Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to the questions we hear most. For step-by-step instructions see the User Guide; for fixing problems see Help.
The app
What is Table Encore, in one sentence?
A private restaurant meal journal that answers "what did I have here last time, and did I like it?" the moment you walk in.
Is this a review app like Yelp or Google Reviews?
No. Nothing you write is published anywhere. Table Encore is a journal for you — your dishes, your ratings, your notes, stored on your phone. There is no feed, no followers, and no public profile.
Why two ratings per dish?
Satisfaction asks "was this a good dish?" and enjoyment asks "did I love eating it?" They diverge more often than you'd think — a flawless but forgettable entrée, or a greasy dive-bar plate you'd drive an hour for. Keeping both makes your next order smarter.
Does it work offline?
Yes, entirely. Logging, matching, browsing — even menu & receipt scanning — all run on your device, and a GPS fix doesn't need a data connection either. The only feature that ever touches the network is the optional Premium backup, which uploads to your own Google Drive and only when you ask it to.
Privacy & location
Where is my data stored?
In a local database on your device. There are no accounts, and Code Cowboys never receives, sees, or stores anything you record — we run no servers. If you use Premium Backup & sync, the backup goes to a hidden app folder in your own Google Drive, straight from your phone. See the Privacy Policy for the full picture.
Why does the app ask for location permission?
For one thing only: matching where you're standing against restaurants you have saved, and suggesting a city name when you log a new place. It's a while-in-use permission — the app never reads location in the background — and no location history is kept. You can decline it and pick restaurants manually.
Are there ads or analytics?
No ads, no analytics, no tracking SDKs, no crash reporters. The app contains no third-party data services of any kind.
Pricing
What's free and what's paid?
Free: up to 5 saved restaurants, with photos, sharing, and export all included — and the app shows you exactly where you stand ("2 of 5 free restaurants used"). Two optional purchases: a one-time Unlimited unlock ($6.99) removes the restaurant limit forever, and a Premium subscription ($12.99/year) adds menu & receipt scanning plus cloud Backup & sync — and includes Unlimited. Payment is handled by Google Play or the App Store.
What exactly does Premium include?
Three things: menu & receipt scanning (scan a menu once and that restaurant's dishes autocomplete from then on; scan a bill and your dishes prefill with names and prices), Backup & sync to your own Google Drive, and Unlimited restaurants — Premium includes everything the one-time unlock does, so you never need both. The Unlimited unlock never converts into a subscription, and the core journal — logging, ratings, photos, sharing, export — stays free.
What happens to my data if I hit the free limit?
Nothing. Existing data is never gated — you can keep viewing, editing, and logging visits at all your saved places for free, forever. Only adding a sixth restaurant asks for the unlock, and the in-app counter means it never sneaks up on you.
I reinstalled the app — how do I get my unlock back?
Purchases are tied to your Google Play or Apple account, not your device. Reinstall the app and the unlock is restored through the store. If it doesn't appear, see Help.
Data & platforms
How do I back up my journal?
Three ways. Premium Backup & sync backs everything up — photos included — to a private app folder in your own Google Drive, and restores on any phone. Export data (free, in About) shares a JSON dump of your journal wherever you like. And your device's built-in backup (Google Backup on Android, iCloud on iPhone) can include app data according to your settings. Because there's no cloud on our end, deleting the app without one of these leaves us with no copy to restore.
Is there an iPhone version?
Yes — Table Encore for iPhone is in public beta right now. Join through TestFlight and you'll get new builds as they ship. The App Store release follows once the beta settles.
How do I get the app today?
iPhone: join the TestFlight beta — install TestFlight, tap the link, done. Android: the app is in closed beta on Google Play; email us with the Google account you use on your phone and we'll add you. Full store launches on both platforms are next.
Can I add photos of my dishes?
Yes. Every dish can carry a photo — camera or gallery — shown as a thumbnail on the dish card with a full-screen pinch-to-zoom view. Photos are stored on your device, attached when you share a visit, and included in Premium backups. Premium subscribers can also scan the menu or the receipt to prefill dishes and prices. See the User Guide.
Can I share a visit with someone?
Yes — open any visit and tap the share icon. It sends a text summary (dishes grouped per diner, with star ratings) plus any dish photos through the normal system share sheet. Nothing is ever published; you choose exactly who gets it, each time.