Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using Morel (“the Service”), a service operated by Ardent Research, Inc. (“we”, “us”, or “our”), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to these terms, do not use the Service.

2. Description of Service

Morel is a restaurant discovery platform that provides AI-generated verdicts, dish recommendations, community check-ins, and collection features. The Service is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind.

3. Eligibility

You must be at least 13 years old to use the Service. If you are between 13 and the age of majority in your jurisdiction, you represent that you have permission from a parent or legal guardian. The Service is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them.

4. User Accounts

Some features require an account. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials. You must provide accurate information when creating an account. You may not use another person's account without permission.

5. User Content

You retain ownership of content you submit (check-ins, photos, ratings, notes). By submitting content, you grant Morel a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable license to host, store, reproduce, modify (e.g., resize or compress images), display, and distribute your content in connection with operating and promoting the Service. This license ends when you delete the content, except that (a) residual copies may remain in backups for a reasonable period, and (b) other users' screenshots or shared links are outside our control.

You represent that you own or have the rights to the content you submit, and that it does not violate anyone else's rights.

You agree not to submit content that is:

• Illegal, harmful, or fraudulent
• Infringing on others' intellectual property
• Spam, misleading, or deceptive
• Harassing, hateful, threatening, or sexually explicit
• Containing malware or malicious code

We reserve the right to remove any content that violates these terms or that we deem inappropriate, without prior notice.

6. Content Moderation, Reporting, and Blocking

We have no tolerance for objectionable content or abusive behavior, and we provide tools to keep the community safe:

• Reporting. You can report any check-in, photo, rating, comment, or profile that you believe violates these terms using the in-app report controls or by emailing support@eatmorels.com. We review reports and aim to remove content that violates these terms within 24 hours.
• Blocking. You can block another user at any time. Once you block someone, neither of you will see the other's content or be able to interact on the Service.
• Enforcement. We may remove or hide content, and may suspend or ban users who violate these terms or who, in our reasonable judgment, pose a risk to the community. We may act with or without prior notice.

By using the Service, you agree to these moderation measures.

7. AI-Generated Content

Restaurant verdicts, dish recommendations, and other AI-generated content are for informational purposes only. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of AI-generated content. Always verify important details (allergies, dietary restrictions, hours, pricing) directly with the restaurant.

8. Third-Party Content and Information

The Service hosts content created by users and aggregates information about restaurants and dishes from third-party sources, including users, public data providers, and mapping services.

• User content reflects its authors. Check-ins, ratings, reviews, photos, and comments are the views and responsibility of the users who posted them, not Morel. We act as a neutral host and distributor of user-generated content and do not endorse, verify, or adopt any user's statements. Consistent with 47 U.S.C. § 230, we are not the publisher or speaker of content provided by our users.
• Restaurant information may be inaccurate. Restaurant names, locations, hours, menus, pricing, and similar details are sourced from third parties and users and may be incomplete, outdated, or wrong. We do not warrant the accuracy of this information. Always confirm important details — especially hours, pricing, and allergen or dietary information — directly with the restaurant.
• No reliance for health or safety. The Service is not a source of medical, allergen, or dietary-safety advice. Do not rely on the Service for any decision where an error could affect your health or safety.

9. Prohibited Conduct

You may not:

• Scrape, crawl, or automate access to the Service
• Circumvent rate limits or security measures
• Impersonate others or submit fake check-ins
• Use the Service to harass, stalk, or harm others
• Use the Service for any purpose that is unlawful or prohibited by these terms

10. Copyright Complaints (DMCA)

We respect intellectual property rights and respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement consistent with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), 17 U.S.C. § 512.

Designated Copyright Agent. We have registered a designated agent with the U.S. Copyright Office to receive notifications of claimed infringement under 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(2). Notices may be sent to:

Notice of Infringement. If you believe content on the Service infringes your copyright, send a written notice to our Designated Agent (or support@eatmorels.com) including:

• Identification of the copyrighted work you claim was infringed
• The URL or location of the allegedly infringing content
• Your contact information (name, address, email, phone)
• A statement, under penalty of perjury, that you have a good-faith belief the use is not authorized and that the information in the notice is accurate
• Your physical or electronic signature

Counter-Notification. If you believe content you posted was removed or disabled by mistake or misidentification, you may send a written counter-notification to our Designated Agent including:

• Your physical or electronic signature
• Identification of the material that was removed and the location where it appeared before it was removed
• A statement, under penalty of perjury, that you have a good-faith belief the material was removed as a result of mistake or misidentification
• Your name, address, and phone number, and a statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the federal district court for the judicial district in which your address is located (or, if your address is outside the United States, any judicial district in which we may be found), and that you will accept service of process from the person who filed the original notice

Upon receipt of a valid counter-notification, we may restore the removed content in 10–14 business days unless the original complainant notifies us that they have filed a court action seeking to restrain the allegedly infringing activity.

