Cookie Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Lou Malnati's Cookie Policy. This policy explains how we use cookies and similar technologies on our website lou-malnatis.rest (the "Site") to provide you with the best possible online ordering and delivery experience for Chicago's legendary deep dish pizza.

By using our Site, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with this Cookie Policy. This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information.

We use cookies to enhance your experience when ordering online, remembering your favorite pizzas, storing your delivery address, and personalizing your visits to make ordering from Lou Malnati's as convenient as possible.

2. What Are Cookies

Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile phone) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and provide information to website owners about how users interact with their sites.

2.1 How Cookies Work

When you visit our website, we may place one or more cookies on your device. These cookies help us recognize your device on subsequent visits, remember your preferences, and provide you with a personalized experience. Cookies contain information that is transferred to your device's hard drive.

2.2 Session vs Persistent Cookies

• Session Cookies: These are temporary cookies that are deleted when you close your browser. They help us manage your shopping cart and remember items you've added during your visit.
• Persistent Cookies: These remain on your device for a specified period or until you delete them. They remember your login status, delivery preferences, and favorite menu items.

2.3 First-Party vs Third-Party Cookies

• First-Party Cookies: Set directly by Lou Malnati's domain to manage your ordering experience, account preferences, and site functionality.
• Third-Party Cookies: Set by external services we use, such as Google Analytics for website analytics, Facebook Pixel for advertising, and payment processors for secure transactions.

3. Why We Use Cookies

We use cookies for several important purposes that enhance your Lou Malnati's online experience:

3.1 Essential Website Functionality

• Managing your shopping cart and remembering items you've added
• Maintaining your login session when you create an account
• Remembering your delivery address and contact information
• Processing online payments securely
• Ensuring website security and preventing fraud

3.2 Performance Improvement

• Understanding which pages are most popular
• Monitoring website performance and loading times
• Identifying and fixing technical issues
• Optimizing our menu display and ordering process

3.3 User Experience Personalization

• Remembering your favorite pizza combinations and toppings
• Storing your preferred delivery location
• Customizing menu recommendations based on previous orders
• Maintaining your language and region preferences

3.4 Analytics and Statistics

• Measuring website traffic and user behavior
• Understanding popular menu items and ordering patterns
• Analyzing delivery zones and peak ordering times
• Improving our website based on user feedback and data

3.5 Marketing and Advertising

• Showing you relevant ads for Lou Malnati's promotions
• Measuring the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns
• Personalizing special offers based on your ordering history
• Remarketing to customers who have shown interest in our pizzas

4. Types of Cookies We Use

Below is a detailed breakdown of the specific cookies we use on our website:

4.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential for the website to function properly. They cannot be disabled without severely affecting the usability of our site.

Cookie Name	Provider	Purpose	Type	Duration
PHPSESSID	Lou Malnati's	Maintains user session and shopping cart contents	Session	Browser close
csrf_token	Lou Malnati's	Security token to prevent cross-site request forgery	Session	Browser close
user_prefs	Lou Malnati's	Stores delivery address and contact preferences	Persistent	90 days
order_location	Lou Malnati's	Remembers selected delivery location for pricing	Persistent	30 days
cookieConsent	Lou Malnati's	Stores your cookie consent preferences	Persistent	365 days

4.2 Performance/Analytics Cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by providing information about areas visited, time spent on the site, and any issues encountered.

Cookie Name	Provider	Purpose	Type	Duration
_ga	Google Analytics	Distinguishes unique users and sessions	Persistent	730 days
_gid	Google Analytics	Distinguishes unique users within 24 hours	Persistent	1 day
_gat_gtag	Google Analytics	Throttles request rate to Analytics	Persistent	1 minute
_dc_gtm	Google Tag Manager	Controls loading of Google Analytics script	Session	Browser close

4.3 Functionality Cookies

These cookies enable enhanced functionality and personalization, such as remembering your favorite pizzas and delivery preferences.

Cookie Name	Provider	Purpose	Type	Duration
favorite_items	Lou Malnati's	Stores your favorite pizza combinations	Persistent	180 days
recent_orders	Lou Malnati's	Remembers your recent orders for quick reordering	Persistent	90 days
delivery_prefs	Lou Malnati's	Stores delivery instructions and preferences	Persistent	365 days
ui_preferences	Lou Malnati's	Remembers website display preferences	Persistent	365 days

4.4 Targeting/Marketing Cookies

These cookies are used to deliver advertisements more relevant to you and your interests. They also help measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.

