This Privacy Policy describes how the Philadelphia Cheesesteak Museum ("the Museum," "we," "us") collects, uses, and protects information when you use cheesesteakmuseum.com and the Cheesesteak Museum companion app and member website at app.cheesesteakmuseum.com (together, the "Services").
Information We Collect
Account information
When you create a membership account, we collect your username, email address, and a password. Passwords are never stored in plain text — they are one-way hashed (bcrypt) before being saved, so we cannot see or recover your actual password. We send a 6-digit code to your email address to confirm you own it before your account is activated.
Content you submit
Cheesesteak reviews, ratings, comments, Hall of Fame votes, judge-certification answers, and any photos you upload are stored so they can be shown to other members and used to calculate shop ratings and Hall of Fame results.
Location
If you use the "nearby shops" or mobile-museum-tracking features, the app may ask your device for permission to share your location so we can show cheesesteak shops close to you. Location access is optional and only used while you're actively using that feature; we do not track or store a continuous location history.
Push notifications
If you enable push notifications, we store a device token (an anonymous identifier provided by Apple/Google, not tied to your identity beyond your account) so we can deliver notifications to your device.
Payments
Steak Meetups judging fees are processed by our payment processor, Stripe. We never see or store your full card number — Stripe handles that directly and shares with us only what's needed to complete and record the transaction (e.g., amount, status).
How We Use Information
- To create and secure your account, and confirm you own the email address you registered with.
- To operate core features: shop browsing, reviews, Judge a Cheesesteak certification, Hall of Fame voting, favorites, and Steak Meetups.
- To send account-related email (verification codes, security notices) and, if you opt in, push notifications.
- To process payments for optional paid features via Stripe.
- To maintain the security and integrity of the Services.
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for third-party advertising.
Sharing of Information
We share information only as needed to operate the Services:
- Stripe — to process Steak Meetup payments.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS) — our hosting and email-delivery provider, used to store data and send account emails.
- Apple / Google — to deliver push notifications to your device, if enabled.
- Other members — your username, reviews, ratings, and Hall of Fame votes are visible to other members as part of the Services' normal operation.
We may also disclose information if required by law or to protect the rights, property, or safety of the Museum, our members, or the public.
Data Retention & Deletion
We retain account information for as long as your account is active. You can close (unsubscribe) your account at any time from within the app; this disables login and removes your username/email from active use, though anonymized activity records (like past reviews) may be retained to keep shop ratings and Hall of Fame results accurate. To request full deletion of your personal data, email us at info@cheesesteakmuseum.com.
Security
We use industry-standard safeguards, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), hashed passwords, and access controls, to help protect your information. No online service can guarantee absolute security, but we work to keep your data safe.
Children's Privacy
The Services are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can remove it.
Your Choices
- You can review and update your account information within the app.
- You can disable location access and push notifications at any time in your device settings.
- You can close your account as described above.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be reflected by updating the "Last updated" date above.
Contact Us
Questions about this Privacy Policy? Email us at info@cheesesteakmuseum.com.