Frequently asked questions

Find everything you need to know about using kulu.food.

About kulu.food

What is kulu.food?

kulu.food is a community-powered platform that helps Muslims find halal-friendly restaurants. The name comes from the Arabic word meaning 'Eat.'

Who runs kulu.food?

kulu.food is maintained by a small team, but the information on the site comes almost entirely from the community.

Is kulu.food free to use?

Yes, kulu.food is completely free to use for finding and verifying halal restaurant information.

How is kulu.food different from other restaurant apps?

Most restaurant apps focus on reviews, photos, and ratings. kulu.food focuses specifically on halal-related details that matter to Muslims.

What cities and regions does kulu.food cover?

kulu.food is designed to work anywhere in the world. Coverage depends entirely on the community.

Understanding the community

Who provides the information on this site?

All restaurant information on kulu.food is provided by community members, real people who have visited these places.

Is the information guaranteed to be accurate?

No. kulu.food is a community platform, not an official certification body. Always exercise your own judgment.

What does "community-driven" mean in practice?

It means that when you look up a restaurant and see that 42 people said it is halal certified, those are 42 real users.

What happens when community members disagree?

We show all responses, including disagreements. If 38 people said a restaurant is alcohol-free and 7 said alcohol is served, you will see both numbers.

Why would people disagree about the same restaurant?

Restaurants change. A place that was fully halal two years ago may have changed ownership, suppliers, or menu offerings.

Can I trust a restaurant with only one or two attestations?

Treat sparse data the same way you would a restaurant with very few reviews anywhere, with caution.

Understanding restaurant information

What is "metadata" on kulu.food?

Metadata is the collection of specific facts or characteristics about a restaurant that matter to halal-conscious diners.

What kinds of information does kulu.food track?

kulu.food tracks facts like halal certification status, whether alcohol is served, whether the restaurant is Muslim-owned, and whether zabihah slaughter methods are used.

Who decides which facts are tracked?

The categories of information are determined by site administrators.

What does "halal certified" mean?

When a community member marks a restaurant as halal certified, they are reporting that the restaurant holds a certification from a recognized halal authority.

What does "Muslim-owned" mean?

This indicates that community members believe the restaurant is owned by a Muslim individual or family.

What does "alcohol-free" mean?

This means community members have reported that the restaurant does not serve alcoholic beverages on its premises.

What is "zabihah"?

Zabihah refers to the Islamic method of slaughtering animals for consumption.

Contributing information

What does it mean to "attest" to information?

Attesting means you are confirming, from your own personal experience visiting a restaurant, what you observed.

How do I contribute information?

Find the restaurant on kulu.food and open its detail page. You will see a 'Contribute' button.

Do I need an account to contribute?

Yes. All contributions require you to be signed in. This ensures accountability and prevents spam.

Can I change my attestation after submitting?

You can update your attestation by visiting the restaurant page and contributing again.

What if I am not 100% certain?

Only attest to facts you personally observed. If you are unsure, you can select 'I don't know'.

Can I add a restaurant not already on kulu.food?

Adding new restaurants is currently reserved for Regional Managers.

What happens to my contribution after I submit it?

Your contribution is immediately recorded and added to the aggregate count shown on the restaurant page.

Why is it important that I contribute?

Every contribution you make helps your fellow Muslims make more informed decisions about where to eat.

Points & recognition

What are points?

Points are a way for the community to recognize your contributions. Every fact you attest to earns you points.

How many points do I earn per contribution?

You earn 5 points for each fact you attest to.

What do the different point levels mean?

Bronze (100+ points), Silver (500+ points), and Gold (2000+ points).

Is there a leaderboard?

Yes, a leaderboard showing top contributors is coming in a future update.

Roles & community structure

What roles exist on kulu.food?

There are three roles: regular Users, Regional Managers, and Super Admins.

What can a regular user do?

Regular users can search for restaurants, view all halal-related information, and attest to information.

What can a Regional Manager do?

Regional Managers can add new restaurants to the system within their region.

How do I become a Regional Manager?

Regional Manager status is granted by Super Admins to contributors who have demonstrated consistent, accurate contributions.

What do Super Admins do?

Super Admins manage the platform itself, set categories of information, and handle platform-wide configuration.

Can a restaurant be added without a Regional Manager?

No. To prevent spam and low-quality entries, only Regional Managers can add restaurants.

Searching & discovering restaurants

How do I find restaurants near me?

Use the location search bar to enter your city or allow the app to use your current location.

