Privacy
Privacy Policy
Last updated: May 1, 2026
DhabaRoute (dhabaroute.com) is a free directory of authentic Indian dhabas along US highways. This page explains what we collect, what we don’t, and who else can see information when you use the site.
The short version
- We don’t ask you to sign up. There are no accounts, passwords, or profiles.
- The forms on the site (Submit a dhaba, Share info) are routed through Formspree to dhabaroute@gmail.com. Whatever you type goes to that inbox — that’s it.
- “Near me” uses your browser’s location only after you tap the button. The coordinates stay in your browser; we never receive them.
- We use Vercel Analytics for aggregate page-view counts. No cookies, no fingerprinting.
- Map tiles come from OpenStreetMap. Photos come from Google. When your browser loads them, those services see your IP — same as any image on the web.
- We may show ads from Google AdSense. AdSense uses cookies to personalize ads.
Data we collect
Directly from you: only the contents of forms you submit — your name, the dhaba info you’re contributing, optional notes, and the email or phone you give us if you want a reply. These get emailed to dhabaroute@gmail.com via Formspree. We don’t store them anywhere else.
Automatically: Vercel Analytics records aggregate page-view metrics (URL, country, referrer, device type). It does not set cookies, does not track you across sessions, and does not collect personal information.
Third-party services your browser talks to
| Service | What for | What they see |
|---|---|---|
| OpenStreetMap | Map tiles | Your IP and the tiles you fetch |
| Google (lh3.googleusercontent.com) | Dhaba photos | Your IP when an image loads |
| Formspree | Form submissions | The fields you submit |
| Vercel Analytics | Aggregate page views | Nothing personal |
| Google AdSense | Advertising (when enabled) | See cookies section below |
Each provider name links to its own privacy policy.
Cookies and Google AdSense
When AdSense is enabled, Google and its partners may set cookies on your browser to show relevant ads, measure ad performance, and prevent fraudulent clicks.
You can control this in two places:
- Google’s Ads Settings — opt out of personalized ads at adssettings.google.com.
- Industry opt-outs — aboutads.info/choices and optout.networkadvertising.org.
If you have a “Do Not Track” signal enabled in your browser, we honor it for our own analytics, but we can’t enforce it for third-party ads — for those, use the opt-outs above.
Your location
If you tap “Near me,” the browser asks your permission to share your location. If you allow it, your coordinates are saved in your browser’s sessionStorage (cleared when you close the tab). They never leave your device. We use them locally to sort dhabas by distance.
Children's privacy
This site is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted information, contact us and we’ll remove it.
Your choices
- Don’t submit forms if you don’t want your input emailed to us.
- Block AdSense with browser settings or an ad blocker.
- Don’t tap “Near me” to skip geolocation.
- Disable Vercel Analytics by enabling “Do Not Track” in your browser, or with most ad blockers.
US residents have additional rights under state laws (e.g. California CCPA, Virginia VCDPA). To exercise any of these, email dhabaroute@gmail.com.
Changes to this policy
If we change what this site does with data, we’ll update this page and the “Last updated” date at the top. Substantial changes — like adding a new third-party service that collects user data — will be called out at the top of the page for at least 30 days.
Contact
For privacy questions or requests, email dhabaroute@gmail.com.