By using Sterling, you agree to these terms. They are written in plain English and we mean what they say.
Effective May 24, 2026
Sterling is published by Panda Taps LLC ("Sterling", "we", "us"). We make a consumer iOS app that displays public health-inspection data for restaurants in supported cities. We are not a government agency. We have no business relationship with any rated restaurant.
Sterling reads inspection records that cities publish on their open-data portals (e.g., Chicago, NYC, LA County, Seattle / King County, Boston, San Diego, San Jose, Pittsburgh, the State of Florida, and 9 other jurisdictions). For each restaurant, Sterling computes a 0-100 score and a five-tier label using a documented algorithm and presents the result alongside the underlying inspection history.
Inspection records that Sterling reads are public records made available by city health departments under their respective open-data licenses. Sterling republishes these records and adds editorial commentary in the form of the score, tier, plain-English explanation, and "Sterling Standard" designation. We attribute the source agency on every Restaurant Detail screen as required by those licenses.
Sterling is provided on an "as-is" and "as-available" basis without warranties of any kind, express or implied. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we disclaim all warranties including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, and any warranty arising from course of dealing or usage of trade.
We do not warrant that the data is accurate, complete, current, or free of errors. Inspection records may contain errors in the source feed. Sterling's classification of violations is automated and may not capture every nuance of every record. The rating is Sterling's opinion, expressed through a deterministic algorithm applied to public records as published, and is not a guarantee of present conditions or actual food safety.
Sterling Pro includes optional filter modes labelled Pregnancy, Immunocompromised, Cross-contamination, and No Recent Criticals. These filters use violation-tag data to surface or hide restaurants whose inspection records match certain patterns. They are not medical advice. They are not a substitute for guidance from a qualified healthcare provider, allergist, or food-safety professional.
The Pregnancy and Immunocompromised filters highlight inspection patterns that some health guidelines flag as concerning, such as raw or undercooked food handling and pathogen-related risk factors. These filters do not evaluate menu items, food preparation in real time, allergen handling, or any factor outside published inspection records.
If you are pregnant, immunocompromised, have a food allergy, or have any other health condition, you must consult your own healthcare provider for individualized recommendations and confirm food preparation directly with the restaurant before ordering. Sterling has no relationship with the FDA, CDC, USDA, or any health authority. Activating a filter does not mean a restaurant is safe for any specific person; conversely, a hidden restaurant may be perfectly safe for you. By using these filters you acknowledge they are general informational guidance only and assume all risk of relying on them.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, in no event will Sterling, Panda Taps LLC, its owners, employees, contractors, or affiliates be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages - including lost profits, lost revenue, lost data, or food-borne illness - arising out of or related to your use of, or inability to use, the app, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.
Our total aggregate liability to you for any claim arising from your use of the app will not exceed the greater of (a) the total amount you have paid to us through Apple In-App Purchase in the 12 months preceding the claim, or (b) USD $50.
Some jurisdictions do not allow these limitations; in those jurisdictions, our liability is limited to the maximum extent permitted.
If you operate a restaurant whose Sterling rating you believe misrepresents your actual data - for example, the rating reflects an inspection that was rescinded, a violation that was reversed on appeal, or a record attributed to a different restaurant - you can request a review by emailing support@pandataps.com.
Include the restaurant's name, address, city, and a brief description of what looks wrong. We aim to respond within 14 calendar days. Where we are able to verify the correction by reading the latest published record from the source agency, we will update the rating on our next ETL cycle (typically within 24 hours of confirmation).
Sterling does not remove or modify scores in exchange for compensation. Disputes are resolved by reading the underlying public record.
The 14-day response window is a service goal, not a contractual obligation, and does not create any right of action if missed. Disputes are resolved exclusively by reading the underlying public record; we do not provide monetary compensation or rating changes outside this process.
Sterling Pro is sold as an auto-renewable subscription via Apple In-App Purchase at the following prices: Yearly $9.99 USD with a 7-day free trial, or Monthly $2.99 USD with a 7-day free trial. By subscribing you agree to the following terms in addition to Apple's standard subscription terms:
When you use Sterling, you agree NOT to:
The Sterling name, logo, the "Sterling Standard" designation and badge, the algorithm, the user interface, and the editorial copy are owned by Panda Taps LLC. The underlying inspection data is owned by the source city. Each city's open-data license governs how that data may be used; Sterling complies with each license and attributes the source agency on every detail screen.
