Question 1

How does Lunchido decide where to eat?

Accepted Answer

Lunchido uses a smart algorithm with three scorers: cooldown (no repeat within 36 hours), rejection penalty (reduces score by half per consecutive rejection), and balance (favors restaurants shown fewer times). This ensures variety and avoids repeats.

Question 2

Is Lunchido free?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Lunchido is completely free to use with optional ad support. There are no paid plans, subscriptions, or hidden fees.

Question 3

Can I add my own restaurants?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can add up to 8 custom restaurant spots. Each spot can have a cuisine tag for easy identification.

Question 4

Does Lunchido learn my preferences?

Accepted Answer

Not yet. Lunchido tracks which restaurants you eat at and which you reject to avoid repeats and improve variety. True preference learning is planned for a future update.

Question 5

Is my data saved?

Accepted Answer

Your restaurant list and decision history are stored locally in your browser. Lunchido does not collect or transmit any personal data. We plan to send anonymous usage statistics (no personal data or restaurant names) to help improve the product. Third-party ad services like Google AdSense may use cookies as described in our Privacy Policy.

Question 6

What languages are supported?

Accepted Answer

Lunchido supports English, 繁體中文 (香港), 繁體中文 (台灣), 日本語, 简体中文 (新加坡), Español, and 한국어.

Question 7

What does "Lunchido" mean?

Accepted Answer

It is a double meaning. Lunchido is a mashup of "Lunch Decidophobia" (the struggle of choosing where to eat), compressed into something punchy. At the same time, it reads like a Spanish past participle — "lunch" plus "-ido" (like "comido") — so it also means "already had lunch." Same word, two sides: the problem and the solution.

Question 8

Can I use Lunchido on my phone?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Lunchido is a Progressive Web App (PWA). Add it to your home screen for an app-like experience. On iOS, tap the Share button and select Add to Home Screen. On Android, tap the menu and select Install Lunchido.

Question 9

Does Lunchido work without internet?

Accepted Answer

Partially. Once the page loads, your restaurant list and decision history are cached in your browser. You can spin and make decisions offline, but initial page load requires an internet connection.

Question 10

How is Lunchido different from a coin flip?

Accepted Answer

A coin flip is pure randomness. Lunchido uses a weighted algorithm that considers cooldown (no repeats within 36 hours), rejection history (halves score per rejection), and balance (favors less-visited spots). It avoids the patterns that make pure randomness feel unfair.

Question 11

Can I use Lunchido with my team?

Accepted Answer

Not yet. Multi-person mode is in the works — it will let groups decide where to eat together. For now, each person uses their own device with their own restaurant list.

Question 12

Why is there a limit of 8 restaurants?

Accepted Answer

The limit keeps decisions fast. With too many options, the paradox of choice kicks in — the same problem Lunchido is designed to solve. 8 spots is enough variety without causing decision paralysis.

Question 13

What happens if I reject a restaurant multiple times?

Accepted Answer

Each rejection halves the restaurant score. After enough rejections, it will almost never appear. This prevents the algorithm from suggesting places you clearly do not want.