Privacy Policy

Last updated: 22 May 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Cascais Cooks ("the Platform", "we", "us", "our") collects, uses, and protects personal data when you use our website and ordering platform. We are committed to handling your data responsibly and in compliance with applicable data protection laws, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

1. Who We Are

Cascais Cooks is an online platform connecting customers with independent home cooks in the Cascais area, Portugal. For the purposes of GDPR, Cascais Cooks is the data controller for personal data collected through the Platform.

2. Data We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal data:

• Order data — your name, contact details (phone number or email), and any special instructions you provide when placing an order.
• Usage data — pages visited, browser type, device type, and referring URLs, collected via server logs or analytics tools.
• Cook account data — if you register as a cook: your name, contact details, profile information, and meal listings.
• Communications — any messages you send to us or to a cook through the Platform.

We do not collect payment card details directly. Any payment processing is handled by a third-party payment processor and is subject to their privacy policy.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data only for the following purposes:

• to process and fulfil your orders and communicate order status;
• to pass your order details to the relevant cook so they can fulfil your order;
• to operate, maintain, and improve the Platform;
• to respond to enquiries and provide customer support;
• to comply with legal obligations; and
• to detect and prevent fraud or misuse of the Platform.

We do not use your personal data for automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data under the following legal bases:

• Contract performance — processing your order requires sharing your contact details with the relevant cook.
• Legitimate interests — improving the Platform, preventing fraud, and ensuring security.
• Legal obligation — where we are required to retain or disclose data by law.
• Consent — where you have explicitly opted in, for example to receive marketing communications (which we do not currently send).

5. Sharing Your Data

We share your personal data only as necessary:

• With cooks — your name, contact details, and order information are shared with the cook who will fulfil your order.
• With service providers — trusted third parties who help us operate the Platform (e.g. hosting providers, payment processors), who are bound by data processing agreements.
• With authorities — if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of users.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties for marketing purposes.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this policy, or as required by law. Order data is typically retained for a minimum of five years to comply with Portuguese tax and accounting obligations. You may request earlier deletion where no legal retention obligation applies.

7. Your Rights

Under GDPR you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access — request a copy of the data we hold about you.
• Rectification — ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Erasure — request deletion of your data where no overriding legal basis applies.
• Restriction — ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
• Portability — receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Objection — object to processing based on legitimate interests.
• Withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent, withdraw it at any time without affecting prior processing.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in Section 10. We will respond within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Portuguese data protection authority, the CNPD (Comissão Nacional de Proteção de Dados).

8. Cookies and Tracking

The Platform may use essential cookies to support core functionality such as your shopping cart. We do not currently use advertising or tracking cookies. If this changes, we will update this policy and seek your consent where required.

9. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure. However, no internet transmission is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us through the Cascais Cooks website. We will respond to all requests within 30 days.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be notified on the Platform. Continued use of the Platform after any update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.