Privacy Policy

Who We Are

DENU is an independent, donation-supported project operated by a small team (Sepand Haghighi, Siavash Mehrabi, and Erfan Jazeb Nikoo). We are not a large corporation. We rely on community donations to keep the platform 100% free for everyone. Our operations are based in the Netherlands, so we follow GDPR rules for data protection.

Information We Collect

We collect only the minimum data necessary to operate the service.

For Business Owners (who create and manage menus)

• Mobile phone number (required for SMS login and account verification)
• Name and basic account details
• Business information (name, type, address — if you choose to provide it)
• Menu content you upload: item names, prices, descriptions, and photos
• Table information and unique QR codes (up to 50 QR codes per business, 1 free business per user)

For Visitors / Customers

• Technical data only: IP address, browser type, operating system, device type, and pages visited
• Usage statistics (e.g., which menu was viewed) for analytics and service improvement
• No account is required. Customers remain completely anonymous.

We do NOT collect: precise location data, location history, email addresses from customers, payment information, or any sensitive personal data.

How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information only for the following purposes:

• To create, host, and display your digital menus and QR codes
• To manage your account and businesses (1 free business per user)
• To generate unique table QR codes and links
• To provide customer support and respond to inquiries
• To improve the platform, fix bugs, and develop new features
• To maintain security and prevent fraud or abuse
• To comply with legal obligations (e.g., court orders)

Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

Under GDPR, we rely on:

• Contract — to provide the service you requested (account creation and menu hosting)
• Legitimate interest — to improve and secure the platform
• Consent — where we use optional cookies for analytics (you can withdraw this at any time)

Data Sharing

We never sell your personal information.

We may share data only with trusted service providers (e.g., hosting companies, cloud storage, analytics tools) who are contractually bound to protect your data and use it solely for the purposes we specify. We may also disclose information if required by law.

Cookies, Local Storage, and Tracking Technologies

We use the following types of cookies and browser storage:

Essential (always active)

• Session tokens — used to keep you logged in to your DENU account. Stored as a secure HTTP cookie.
• Theme preference — stores your light/dark/system theme choice in localStorage so the interface looks right on every visit.
• Cookie consent — records your accept/decline decision so we do not show the banner again.

Analytics (requires consent)

• Google Analytics — we use Google Analytics with IP anonymization enabled to understand aggregate usage patterns (e.g., which pages are visited, device types, country-level location). No personally identifiable data is sent to Google. You can opt out by declining cookies in the banner or by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

In the DENU mobile / web app

• Guest tokens — before you log in, the app assigns an anonymous guest token stored locally on your device. This allows you to browse catalogs without an account. No personal data is attached to a guest token.
• Authenticated session — once you log in, your session token replaces the guest token and is used to authenticate your requests to the DENU API.

Language detection

• We detect your browser language to serve the platform in the most appropriate language. This is read from your browser's Accept-Language header and is not stored beyond the session unless you explicitly choose a language.

You can manage or clear cookies and local storage at any time through your browser settings. Note that disabling essential cookies may break login functionality.

Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your data. However, no internet transmission or storage system is 100% secure. We encourage you to use strong passwords and keep your login details private.

Data Retention

We keep your account and menu data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will delete your personal information within a reasonable time (while keeping anonymized logs for analytics and legal compliance). Technical logs are kept for a short period only.

Your Rights (including GDPR rights)

You have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Request deletion of your data (subject to legal requirements)
• Restrict or object to processing
• Request data portability
• Withdraw consent where we rely on it (e.g., analytics cookies)

To exercise any of these rights, simply email us. We will respond within one month.

Children's Privacy

DENU is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child under 13, we will delete it immediately.

International Data Transfers

Some of our service providers may be located outside the European Economic Area. Where this happens, we ensure appropriate safeguards (such as standard contractual clauses) are in place to protect your data.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will post the new version on this page with a new effective date. We encourage you to review it periodically.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact us at the email address above.