Frequently Asked Questions

Restaurant Buddy is a mobile app that helps you find restaurants that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, follow a specific diet (vegan, keto, halal, low-FODMAP, etc.), or simply want to discover new places to eat, Restaurant Buddy makes it easy to find safe and delicious dining options near you.

Restaurant Buddy is free to download with many features available at no cost, including restaurant search, allergy filtering, and saving favorites. We also offer a premium version with additional features like advanced menu analysis and the calorie estimator. You can try the free version and upgrade anytime.

Restaurant Buddy is available for both iOS and Android devices. You can download it from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app requires iOS 14.0 or later for iPhones, and Android 8.0 or later for Android devices.

Yes, you need to create an account to use Restaurant Buddy. An account lets you view menus, save favorite restaurants, set dietary preferences that persist across sessions, set a profile picture, participate in polls, and sync your data across devices. You can sign up with your email, Google, or Apple ID.

Restaurant Buddy supports a wide range of allergies and dietary restrictions, including:

• Common allergens: Peanuts, tree nuts, milk/dairy, eggs, wheat/gluten, soy, fish, shellfish, sesame
• Dietary preferences: Vegan, keto, halal, kosher, low-FODMAP, dairy-free, and more

You can select multiple allergies and preferences in your profile settings. Don't see yours on the list? Let us know and we'll work on adding it!

We work hard to provide accurate allergen information by gathering data from restaurant menus, official websites, and third-party sources. However, we cannot guarantee 100% accuracy. Ingredients and recipes can change, and cross-contamination may occur in restaurant kitchens.

Important: Always verify allergen information directly with the restaurant before ordering, especially if you have severe allergies. Our information should be used as a helpful guide, not as medical advice.

To set up your allergy profile:

1. Open the app and go to Settings (gear icon)
2. Tap on "Dietary Preferences" or "Allergies"
3. Select all allergies and dietary restrictions that apply to you
4. Save your preferences

Once set, the app will automatically highlight safe menu items and warn you about potential allergens.

Yes! When viewing a restaurant's menu, you can filter items by calorie ranges (e.g., under 500 calories, 500-800 calories, etc.). You can also hide calorie information entirely if you prefer not to see it. These options are available in the menu filter settings.

Can't decide where to eat? The "Roll the Dice" feature randomly selects a restaurant for you based on your preferences. You can use:

• Quick Roll: Instantly finds a nearby restaurant that's open now with good ratings
• Custom Roll: Set your own filters (distance, cuisine type, rating, delivery options) before rolling

It's a fun way to discover new places you might not have considered!

To save a restaurant:

1. Find a restaurant in the search results or on the map
2. Tap the heart icon on the restaurant card
3. The restaurant will be saved to your "Saved" tab

Note: You need to be signed in to save favorites. Your saved restaurants sync across all your devices.

Restaurant Buddy uses your location to show you nearby restaurants, calculate distances, and provide relevant results. Location access is optional - you can still search for restaurants in specific areas without sharing your location. You can enable or disable location services at any time in your device settings.

Yes! Restaurant Buddy includes an interactive map view that shows all nearby restaurants. You can:

• See restaurant locations as pins on the map
• Tap on pins to view restaurant details
• Get directions to any restaurant with one tap
• Filter the map by your preferences

To delete your account:

1. Open the app and go to Settings
2. Tap on "Account"
3. Scroll down and tap "Delete Account"
4. Confirm your decision

This will permanently delete your account and all associated data. This action cannot be undone.

We take your privacy seriously. Your data is protected by:

• Encrypted data transmission (HTTPS/TLS)
• Secure cloud storage with industry-standard encryption
• Limited data collection - we only collect what's necessary
• No selling of personal data to third parties

For more details, please read our Privacy Policy.

Yes! You can use Restaurant Buddy as a guest without creating an account. Guest mode lets you search for restaurants and use the dice feature. However, you won't be able to view menus, your preferences won't be saved between sessions, and you won't be able to save favorites. Create a free account to unlock full menu access and all features.

Try these troubleshooting steps:

1. Make sure location services are enabled for Restaurant Buddy in your device settings
2. Check your internet connection
3. Pull down to refresh the restaurant list
4. Try expanding your search radius in the filter settings
5. If using filters, try removing some to see more results

If the problem persists, please contact our support team.

We appreciate your help in keeping our data accurate! To report incorrect information:

1. Open the restaurant's detail page
2. Go to the Menu tab
3. Tap the menu options button (three dots)
4. Select "Report Menu Issue"
5. Describe the issue and submit

Our team will review the report and update the information as needed.

To reset your password:

1. On the login screen, tap "Forgot Password"
2. Enter the email address associated with your account
3. Check your email for a password reset link
4. Click the link and create a new password

If you signed up with Google or Apple, you don't have a Restaurant Buddy password - just use those services to sign in.