Repeat infringers. We will, in appropriate circumstances, disable or terminate the accounts of users who are repeat infringers.

11. Trademark Complaints

If you believe content on the Service infringes your trademark rights, send a written notice to support@eatmorels.com including:

• Identification of the trademark you claim was infringed, and its registration number if it is registered
• The URL or location of the allegedly infringing content
• An explanation of how the content infringes your mark or creates confusion as to source, sponsorship, or affiliation
• Your contact information (name, address, email, phone)
• A statement, under penalty of perjury, that the information in your notice is accurate and that you are the trademark owner or authorized to act on the owner's behalf
• Your physical or electronic signature

We review valid trademark complaints and may remove or disable content that infringes another's trademark rights.

12. Push Notifications and Location

If you enable push notifications, you consent to receive alerts about check-ins from people you follow, new followers, likes on your check-ins, reminders to check in when we detect you may have visited a restaurant, and occasional product updates. You can disable notifications at any time in your device settings, and turn off visit reminders specifically in the app's notification settings.

The Service uses your device's location when you create a check-in, to verify you are near the restaurant. If you grant the app the always-on location permission (“Always Allow” on iPhone, “Allow all the time” on Android), the Service also receives location in the background so it can remind you to check in. You can turn that off at any time in your device's location settings. See our Privacy Policy for what is collected, how long it is kept, and which third parties are involved.

13. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Service is provided “as is” and “as available,” without warranties of any kind, whether express, implied, or statutory. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Ardent Research, Inc. disclaims all warranties, including the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement, and any warranty that the Service will be uninterrupted, secure, accurate, or error-free. We do not warrant the accuracy or reliability of any content, including user content, AI-generated content, or restaurant information. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties, so some of the above exclusions may not apply to you.

14. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Ardent Research, Inc. shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Service. Our total liability shall not exceed the greater of one hundred US dollars ($100) or the amount you paid us in the 12 months prior to the event giving rise to the claim.

15. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Ardent Research, Inc., and our officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or in any way connected with: (a) content you submit to the Service; (b) your use of the Service; (c) your violation of these Terms; or (d) your violation of any rights of a third party, including any intellectual property, privacy, or publicity right. We reserve the right to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter subject to indemnification by you, in which case you agree to cooperate with our defense of that claim.

16. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Service at any time, with or without cause. You may delete your account at any time. Upon termination, your right to use the Service ceases immediately.

17. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. You and Morel agree that any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service will be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in San Francisco County, California, and both parties consent to personal jurisdiction there. Nothing in this section prevents either party from seeking injunctive relief in any court of competent jurisdiction.

18. Apple App Store Terms

If you access the Service through an app downloaded from the Apple App Store, you acknowledge that these Terms are between you and Ardent Research, Inc. only, not Apple, and Apple is not responsible for the Service or its content. Apple and its subsidiaries are third-party beneficiaries of these Terms and may enforce them against you. Your use of the app must also comply with the Apple Media Services Terms and Conditions.

19. California Residents

Under California Civil Code § 1789.3, California residents are entitled to the following consumer rights notice: The Service is provided by Ardent Research, Inc. If you have a complaint regarding the Service, or wish to request further information, contact us at support@eatmorels.com. You may also contact the Complaint Assistance Unit of the Division of Consumer Services of the California Department of Consumer Affairs in writing at 1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N 112, Sacramento, CA 95834, or by telephone at (800) 952-5210.

20. Force Majeure

We are not liable for any failure or delay in performance resulting from causes beyond our reasonable control, including acts of God, natural disasters, war, terrorism, civil unrest, labor disputes, governmental action, power or internet failures, or the failure of third-party service providers, hosting providers, or networks.

21. General

Severability. If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, that provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible and the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

Entire Agreement. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Ardent Research, Inc. regarding the Service and supersede any prior agreements.

Assignment. You may not assign or transfer these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms, in whole or in part, without restriction, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.

No Waiver. Our failure to enforce any provision of these Terms is not a waiver of our right to enforce it later.

22. Changes to Terms

We may update these terms from time to time. We will update the “Last updated” date above and, for material changes, provide reasonable advance notice (e.g., via email or an in-app notice). Continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

23. Contact

Questions about these terms? Contact us at support@eatmorels.com.