Cookie Name	Provider	Purpose	Type	Duration
_fbp	Facebook	Tracks visits for Facebook advertising	Persistent	90 days
fr	Facebook	Contains unique browser and user ID for advertising	Persistent	90 days
IDE	Google DoubleClick	Serves targeted advertisements	Persistent	390 days
test_cookie	Google DoubleClick	Tests cookie support for advertising	Session	Browser close

5. Third-Party Cookies

We work with trusted third-party service providers who may place their own cookies on your device. These partners help us provide better service and understand our customers' needs.

5.1 Google Services

We use Google Analytics to understand website usage and Google Ads for marketing purposes. Google may use cookies to provide these services.

Learn more: Google Privacy Policy

Opt-out: Google Analytics Opt-out

5.2 Facebook

We use Facebook Pixel to measure advertising effectiveness and show relevant ads to people who have visited our website.

Learn more: Facebook Privacy Policy

Manage preferences: Facebook Ad Preferences

5.3 Payment Processors

Our payment partners (such as Stripe or PayPal) may use cookies to process transactions securely and prevent fraud.

5.4 Delivery Partners

Third-party delivery services may use cookies to track delivery status and provide location-based services.

6. Cookie Duration

Different cookies remain on your device for different periods:

6.1 Session Cookies

These are deleted automatically when you close your browser. They include:

• Shopping cart contents
• Login session information
• Security tokens

6.2 Persistent Cookies

These remain on your device for specific timeframes:

Duration	Cookie Types	Examples
1 day	Short-term analytics	_gid (Google Analytics daily tracking)
30 days	Order preferences	Delivery location, recent menu views
90 days	User preferences	Favorite items, delivery preferences, advertising cookies
365 days	Long-term preferences	Cookie consent choices, UI preferences
730 days	Analytics tracking	_ga (Google Analytics user identification)

7. How to Manage Cookies

You have several options for managing cookies on our website:

7.1 Browser Settings

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings preferences. Here are instructions for popular browsers:

7.2 Opt-Out Links

You can opt out of specific tracking services:

• Google Analytics: Install Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on
• Facebook Ads: Manage Facebook Ad Preferences
• General Advertising: Digital Advertising Alliance Opt-out
• Network Advertising: Network Advertising Initiative Opt-out

7.3 Our Cookie Consent Tool

When you first visit our website, you'll see a cookie consent banner that allows you to:

• Accept all cookies for the full website experience
• Reject non-essential cookies while keeping necessary functionality
• Customize your preferences by selecting specific cookie categories

You can change your cookie preferences at any time by clicking the "Cookie Preferences" link in our website footer.

8. Consequences of Disabling Cookies

While you have the right to disable cookies, doing so may affect your experience on our website:

8.1 Limited Functionality

• Your shopping cart may not retain items between page visits
• You'll need to re-enter delivery information for each order
• Account login sessions won't be maintained
• Payment processing may be affected

8.2 Features That Won't Work

• Personalized menu recommendations
• Favorite items and quick reorder options
• Stored delivery addresses and preferences
• Customized special offers

8.3 Degraded Experience

• Slower website performance due to repeated authentication
• Less relevant content and promotions
• Inability to track order history and preferences
• Repeated requests for the same information

9. Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers include a "Do Not Track" (DNT) setting that requests websites not to track users' browsing activities. Currently, there is no industry standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals.

Our current approach to DNT signals:

• We recognize and respect DNT preferences when technically feasible
• Essential cookies for website functionality will still be used
• Third-party advertising and analytics cookies may be limited
• You can use our cookie consent tool for more granular control

We continue to monitor industry developments regarding DNT standards and will update our practices accordingly.

10. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
• Post the revised policy on our website
• For significant changes, provide notice through email or website banner
• Continue to obtain your consent for any new cookie uses if required by law

We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about our use of cookies and related technologies.

11. Contact Us

12. Additional Resources

For more information about cookies and online privacy, you may find these resources helpful:

12.1 General Cookie Information

• All About Cookies - Comprehensive guide to cookies and privacy
• Cookiepedia - Database of cookies used by websites
• Your Online Choices - European advertising opt-out page

12.2 Browser Help Pages

• Google Chrome Cookie Settings
• Firefox Privacy and Security
• Safari Privacy Settings
• Microsoft Edge Cookie Management

12.3 Privacy and Data Protection

• FTC Online Privacy Guidelines
• GDPR Information Portal
• Cookie Policy Best Practices

This Cookie Policy is effective as of January 2025 and applies to all users of the Lou Malnati's website. By continuing to use our website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Cookie Policy and agree to our use of cookies as described herein.