Privacy Policy
CookoutMenu.com | Effective: January 1, 2026 | Last Updated: June 1, 2026
Welcome to CookoutMenu.com (“we,” “us,” or “our”). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at CookoutMenu.com (the “Site”). Please read this policy carefully. If you do not agree with its terms, please stop using the Site.
1. Information We Collect
1.1 Information You Provide Directly
We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when you:
• Subscribe to our newsletter or email list
• Submit a contact form or send us an email
• Comment on articles or interact with content
• Register for an account (if applicable)
This information may include your name, email address, and any message content you submit.
1.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our Site, we automatically collect certain technical information, including:
• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Browser type, version, and operating system
• Pages visited, time spent on each page, and referring URLs
• Device identifiers and screen resolution
• Clickstream data and interaction events
This data is collected through cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies (see Section 5 for details).
1.3 Information from Third Parties
We may receive information about you from third-party services we use, such as Google Analytics, Google AdSense, and advertising partners. This data is typically aggregated and anonymized.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
• To operate, maintain, and improve our Site and its content
• To send you newsletters, updates, and promotional content (if you have opted in)
• To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• To analyze site usage trends and optimize user experience
• To serve relevant advertisements through Google AdSense and similar platforms
• To detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, or illegal activity
• To comply with legal obligations
3. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)
If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA) or United Kingdom (UK), we process your personal data under the following legal bases:
• Consent — where you have given us explicit permission (e.g., newsletter sign-up)
• Legitimate Interests — to operate, improve, and secure our website
• Legal Obligation — where required by applicable law
• Contract Performance — where processing is necessary to fulfill a contract with you
4. Sharing Your Information
We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your data only in the following circumstances:
4.1 Service Providers
We work with trusted third-party vendors who help us operate our Site, including:
• Google Analytics — for website traffic analysis
• Google AdSense — for serving advertisements
• Email marketing platforms (e.g., Mailchimp) — for newsletter delivery
• Hosting providers — for website infrastructure
These providers are contractually obligated to keep your information confidential and use it only to provide services to us.
4.2 Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, regulation, or legal process, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, property, or the safety of our users or the public.
4.3 Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience. For full details, please see our separate Cookie Policy. In summary:
• Essential cookies — required for the Site to function properly
• Analytics cookies — used by Google Analytics to track site usage
• Advertising cookies — used by Google AdSense to serve relevant ads
• Preference cookies — used to remember your settings and choices
You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings or our cookie consent tool.
6. Data Retention
We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, or as required by law. Specifically:
• Email subscriber data is retained until you unsubscribe
• Analytics data is retained per Google’s default retention settings (typically 26 months)
• Contact form submissions are retained for up to 2 years
When your data is no longer needed, we delete or anonymize it securely.
7. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include:
• SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit
• Access controls limiting who can access personal data
• Regular security reviews and updates
However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
8. Your Rights
8.1 For All Users
Regardless of your location, you have the right to:
• Opt out of email communications at any time by clicking ‘Unsubscribe’
• Request information about the data we hold about you
• Contact us with any privacy-related concerns
8.2 GDPR Rights (EEA & UK Users)
If you are in the EEA or UK, you have the following rights under GDPR:
• Right of Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to Rectification — request correction of inaccurate data
• Right to Erasure — request deletion of your personal data (‘right to be forgotten’)
• Right to Restrict Processing — request that we limit how we use your data
• Right to Data Portability — receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Right to Object — object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Right to Withdraw Consent — withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@cookoutmenu.com. We will respond within 30 days.
8.3 CCPA Rights (California Residents)
If you are a California resident, you have the right to:
• Know what personal information we collect, use, disclose, and sell
• Delete personal information we have collected from you
• Opt out of the ‘sale’ of your personal information (we do not sell data)
• Non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights
To submit a CCPA request, contact us at privacy@cookoutmenu.com.
9. Children’s Privacy
Our Site is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will delete it promptly. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.
10. Third-Party Links
Our Site may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.
11. International Data Transfers
Our Site is operated from the North Carolina, United States. If you access it from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States. By using our Site, you consent to this transfer.
For users in the EEA or UK, any international transfers of your data will be protected by appropriate safeguards, such as Standard Contractual Clauses.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will post the updated policy on this page with a revised ‘Last Updated’ date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of the Site after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
13. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us:
• Email: privacy@cookoutmenu.com
• Website: CookoutMenu.com
• Address: CookoutMenu.com, North Carolina, United States
ℹ This policy was last reviewed and updated in June 2026 to comply with GDPR, CCPA, and Google AdSense/Analytics terms of service.
