Privacy Policy for Palate
Last Updated: January 31, 2025
Introduction
Palate ("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.
By using Palate, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.
Information We Collect
Account Information
- Email address
- Display name or username
- Password (encrypted and hashed using bcrypt)
- Profile photo (optional)
Dietary & Preference Information
- Food allergies and intolerances
- Dietary restrictions (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, etc.)
- Cuisine preferences
- Cooking skill level
- Household size
- Weekly grocery budget
- ZIP code (for regional pricing estimates)
Partner Preference Data (Optional)
- Partner's name
- Partner's food preferences and ratings
- Historical meal satisfaction data
- Dietary restrictions for partner
Cooking & Usage Data
- Recipes viewed, saved, and cooked
- Cooking history and frequency
- Recipe ratings and reviews
- Meal plans created
- Shopping lists generated
- Pantry inventory and expiration tracking
- Leftover management records
- Tutorial viewing and completion
- AI conversation history (stored temporarily)
- Gamification data (XP, badges, levels, streaks)
Device & Technical Information
- Device type and model
- Operating system version
- App version
- IP address
- Browser type (for web version)
- Usage analytics and crash reports
Payment Information
- Subscription status (Free or Premium)
- Payment method (last 4 digits only, via Stripe)
- Purchase history and transaction records
We do NOT store full credit card details (handled securely by Stripe)
How We Use Your Information
Core Functionality
- Create and manage your account
- Personalize recipe recommendations based on your preferences, budget, and dietary needs
- Generate meal plans tailored to your household
- Track pantry inventory and alert you of expiring items
- Learn and predict partner meal preferences over time
- Provide cooking tutorials matched to your skill level
- Process subscription payments and manage billing
AI-Powered Features
- Generate conversational recipe suggestions via artificial intelligence
- Create custom cooking tutorials based on your requests
- Provide contextual meal planning advice using your personal data
- Analyze cooking patterns for gamification progress
AI-Generated Content & Third-Party Processing
OpenAI Integration
Palate uses OpenAI's GPT-4 API to power conversational features, including:
- Recipe suggestions and meal planning advice
- Cooking tips and tutorial generation
- Natural language responses to your queries
Important Disclosures:
- Your conversation data (queries and context) is sent to OpenAI for processing
- OpenAI processes this data according to their Privacy Policy: https://openai.com/policies/privacy-policy
- OpenAI has stated they do NOT use API data to train their models
- Conversation history is automatically deleted after 7 days
AI Content Disclaimer: AI-generated responses may occasionally be inaccurate, incomplete, or inappropriate. Always use your own judgment when following cooking advice, recipes, or dietary recommendations.
Data Sharing & Disclosure
We DO NOT Sell Your Personal Information
We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties for marketing purposes.
Third-Party Service Providers
We share data only with trusted partners who help us operate Palate:
Stripe (Payment Processing)
- Purpose: Process subscription payments
- Data shared: Email, payment method, transaction history
- Privacy Policy: https://stripe.com/privacy
OpenAI (AI Services)
Data Retention
Active Accounts
- Account data: Retained while your account is active
- Cooking history: Retained indefinitely (unless you delete it manually)
- Meal plans & shopping lists: Retained indefinitely
Conversation Data
- Full conversation logs: Compressed into daily summaries after 24 hours
- Daily summaries: Stored for 7 days, then permanently deleted
Deleted Accounts
- Upon account deletion, all personal data is anonymized within 30 days
- Backups containing your data are deleted within 90 days
Your Privacy Rights
Access Your Data
Download your recipes, meal plans, and cooking history from Settings → Export Data, or request a complete copy by emailing support@palateapp.me
Delete Your Account
To permanently delete your account:
- Open Palate app or website
- Go to Settings → Account
- Tap "Delete Account"
- Type "DELETE" to confirm
- All data will be deleted within 30 days
OR email support@palateapp.me with subject line "Delete Account"
Children's Privacy
Palate is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us immediately at support@palateapp.me and we will delete it.
Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:
- All data transmitted between your device and our servers is encrypted using HTTPS/TLS
- Passwords are hashed using bcrypt (irreversible encryption)
- Sensitive data is encrypted at rest on our servers
- Internal access to user data is strictly limited
State-Specific Privacy Rights
California Residents (CCPA)
California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act:
- Right to Know: What personal information we collect and how it's used
- Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
- Right to Opt-Out: We don't sell personal information (no opt-out needed)
To exercise these rights, email support@palateapp.me with "California Privacy Request" in the subject line.
Illinois Residents
As an Illinois-based service, we comply with all applicable Illinois privacy laws. Illinois residents have the right to access, correct, and delete their personal data.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes:
- The "Last Updated" date at the top will change
- Significant changes will be announced via email or in-app notification
- Continued use of Palate after changes constitutes acceptance
Contact Us
We will respond to all inquiries within 30 days.