Cookie Policy

This Cookie Policy explains how Guzman y Gomez ("we," "us," or "our") uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on our website guzman-y-gomez.com (the "Website"). Please read this policy carefully to understand what cookies we use, why we use them, and how you can control your cookie preferences.

This Cookie Policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By continuing to use our Website, you acknowledge and consent to our use of cookies as described in this policy. As an Australian-based food business, we comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and guidelines issued by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer, smartphone, tablet, or other internet-enabled device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently, provide a better user experience, and supply website operators with useful information about how their sites are being used.

Cookies are sent from a web server to your browser and stored on your device. Each time you visit the same website, your browser sends the stored cookie back to the server, allowing the website to recognise your device and remember your preferences or actions over time.

Cookies do not typically contain personally identifiable information on their own; however, when combined with other data we hold about you, they may allow us to identify you as an individual. Where this occurs, we treat such combined data as personal information under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

1.1 First-Party vs. Third-Party Cookies

  • First-party cookies are set directly by Guzman y Gomez on our Website. They are used to improve your experience on our site and remember your settings.
  • Third-party cookies are placed on our Website by external service providers such as Google, Facebook, or other advertising and analytics networks. These third parties may collect information about your online activity across different websites.

1.2 Session Cookies vs. Persistent Cookies

  • Session cookies are temporary and are deleted from your device once you close your browser. They allow websites to track your movements from page to page within a single browsing session.
  • Persistent cookies remain on your device for a set period of time or until you manually delete them. They are used to remember your preferences and settings when you return to a website.

1.3 Similar Tracking Technologies

In addition to cookies, we may use other similar technologies, including:

  • Web beacons (pixel tags): Tiny invisible images embedded in web pages or emails that track whether a page or email has been opened.
  • Local storage: A browser-based storage mechanism that allows data to be stored locally on your device beyond the scope of a single session.
  • Device fingerprinting: A technique that collects information about your device configuration to identify your device across sessions.
  • Scripts: Pieces of code that run in your browser to collect data or enable website functionality.

2. Types of Cookies We Use

We categorise the cookies used on our Website into four main types. Understanding these categories will help you make informed decisions about your cookie preferences.

2.1 Strictly Necessary / Essential Cookies

These cookies are essential for the basic operation of our Website. Without these cookies, certain features of the Website cannot be provided. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information and do not require your consent. They enable core functionality such as security, network management, account access, and accessibility.

Examples of what essential cookies do:

  • Keep you logged in to your account as you navigate between pages
  • Remember items you have added to your cart or order
  • Ensure secure transmission of data
  • Load balance traffic across servers for optimal Website performance

2.2 Analytics and Performance Cookies

Analytics cookies allow us to understand how visitors interact with our Website by collecting and reporting information. This data helps us improve the performance and structure of our Website. All information collected is aggregated and anonymous — it does not identify individual users.

What analytics cookies help us understand:

  • Which pages are visited most frequently
  • Where visitors come from (search engines, social media, direct links)
  • How long visitors spend on each page
  • Where users drop off or exit the site
  • Error messages users encounter

We use Google Analytics as our primary analytics provider. Google Analytics is a service provided by Google LLC. For more information on how Google uses this data, please visit Google's Privacy Policy.

2.3 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies enable our Website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third-party providers whose services we have added to our pages. These cookies remember your choices and preferences to provide a more personalised experience.

Examples of what functional cookies do:

  • Remember your preferred language or region
  • Save your login details so you do not have to re-enter them each visit
  • Remember your cookie consent preferences
  • Enable embedded content from third-party platforms (e.g., YouTube videos, maps)
  • Provide live chat and customer support features

2.4 Advertising and Targeting Cookies

Advertising cookies are used to deliver advertisements that are relevant and meaningful to you. They may be set through our Website by our advertising partners, including Google Ads and Meta (Facebook). These cookies track your browsing activity across different websites to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant advertisements on other websites you visit.

Important: These cookies do not directly store personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will still see advertisements, but they will be less targeted and relevant to you.

3. Specific Cookies We Use

The following table provides detailed information about the specific cookies used on guzman-y-gomez.com:

