Privacy Policy

Effective date: March 21, 2026

1. Privacy Commitment and Data Practices

Otto the Tomato LLC ("we," "Otto") runs Otto, an iMessage and SMS meal planning, grocery ordering, and cooking service. We take your privacy seriously.

Summary: We collect data solely to operate Otto. We do not sell personal information. You have rights under California law to access, delete, and control how we use your data.

Questions? Email hello@ottothetomato.com.

2. What Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Give Us

• Contact: Phone number, email (if provided)
• Profile: Name, household size, ZIP code
• Dietary Info: Food allergies, dietary restrictions, religious requirements, medical conditions, cooking preferences
• Grocery Info: Preferred stores, budget preferences, pantry staples
• Messages: Every text you send to Otto, including meal requests, questions, and conversation history
• Grocery Delivery Account (if linked): Your account username or details for connected grocery services

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

• Usage: How often you message, what types of meals you request, shopping patterns
• Device: Phone model, operating system, wireless carrier
• Metadata: Timestamps of messages, delivery status, time zone
• Service Performance: Message delivery times, response times, errors

2.3 Website Tracking (ottothetomato.com)

We use Google Analytics on our website. This collects your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and referring site. Google places cookies on your browser. You can disable cookies in your browser settings.

2.4 Information From Third Parties

• Twilio: Message delivery status, carrier name, network type
• Grocery delivery services: Cart contents, order confirmation (we don't see payment details)

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 To Make Otto Work

We use your data to deliver messages, respond to your requests, generate personalized meal suggestions (powered by AI), build grocery carts, keep your conversation history, and provide customer support.

3.2 To Make Otto Better

We use anonymized, aggregated data to improve our meal suggestion algorithms, build new features, and train our AI models. Anonymized means we remove your name, phone number, and identifying info so nothing traces back to you.

3.3 To Talk to You

We use your contact info to send service updates, alert you to technical issues, respond to support questions, and notify you of policy changes. We don't send marketing emails or unsolicited promotions.

3.4 Otto Uses AI

Otto uses artificial intelligence (large language models) to generate meal suggestions and cooking instructions. Your preferences, dietary restrictions, and past conversations inform what Otto suggests. You can request human review by emailing hello@ottothetomato.com.

4. Who We Share Your Data With

4.1 What We Don't Do

Otto does not sell your personal information, share your data with third parties for marketing purposes, trade your data for payment, or rent your contact information to other businesses.

4.2 Service Providers

Messaging services (iMessage and SMS): We share your phone number and message content with messaging infrastructure providers, including Twilio, so they can deliver your texts. Twilio's privacy policy.

Grocery delivery services (such as Instacart): We may share your grocery list, preferences, and account details with third-party grocery delivery services to fulfill orders. Each service has its own privacy policy.

Otto does not control how Twilio or third-party grocery services use your data beyond what is necessary to deliver the service.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may share your data if required by law, court order, law enforcement, or to protect the rights, privacy, or safety of Otto or our users.

4.4 If Otto Is Sold

If Otto is acquired or merged, your data may transfer to the new owner. We'll notify you on our website or by email.

5. How Long We Keep Your Data

5.1 Retention Schedule

• Name, phone, preferences: While you use Otto + 12 months after your last message, then deleted
• Message history: 24 months from when sent, then deleted from active systems (kept in encrypted backups 12 more months for legal compliance)
• Dietary info: While you use Otto + 12 months, then deleted
• Grocery order info: 12 months for customer service
• Anonymized analytics: Kept indefinitely (can't identify you)
• Website cookies: Per Google's policy (usually 14-26 months)

5.2 Delete Your Data Anytime

Text STOP to Otto or email hello@ottothetomato.com. We'll remove your data from active systems within 30 days, except where law requires us to keep it.

6. How We Protect Your Data

We use encryption in transit (HTTPS/SSL), secure storage with access controls, regular security assessments, and limited staff access. No online service is perfectly secure. Never share credit card numbers, bank details, or passwords via text message.

7. Data Breach Notification

If someone unauthorized accesses your personal data, we will notify you without unreasonable delay, describe what happened and what data was affected, and notify the California Attorney General if more than 500 California residents are affected.

8. Your California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)

If you live in California, you have these rights:

8.1 Right to Know

You can ask what personal info we collect, how we use it, and who we share it with. Email hello@ottothetomato.com with "CCPA Data Request" in the subject. We'll respond within 45 days.

8.2 Right to Delete

You can ask us to delete your data. Text STOP or email hello@ottothetomato.com. We'll delete within 45 days, unless law requires us to keep it.

8.3 Right to Correct

You can ask us to fix inaccurate info. Email hello@ottothetomato.com with "CCPA Correction Request." We'll fix it within 45 days.

8.4 Right to Opt-Out of Sharing

Under California law, sharing data with service providers can be considered a "sale" even without payment. We share data with Twilio and third-party grocery delivery services to provide the service. You can opt out by emailing hello@ottothetomato.com with "Do Not Sell or Share" in the subject. Important: Opting out may prevent Otto from functioning, as Twilio and other messaging providers enable iMessage and SMS delivery, and grocery services enable ordering.

8.5 Right to Limit Sensitive Data Use

You can ask us to limit how we use sensitive info like health data and allergies. Email hello@ottothetomato.com with "Limit Sensitive Data." Note: this may make meal suggestions less personalized.

8.6 No Discrimination

We won't penalize you for exercising your privacy rights.

8.7 How to Exercise Your Rights

Email (recommended): hello@ottothetomato.com
Text: STOP to opt out or HELP for support
Mail: Otto the Tomato LLC, San Francisco, CA 94103 (Attn: Privacy)

We'll respond within 45 days. We may ask you to verify your identity. You can also have an authorized agent make requests on your behalf with written permission.

9. Kids and Otto

Otto is intended for adults 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect data from minors. If we discover that we have collected data from a user under 18, we will delete it immediately. Parents and guardians who believe their child has used Otto should contact hello@ottothetomato.com.

10. International Use

Otto operates from the United States. If you're outside the U.S., your data is stored and processed here. By using Otto, you agree to this transfer.

11. Links to Other Sites

Otto may link to third-party sites. This Privacy Policy only covers Otto. Read their privacy policies.

12. Policy Changes

We may update this policy. We'll update the "Effective Date" above and email you if the change is significant. Continuing to use Otto means you accept it.

13. Questions?

Email: hello@ottothetomato.com
Text: Reply HELP to Otto
Website: ottothetomato.com
Mail: Otto the Tomato LLC, San Francisco, CA 94103 (Attn: Privacy)

California Privacy Issues?

File a complaint with the California Privacy Protection Agency at cppa.ca.gov.