Barfly Diners — FAQ / Support content

Source content for the /support page and store review notes.

What is Barfly Diners?

A private journal for the bars and restaurants you love. Save your spots, remember who to ask for and what to order, log your visits, add photos — and find new bars near you.

Do I need an account?

No. There's no sign-up and no login. Your journal lives on your phone.

Where is my data stored? Can you see it?

Everything you record stays on your device. We never receive a copy of your journal — notes, photos, visits, none of it. We can't see it.

How do I move my journal to a new phone?

Turn on Auto-backup in Settings — your journal backs up automatically, encrypted on your phone first. On the new phone, open Settings and enter your sharing & recovery code: the whole journal comes back. (Settings → Back up my journal still works too if you prefer a file you keep yourself.)

I lost my recovery code — can you send it to me or recover my journal?

We genuinely can't — and that's on purpose. Your journal is encrypted on your device with a key made from your code, and we never receive a copy of either. We store bytes we cannot read, which is exactly why nobody else can read them. Three places your code or journal may still exist: (1) your sharing partner's phone — if you share your journal, their device has the same code and the full journal; (2) wherever you saved the code — password manager, screenshot, notes; (3) your old device — if the app was offloaded rather than deleted, the journal is still on it. If none of those pan out, we're truly sorry — a fresh start is the only path, and this time tuck the code somewhere safe.

Why does it want my location?

Only to find bars near you when you tap "Bars near me" or "I'm here now." Your location isn't stored — it's used to answer that search and discarded. You can also search by name or by typing a city/ZIP without sharing your location.

"Nearby is taking a break" — what does that mean?

The nearby-search service has a daily budget to keep costs in check. If it's reached, try again later, or search for the place by name (that always works).

A bar is missing / has the wrong info. Why?

Place data comes from third parties (Google, OpenStreetMap). It's usually good but not perfect — some places aren't listed or are mis-tagged. You can always add a place by name or manually.

How do I delete my data?

Settings → Delete all my data erases your journal from the device and deletes your encrypted cloud backup, if you had auto-backup on. Uninstalling the app removes the on-device copy.

Is it free?

Yes, the journal is free. Future optional features or separate tools (e.g. for venue managers) may be paid, but the diner app stays free.

How old do I have to be?

You must be of legal drinking age (21+ in the US). Please enjoy responsibly and never drink and drive.

I need help / have feedback.

Email support@barflydiners.com.