frequently asked
the quick answers — grades, the camera scan, your privacy, and where we work.
📊
How are grades calculated?
We don't calculate them. Grades come straight from each city's health department — letter grades in NYC, LA, and Las Vegas, pass/fail results in Chicago and Boston, placard ratings in Seattle & King County, and inspection scores in Austin. Cooked simply shows you that public data on one scale: a good result reads as clean, a shaky one as mid, and a bad one as cooked. Because the underlying data can lag, always verify with the official city source before relying on a grade.
A · clean 😇
B · mid 😬
C · cooked 🪳
📸
Why isn't the scan lining up with the storefronts?
The camera overlay depends on your phone's GPS and compass, and both can drift — especially among tall buildings. Hold the phone up and move it slowly in a figure-8 to recalibrate the compass, give the GPS a moment to settle, and make sure location and camera permissions are allowed. The scan needs a real device with a camera and motion sensors; it won't work in a simulator.
🔒
Is my data private?
Yes. Cooked has no accounts and never collects your name or email. Your camera feed stays on your device, and your saved spots are stored locally. See the Privacy Policy for the full details.
🗽
Which cities does Cooked cover?
Seven cities: all five NYC boroughs, Chicago, LA County, greater Las Vegas, Seattle & King County, Austin, and Boston — over 172,000 restaurants, each from that city's official health-inspection records. More cities later.