Who we are
Lokal Plate is a national directory of restaurants, farms, markets, and lodging that prioritize local ingredients. This policy covers www.lokalplate.com and the map, accounts, and forms on it. Contact: lokalplate.admin@gmail.com.
What we collect
Only what you give us or what the site needs to work:
- Account. Email, display name, password (stored as a hash — we cannot read it), and an optional profile photo that we resize to a small image.
- Saved places. Favorites you heart on the map, stored with your account so they follow you across devices.
- Reviews and reactions. Ratings, written reviews, and helpful/not-helpful reactions, tied to your account.
- Suggestions, flags, and claims. Place names, notes, and the contact name, email, and (for claims) phone number you submit so we can follow up.
- Technical data for abuse prevention. IP address and basic request metadata so we can rate-limit spam, block honeypot bots, and keep reviews usable.
- On your device. A sign-in token in local storage (so some browsers still stay signed in), theme preference, and short-lived timestamps that throttle suggestion spam.
We do not ask for payment card numbers, government IDs, or precise GPS tracks. Browsing the public map does not require an account.
How we use it
- Run your account, favorites, and reviews.
- Show your display name and photo next to reviews you post.
- Review suggested places, listing corrections, and ownership claims.
- Email you only when you write us, or when we need to follow up on something you submitted.
- Stop spam, abuse, and automated sign-ups.
We do not sell your information. We do not rent email lists. We do not run third-party advertising pixels or sell ads against your profile.
Cookies and local storage
Sign-in uses first-party cookies and, as a fallback, a bearer token saved in your browser. That token is how some browsers (and the map page) keep you signed in. Clearing site data signs you out. We also store a light/dark preference and a few UI dismissals on your device. These are not advertising cookies.
Who else sees it
We share data only with the services that host the product:
- Vercel hosts the website and processes requests.
- Neon hosts the Postgres database (accounts, favorites, reviews, suggestions).
- FormSubmit delivers some public “suggest a place” emails to lokalplate.admin@gmail.com.
We may disclose information if required by law, or if we need to protect the service or other people from abuse. Reviews you publish are public. Suggestions and claims are not listed on the map until we review them.
How long we keep it
Account data stays until you delete the account or we close it for abuse. Deleting the account removes your profile, saved places, reviews, and reactions. Suggestion, flag, and claim history may stay in our review queue with your name and email stripped. Spam-control logs (IP + timestamps) are kept only as long as needed to stop repeat abuse.
Your choices
- Edit your name and photo, or remove the photo, from your account.
- Un-save any favorite from the account page or the map.
- Delete the account from your account (type your email to confirm). That removes your profile, saved places, reviews, and reactions. Email lokalplate.admin@gmail.com if you want a copy of your data first, or if you cannot sign in.
Children
Lokal Plate is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 13. If you think a child created an account, email us and we will delete it.
Changes
If we change this policy in a material way, we will update the date at the top of this page. Continued use after that date means you accept the revised policy.