frequently asked
the quick answers — grades, the camera scan, your privacy, and where we work.
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How are grades calculated?
Inspection records come from official health authorities. Cooked shows the source result alongside our clean, mid or cooked interpretation. Cities use different systems: letters, pass/fail results, placard ratings or scores. In London, Manchester and Birmingham, the FSA food hygiene rating runs from 0 to 5, with 5 being best. Where a city's rules support it, Cooked may map a published score to a letter; NYC letters are only those the city actually posted. Read the inspection date and check the official source for newer information. See how each city’s ratings work →
NYC A · FHRS 5 · clean 😇
NYC B · FHRS 3 · mid 😬
NYC C · FHRS 1 · cooked 🪳
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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.
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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.
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Which cities does Cooked cover?
Ten, across two countries. In the US: all five NYC boroughs, Chicago, LA County, greater Las Vegas, Seattle & King County, Austin, and Boston. In the UK: Greater London, Greater Manchester, and the West Midlands around Birmingham. Every listing comes from that place's own official inspection records — the city or county health department in the US, and the Food Standards Agency's Food Hygiene Rating Scheme in the UK. More cities later.