How Straightandsear uses cookies

Cookie Policy Overview

This Cookie Policy explains how straightandsear.com uses cookies and similar technologies to ensure visitors receive the best possible browsing experience and to maintain the security, functionality and quality of our bistro’s online presence.

Our aim is to mirror the considered hospitality of our Melbourne-inspired bistro and private offline card lounge in a calm, transparent digital environment where your preferences are respected and your information is handled with care.

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small data files stored on your device by your web browser when you visit a website. They allow websites to recognise your browser over time and across pages. This helps websites remember user preferences, maintain session information and support helpful features such as language selection and reservation requests.

On straightandsear.com, cookies assist with practical functions such as keeping your reservation details consistent as you move between our menu, lounge and events pages, and supporting accessibility features so our content remains comfortable to read and navigate.

Types of Cookies Used

We use a small, carefully selected set of cookies on straightandsear.com:

• Essential cookies that are required for the website to operate securely and reliably.
• Performance cookies that provide anonymous analytics to help us understand how the site is used.
• Preference cookies that remember your choices and accessibility settings to tailor your visit for comfort and ease.

We do not use advertising cookies or third-party targeting cookies on this site.

Essential Cookies

Essential cookies are critical for the core functionality and security of straightandsear.com. These cookies enable features that you rely on when using the site and cannot be switched off via our systems.

Examples of how essential cookies support your visit include:

• Maintaining secure sessions for our reservation system so your booking details remain intact as you move between pages.
• Supporting any access-controlled areas linked to the private card lounge or members-only information, where applicable.
• Helping to protect the site against misuse, fraud and technical errors by enabling basic security and load-balancing functions.

Without these cookies, parts of the site may not function as intended and you may not be able to complete key tasks such as submitting a booking request or updating your details.

Performance & Analytics Cookies

Performance and analytics cookies collect anonymous, aggregated data about how visitors interact with straightandsear.com. This information helps us understand which parts of the site are most helpful and where we can refine the experience for future guests.

These cookies may capture insights such as:

• Which menu sections visitors view most often, such as modern Australian mains, tasting platters or our wine list.
• How guests navigate between our bistro menu, seasonal events, lounge information and contact forms.
• Technical performance indicators like page loading times and error frequency.

The data collected through these cookies does not directly identify you. Instead, it provides an anonymous view of how the site is used, helping us to elevate the digital guest experience over time.

Preference & Accessibility Cookies

Preference cookies store information about the choices you make on straightandsear.com so that your experience can feel tailored and familiar on future visits.

Depending on your browser and device, these cookies may support:

• Remembering your preferred language and region (Australia) so that content and contact details display in a relevant way.
• Retaining certain accessibility or usability settings, such as text size or layout preferences, where supported by your browser.
• Saving non-sensitive preferences, for example keeping track of a previously selected date or guest count while you explore other areas of the site.

These cookies help us deliver a welcoming, guest-first digital hospitality experience that feels calm and consistent from visit to visit.

No Third-Party Marketing Cookies

We do not use advertising cookies, behavioural targeting cookies or third-party marketing technologies on straightandsear.com.

Your time on our site is focused solely on our venue: exploring our menu, understanding our private offline card lounge, keeping up with seasonal events and arranging reservations. We do not track you across other websites for marketing purposes, and we do not sell advertising space that would require such tracking.

This approach reflects our commitment to keeping your online experience private, respectful and aligned with the standards of in-venue hospitality you can expect at Straightandsear.

Cookie Duration & Retention

Cookies used on straightandsear.com operate for different lengths of time depending on their purpose:

• Session cookies remain active only for the duration of your visit. They are deleted automatically when you close your browser.
• Persistent cookies remain on your device for a defined period or until you delete them through your browser settings. These often support preferences such as language or region.

We review our cookie configurations periodically to ensure retention periods remain appropriate and aligned with our operational needs and legal obligations. All retention practices are designed to comply with applicable Australian privacy standards.

Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You have control over how cookies are used on your device. Most modern browsers allow you to view, manage, delete or block cookies through their settings. You can generally find these options within your browser’s privacy or security menus.

Depending on your browser, you may be able to:

• Block all cookies or limit cookies to specific websites.
• Delete existing cookies, including those set by straightandsear.com.
• Receive alerts before a cookie is stored on your device.

If you choose to restrict or delete certain cookies, some features of straightandsear.com may not work as intended. For example, the site may not remember your preferred table details, your selected date and time, or previously viewed menu items. Essential cookies are typically required for the site to operate reliably.

Data Security & Privacy Commitment

All cookie-related data on straightandsear.com is handled in line with our broader privacy practices and our obligations under Australia’s Privacy Act and associated Australian privacy principles.

In particular:

• We use cookies only for purposes connected to site functionality, performance insights and user comfort.
• We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect cookie-related information from misuse, interference and loss.
• We never sell guest information derived from cookies or use it for unrelated commercial purposes.

For more detail on how we handle personal information more broadly, please also refer to our Privacy Policy.

Contact Us About Cookies

If you have any questions about how Straightandsear uses cookies, or if you would like to exercise your privacy rights in relation to information connected with cookies, we invite you to contact our team.

Please reach out using the details provided on our Contact Us page. We are committed to responding with clarity and care, and to ensuring your experience with straightandsear.com remains as reassuring and enjoyable as a visit to our bistro itself.