Our handling of personal information is described in our Privacy Policy at pandataps.com/legal/sterling-privacy.html. By using the app you acknowledge the practices described there.
We may update these Terms periodically. Material changes will be reflected in the app's About > Terms of Use section and on this page; the "Effective Date" at the top will be updated. Continued use of the app after changes are posted signifies acceptance of the updated Terms.
We may suspend or terminate access to Sterling for any user at any time, with or without notice, for violations of these Terms or for misuse of the app or its backend. Termination does not waive any prior accrued obligations of either party.
Please read this section carefully. It affects your legal rights, including your right to file a lawsuit in court and to participate in a class action.
14.1 Informal resolution. Before filing any claim, both parties agree to attempt good-faith informal resolution by email (support@pandataps.com) for at least 30 days.
14.2 Binding arbitration. Except for the carve-outs in Section 14.4, any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Sterling app will be resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by JAMS under its Streamlined Arbitration Rules. The arbitration will be conducted in Cook County, Illinois, or at another mutually agreed location, or by video conference. The arbitrator's decision will be final and binding, and judgment may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.
14.3 Class action waiver. You and Sterling agree that each party may bring claims against the other only in an individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, or representative proceeding. The arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding.
14.4 Carve-outs. Notwithstanding Sections 14.2 and 14.3, either party may bring an individual action in small-claims court for disputes within the court's jurisdiction, and either party may seek emergency injunctive relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to protect intellectual property rights, including the Sterling name, logo, "Sterling Standard" designation, and badge.
14.5 30-day opt-out. You may opt out of the arbitration agreement and class action waiver in Sections 14.2 and 14.3 by emailing support@pandataps.com within 30 days of first accepting these Terms. Your email must include your name, the email address associated with your Sterling account (if any), and a clear statement that you wish to opt out of arbitration. Opting out will not affect any other portion of these Terms.
14.6 Governing law and venue. These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Illinois, USA, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles. For any dispute not subject to arbitration, the exclusive venue is the state and federal courts located in Cook County, Illinois.
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Sterling, Panda Taps LLC, and their respective owners, employees, contractors, and agents from and against any claim, demand, loss, liability, damage, or expense (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or related to: (a) your misuse of the app; (b) your violation of these Terms; (c) your republication, redistribution, or modification of Sterling content in violation of Section 9 or Section 10; (d) your reliance on any rating, filter, or other information in the app for medical, dietary, or commercial decisions; or (e) your violation of any applicable law or any rights of a third party.
Sterling respects intellectual property rights and complies with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA"). If you believe content in Sterling infringes your copyright, please send a written notice to support@pandataps.com with the subject line "DMCA Notice" containing:
You must be at least 13 years old to use Sterling. If you are between 13 and the age of majority in your jurisdiction, you represent that a parent or legal guardian has reviewed and agreed to these Terms on your behalf.
Sterling is intended for use in the United States. If you access Sterling from outside the United States, you do so at your own risk and are responsible for compliance with local laws.
18.1 Entire agreement. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Sterling regarding the app, and supersede any prior or contemporaneous agreements, communications, or understandings. No modification of these Terms is effective unless made in writing by Sterling (including by updating the version posted at pandataps.com/legal/sterling-terms.html).
18.2 Severability. If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable by an arbitrator or court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect, and the invalid or unenforceable provision will be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable while preserving its intent.
18.3 No waiver. Sterling's failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms is not a waiver of that right or provision.
18.4 Assignment. Sterling may assign these Terms or any of its rights or obligations under these Terms, in whole or in part, at any time without notice. You may not assign these Terms or any of your rights or obligations under these Terms without Sterling's prior written consent. Any attempted assignment in violation of this provision is void.
18.5 Force majeure. Sterling will not be liable for any failure or delay in performance caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God, natural disasters, government actions, network or infrastructure failures, source-data outages from city open-data portals, or third-party service interruptions.
18.6 Beta features. Sterling may release features marked "beta," "experimental," "preview," or similar. Such features are provided as-is, may be modified or discontinued at any time without notice, and may carry additional restrictions disclosed at the point of use.
18.7 Survival. Sections 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, and 18, and any other provisions that by their nature should survive termination, will survive any termination or expiration of these Terms.
Questions, restaurant data disputes, and general support: support@pandataps.com