Cookie Name Provider Type Purpose Duration
_ga Google Analytics Analytics Registers a unique ID used to generate statistical data on how the visitor uses the Website. Distinguishes between individual users and sessions. 2 years
_gid Google Analytics Analytics Registers a unique ID used to generate statistical data on how the visitor uses the Website. Used to distinguish users within a 24-hour period. 24 hours
_gat Google Analytics Analytics Used by Google Analytics to throttle request rate, limiting the collection of data on high-traffic sites. 1 minute
_gcl_au Google Ads Advertising Used by Google AdSense to experiment with advertisement efficiency across websites using their services. Stores and tracks conversions from Google Ads campaigns. 90 days
_fbp Meta (Facebook) Advertising Used by Facebook to deliver a series of advertisement products such as real-time bidding from third-party advertisers. Tracks users across websites and apps. 90 days
_fbc Meta (Facebook) Advertising Stores the last Facebook ad click information. Used to attribute website conversions back to Facebook ad campaigns. 90 days
cookieconsent_status Guzman y Gomez Essential / Functional Stores the user's cookie consent preferences to ensure the consent banner is not shown repeatedly on return visits. 1 year
PHPSESSID Guzman y Gomez Essential A general-purpose platform session cookie used to maintain user session state across page requests. Necessary for the Website to function correctly. Session
cart_session Guzman y Gomez Essential Maintains the contents of your food order/cart as you navigate through the Website and add or remove menu items. Session
user_prefs Guzman y Gomez Functional Stores your personalised preferences such as selected restaurant location, dietary preferences, and display settings. 6 months
auth_token Guzman y Gomez Essential Used to keep you securely logged into your Guzman y Gomez account, avoiding the need to re-enter login credentials on each visit. 30 days
__utmz Google Analytics Analytics Collects data on where the visitor came from, what search engine was used, what link was clicked, and what search terms were used. Used to calculate traffic sources. 6 months
IDE Google DoubleClick Advertising Used by Google DoubleClick to register and report user actions after viewing or clicking one of our advertisements, enabling measurement of the effectiveness of ads. 13 months

4. How to Manage and Control Cookies

You have the right to decide whether to accept or reject non-essential cookies. There are several ways you can manage your cookie preferences:

4.1 Our Cookie Consent Tool

When you first visit our Website, you will be presented with a cookie consent banner. This tool allows you to accept or reject different categories of cookies (essential, analytics, functional, and advertising). You can update your preferences at any time by visiting the cookie settings link available in the footer of our Website.

4.2 Browser Settings

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can typically set your browser to refuse all cookies, accept all cookies, or notify you when a cookie is being set. The steps to manage cookies vary by browser. Please refer to the relevant instructions below:

If you use a mobile device, please consult your device manufacturer's instructions for managing cookies on mobile browsers.

4.3 Third-Party Opt-Out Tools

You can opt out of specific third-party advertising and analytics cookies using the following tools:

Provider Opt-Out Tool Description
Google Analytics Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On Install a browser add-on to prevent your data from being collected by Google Analytics.
Google Ads Google Ads Settings Manage your Google ad personalisation preferences and opt out of interest-based advertising.
Meta / Facebook Facebook Ad Preferences Manage your Facebook advertising preferences, including interest-based ads settings.
Network Advertising Initiative NAI Opt-Out Tool Opt out of interest-based advertising from multiple advertising networks simultaneously.
Digital Advertising Alliance DAA Opt-Out Tool Opt out of interest-based advertising from participating companies in Australia and globally.
Your Online Choices (EDAA) youronlinechoices.com An industry-wide opt-out tool for interest-based advertising across multiple networks.

5. Impact of Disabling or Restricting Cookies

While you have the right to control which cookies are placed on your device, it is important to understand that disabling or restricting certain cookies may have a significant impact on your experience when using our Website. The following outlines the potential consequences:

5.1 If You Disable Essential Cookies

  • You may not be able to log in to your Guzman y Gomez account
  • Your food order or cart contents may not be saved between pages
  • Secure areas of the Website may be inaccessible
  • Basic Website functionality may be significantly impaired

5.2 If You Disable Analytics Cookies

  • We will not be able to track how you use our Website
  • We will have reduced ability to identify and fix technical issues
  • We may not be able to improve our Website based on real user behaviour data
  • Your overall browsing experience and site performance will generally remain unaffected

5.3 If You Disable Functional Cookies

  • Your personalised preferences (e.g., preferred restaurant location, dietary settings) may not be saved
  • You may need to re-enter your preferences each time you visit our Website
  • Some embedded content or third-party features may not display correctly

5.4 If You Disable Advertising Cookies

  • You will still see advertisements, but they will not be tailored to your interests
  • You may see less relevant ads from Guzman y Gomez on other websites and platforms
  • Your overall browsing experience on our Website will generally remain unaffected

6. Cookies and Children's Privacy

Our Website is not intentionally directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children through cookies or other tracking technologies. If you believe that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately using the details provided below so that we can take appropriate steps to remove such information.

7. Updates to This Cookie Policy

We reserve the right to update or modify this Cookie Policy at any time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page.

We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies. If we make material changes that significantly affect your privacy rights, we will notify you through a prominent notice on our Website or via email (where we hold your contact details).

Your continued use of our Website after any changes to this Cookie Policy will constitute your acknowledgement of those changes.

8. Legal Basis and Compliance

As an Australian business, our use of cookies and similar tracking technologies is governed by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). We are committed to handling personal information — including data collected through cookies — in accordance with these laws.

We also observe guidance from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) regarding the collection and use of personal information online. Where cookies are used to process personal information, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place and that such processing has a legitimate purpose.

Where our third-party service providers (such as Google and Meta) are located outside Australia, we take reasonable steps to ensure that overseas recipients handle personal information in a manner consistent with the APPs, as required under APP 8.

9. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about our use of cookies or this Cookie Policy, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are committed to addressing your privacy concerns promptly and transparently.

Contact Information — Guzman y Gomez

We aim to respond to all privacy-related enquiries within 30 days of receipt. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)
  • Website: www.oaic.gov.au
  • Phone: 1300 363 992
  • Address: GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001, Australia