Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

312 Eats (“we,” “us,” or “our”) operates the website 312eats.com, a restaurant directory serving the Chicago area. Our goal is to help diners find the best restaurants in Chicago using data-driven rankings based on real Google reviews. For questions about this policy, contact us at [email protected].

2. Information We Collect

Information you provide directly

• Inquiry forms: name, phone number, email address, and message details (e.g., reservation requests, catering inquiries, private event requests)
• Restaurant claim forms: name, email, and business verification details
• Billing information: if you subscribe to a paid plan, our payment processor collects your credit card number, expiration date, and security code. We do not store this information.
• Account registration: email address and authentication credentials
• Communications: any information you include when you contact us via email
• Tips and corrections: if you submit a tip or suggest an edit to a restaurant listing, we store the content of your submission along with your account information. Approved tips may be displayed publicly on the restaurant's profile with your first name. You must be signed in to submit.

Information collected automatically

• Analytics data: pages visited, restaurant profiles viewed, clicks on phone numbers, website links, and reservation buttons
• Session navigation data: we track the sequence of pages you visit within a single browsing session, including time spent on each page and scroll depth. Each session is assigned a random, anonymous identifier stored in your browser's session storage (cleared when you close the tab). This data is not linked to your identity and is used solely to understand navigation patterns and improve site usability.
• Referrer URL: the page that brought you to our site
• Device information: browser type, operating system, and screen size (via standard HTTP headers)
• Geolocation: approximate location only when you explicitly use the “Near Me” feature and grant browser permission. We do not store your precise location.
• Plausible Analytics: we use Plausible, a privacy-friendly analytics tool, to collect anonymized usage data (page views, referrers, country, device type). Plausible does not use cookies or collect personal data. All data is aggregated and cannot be used to identify individual visitors.
• Meta (Facebook) Pixel: we use the Meta Pixel to measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns on Facebook and Instagram. The Pixel may collect information such as your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and actions taken on our site. This data is processed by Meta Platforms, Inc. in accordance with their Data Policy. You can opt out of Meta tracking via your Facebook Ad Settings.
• Microsoft Clarity: we use Microsoft Clarity, a behavior analytics tool, to understand how visitors interact with our site. Clarity may record mouse movements, clicks, scrolls, and page navigation through heatmaps and session recordings. It may also collect your IP address, browser type, device information, and pages visited. Session recordings may capture interactions with page content but are used solely to improve site usability. This data is processed by Microsoft Corporation in accordance with their Privacy Statement. You can opt out by disabling JavaScript or using a browser extension that blocks tracking scripts.

Information we do not collect

• We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties
• We do not use fingerprinting technologies to uniquely identify your device

3. How We Use Your Information

• Connecting you with restaurants: when you submit an inquiry (reservation request, catering inquiry, etc.), we share your details with the relevant restaurant so they can follow up
• Improving the directory: analytics data helps us understand which cuisines, neighborhoods, and features are most useful so we can improve the experience
• Restaurant dashboards: restaurant owners who have claimed their profile can see aggregated, anonymized analytics about their listing (view counts, click counts) but do not receive visitor-level data
• User submissions: tips and corrections you submit are reviewed by our team before publishing. Approved tips are displayed on restaurant profiles to help other diners. Approved corrections update restaurant listing data to keep information accurate.
• Communications: we may email you about your inquiry, account updates, and — if you consented at the time of submission — promotional offers, recommendations, and updates from 312 Eats. Every marketing email includes an unsubscribe link; you can opt out at any time.

4. How We Share Your Information

We share your information only in these limited circumstances:

• With restaurants: when you submit an inquiry, the restaurant you contacted receives your name, phone, email, and message details so they can respond to you
• Service providers: we use third-party services to operate our site (hosting, database, email delivery). These providers process data on our behalf and are contractually required to protect it.
• Legal requirements: we may disclose information if required by law, subpoena, or legal process

We never sell your personal information. We never share it with advertisers.

5. Marketing Communications

When you submit an inquiry or other form on our site, you may consent to receive marketing communications from 312 Eats. These may include restaurant recommendations, neighborhood spotlights, seasonal dining guides, and other content we think you'll find useful.

• Opt-out: every marketing email contains an unsubscribe link. Click it to stop receiving promotional emails immediately.
• Transactional emails: even after unsubscribing from marketing emails, you may still receive transactional emails directly related to your inquiry or account (e.g., inquiry confirmations, claim status updates).
• No spam: we will never sell or share your email address with third parties for their marketing purposes.

To unsubscribe, you can also email us at [email protected] with the subject line “Unsubscribe.”

6. Cookies & Similar Technologies

We use a minimal number of cookies and browser storage items:

We use Plausible Analytics, a privacy-friendly service that does not use cookies or collect personal data. We also use the Meta (Facebook) Pixel for advertising measurement and Microsoft Clarity for behavior analytics, both of which may set the cookies listed above. We do not use Google Analytics.

7. Third-Party Services

• Plausible Analytics: we use Plausible for privacy-friendly, cookie-free website analytics. Plausible does not collect personal data or track individuals across sites. See their data policy.
• Meta (Facebook) Pixel: we use the Meta Pixel to measure the effectiveness of our advertising on Facebook and Instagram. Meta may use data collected through the Pixel in accordance with their Privacy Policy. You can manage your ad preferences in your Facebook Ad Settings or opt out of interest-based advertising at optout.aboutads.info.
• Microsoft Clarity: we use Microsoft Clarity for website behavior analytics, including heatmaps and session recordings. Clarity may collect mouse movements, clicks, scrolls, and page interactions. Data is processed by Microsoft Corporation. See their Privacy Statement. You can opt out by disabling JavaScript or using a script-blocking browser extension.
• Cloudflare: we use Cloudflare for content delivery and DDoS protection. Cloudflare may process your IP address and request headers. See their privacy policy.
• OpenStreetMap: map tiles are loaded from OpenStreetMap servers when you view map features. OpenStreetMap's own privacy policy applies to those requests.
• Google: restaurant photos are sourced from Google Business profiles. Viewing these images sends a request to Google servers.
• Resend: we use Resend for transactional and marketing email delivery.
• Stripe: we use Stripe for secure payment processing. Stripe's privacy policy applies to your payment data.

8. Data Retention

• Inquiry data: retained for up to 2 years, then deleted
• Analytics data: retained for up to 1 year in aggregate form
• Account data: retained as long as your account is active. You may request deletion at any time.

9. Your Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the following rights:

• Access: request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: request that we correct inaccurate information
• Deletion: request that we delete your personal information
• Opt-out: opt out of non-essential data processing

To exercise any of these rights, email us at [email protected] with the subject line “Privacy Request.” We will respond within 30 days.

For California residents (CCPA)

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to know what personal information we collect and how it is used, to request deletion, and to opt out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell personal information. To make a CCPA request, email us at the address above.

For Illinois residents (BIPA notice)

312 Eats does not collect biometric data (fingerprints, facial recognition, voiceprints, etc.) from any user. We are not subject to the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act for the services provided on this site.

10. Data Security

We protect your data using industry-standard measures including encrypted connections (HTTPS), secure database hosting, and access controls. However, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Children's Privacy

312 Eats is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact

Questions or concerns about this privacy policy? Contact us at: [email protected]