Can I filter restaurants by halal status?

Yes. Use the filter panel to narrow results by specific halal-related facts.

What do the colored pins on the map mean?

Green pins indicate halal-friendly restaurants, amber indicates conflicts, and gray indicates limited information.

Why does a restaurant appear without any information?

A restaurant may not yet have any community attestations. You can be the first to contribute.

How do I know which restaurants have the most reliable information?

Look at the contributor count. A restaurant with 50 attestations is more reliable than one with only 2.

Can I see only verified halal restaurants?

You can filter to show only restaurants that community members have attested as halal certified.

Account & privacy

How do I create an account?

Click the Sign In button and sign in with your Google account.

Why do I need to sign in to contribute?

Requiring sign-in ensures that every contribution is tied to a real, accountable person.

Is my personal information visible to other users?

Your individual attestations are not publicly attributed to your name. The community sees aggregate counts.

Can I delete my account?

Yes. You can request account deletion from our [Support & Feedback](/support) page.

What data does kulu.food collect about me?

We collect your name, email address, and profile picture from your Google account for authentication.

Can I use kulu.food without an account?

Currently, an account is required to use kulu.food.

Data quality & trust

How does kulu.food prevent false information?

All contributors must have verified accounts, conflicts are highlighted, and contribution history is tracked.

What if someone is deliberately posting wrong information?

Please report it using the reporting tools. Super Admins can investigate and remove bad-faith accounts.

Does kulu.food partner with halal certification bodies?

Not currently. We track whether community members have observed certification, but we do not independently verify.

How often is the information updated?

The information updates in almost real time as community members submit attestations.

What if a restaurant has closed or moved?

Please note this in your contribution or contact us through our [Support & Feedback](/support) page.

Why do some restaurants have different attestation counts?

Attestation counts reflect how many community members have visited and contributed information.

Understanding halal

What does "halal" mean?

Halal is an Arabic word that broadly means 'permissible.' In the context of food, it refers to dietary requirements for Muslims.

Why do different Muslims have different halal requirements?

Muslims come from many different cultures, regions, and schools of Islamic thought.

Does a restaurant need to be halal certified?

No. Any restaurant can be in the kulu.food system regardless of certification status.

What if a restaurant serves both halal and non-halal meat?

You will see mixed attestations reflecting the nuanced reality.

What is zabiha meat?

Zabihah refers to a specific method of animal slaughter that many Muslims consider a requirement.

Does kulu.food tell me what is halal or haram?

No. kulu.food does not provide religious rulings of any kind.

Who should I consult if I am unsure?

Please reach out to a local scholar or imam whose guidance you trust.

Will kulu.food ever provide religious guidance?

No. kulu.food will never issue religious rulings or take positions on contested questions of Islamic dietary law.

Transparency & conflicts

Why does kulu.food show all responses including conflicts?

We believe you deserve the full picture. Seeing '38 say yes, 7 say no' tells you something very different from just seeing '38 say yes.'

What does the amber color mean?

Amber highlighting indicates a conflict where community members gave different answers to the same question.

Is a restaurant with a conflict unsafe?

Not necessarily. A conflict means the data is uncertain. It is an invitation to do more research.

Using the app

Is there a mobile app?

Yes! You are using it right now. The mobile app offers a map-centered, bottom-sheet navigation experience.

Does kulu.food use my location?

You can optionally allow kulu.food to access your current location. It is not stored on our servers.

Can I save or bookmark restaurants?

A restaurant saving feature is planned for a future release.

Can I share a restaurant's page?

Yes. Use the Share button on the restaurant detail page.

Feedback & support

How do I report a problem with a restaurant listing?

Use the [Support & Feedback](/support) page to contact our team.

How do I report a user submitting false information?

Use the report function on the relevant content.

How can I give general feedback?

We welcome feedback. Use the [Support & Feedback](/support) page.

For restaurant owners

Why is there information about my restaurant that I did not submit?

kulu.food is a community platform. Information about your restaurant has been submitted by members of the public.

The information about my restaurant is incorrect. What can I do?

Please use the [Support & Feedback](/support) page to contact our team and describe the specific inaccuracy.

Can I have community attestations removed?

Community attestations reflect what members personally observed and cannot be removed.

Can I claim or manage my restaurant's listing?

A full owner claiming and management feature is on our roadmap and coming soon.

Will kulu.food rule on whether my restaurant's practices are halal?

No. We report what community members have observed. That determination is yours to make.