaurants and chefs, process bookings and payments, provide support, improve features, prevent fraud, diagnose crashes, send service messages, enforce terms and comply with legal obligations.

We do not use personal or sensitive information for unrelated purposes without appropriate notice and consent where required.

6. Artificial intelligence and automated recommendations

MealBeta may use AI or automated systems to generate meal suggestions, weekly plans, budget estimates, nutrition estimates, shopping lists, recommendation explanations and restaurant or chef suggestions. These outputs may be based on information you provide, previous interactions, general food data and authorised AI service providers.

AI-generated results may be inaccurate, incomplete or unsuitable for a particular allergy, medical condition, dietary requirement, budget or location. Always verify allergens, ingredients, nutrition values, prices, restaurant availability, chef suitability and food-safety instructions.

7. Cookies and similar technologies

MealBeta.com may use cookies, local storage, software development kits, pixels or similar technologies to keep sessions working, remember preferences, measure performance, prevent fraud, understand feature usage and improve services. You can control cookies through your browser or consent settings. Disabling essential cookies may affect core functionality.

8. How we share information

MealBeta does not sell personal information to data brokers. We may share information with chefs, restaurants or service providers when needed to fulfil a booking or order. This may include your name, contact details, service location, booking details, dietary requirements, special instructions and booking confirmation.

We may use trusted vendors for hosting, database services, authentication, storage, email or SMS delivery, maps, analytics, crash reporting, customer support, AI processing, payment handling, fraud prevention and app distribution. These providers may process information on our behalf under contractual or platform safeguards.

We may also disclose information where required by law, to protect users or the public, to investigate fraud or security incidents, to enforce our agreements, or as part of a merger, acquisition, restructuring or similar business transfer.

9. Public information

Information you intentionally make public may be visible to other users and visitors. This can include chef names, photos, biographies, services, prices, coverage areas, food photographs, restaurant information, ratings and reviews. Do not publish sensitive information in public profile fields, reviews or images.

10. Data retention and deletion

MealBeta keeps information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including account operation, bookings, payments, support, legal compliance, accounting, fraud prevention, security and dispute resolution.

You may request deletion of your MealBeta account and associated personal information by emailing privacy@mealbeta.com from your registered email address. We may verify your identity before completing a deletion request.

After verification, personal information not required for legal, tax, payment, fraud-prevention, dispute or security purposes will be deleted, anonymised or scheduled for deletion. Backup copies may remain until the normal backup cycle completes.

11. Your rights and choices

Depending on your location, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, restrict or object to certain processing, withdraw consent, receive a portable copy of certain information, opt out of direct marketing or complain to a data-protection authority.

You can manage location, microphone, notification and cookie choices through your device or browser settings. To exercise privacy rights, contact privacy@mealbeta.com.

12. Security and international transfers

MealBeta uses reasonable administrative, technical and organisational measures designed to protect information. These may include encryption in transit, secure authentication, password hashing, restricted access controls, role-based access, monitoring, backups and fraud controls.

No system is completely secure. You are responsible for keeping your login details confidential and notifying us promptly if you suspect unauthorised account access.

MealBeta and its service providers may process information outside your state or country. Where required, we use appropriate safeguards such as contractual protections, access controls and security restrictions.

13. Children, communications and third-party links

MealBeta is not directed to children under 13, or a higher minimum age where required by local law. Users must be at least 18 to independently book a chef, enter into paid-service agreements, become a listed chef or manage a commercial restaurant profile.

With permission, MealBeta may send booking updates, meal-plan reminders, account alerts, service announcements and promotional messages. You may disable push notifications through device settings and unsubscribe from promotional emails where available.

MealBeta may link to third-party websites, restaurants, payment processors, maps, chefs or other services. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies.

14. Nutrition, allergy and food-safety notice

MealBeta nutrition, calorie, ingredient, cost and preparation information may be estimated. MealBeta does not guarantee that a meal is allergen-free, nutrition values are exact, restaurant information is current, a chef can accommodate every dietary requirement, or AI-generated recommendations are medically suitable.

Users with allergies, medical conditions, pregnancy-related dietary needs or other health concerns should consult a qualified professional and verify ingredients directly with the chef or restaurant. Chefs and restaurants remain responsible for food preparation, hygiene, ingredient disclosure and compliance with applicable food-safety requirements.

15. Advertising and changes to this policy

MealBeta does not currently sell personal information for advertising purposes. We may use limited analytics to understand service performance and improve the app. If MealBeta later uses advertising or tracking partners, we will update this policy and provide consent or opt-out choices where required.

We may update this policy to reflect new features, changes in data practices, legal requirements, provider changes, security improvements or operational updates. We will revise the last updated date when changes are made.