Last Updated: August 5th, 2025
Welcome to Respect the Beans ("RTB", "we", "our" or "us"). These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Respect the Beans mobile application and website (collectively, the "Platform"). Please read these Terms carefully before using our Platform. By accessing or using our Platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not access or use our Platform.
RTB is a community-driven coffee platform that enables users to track, discover, and share their coffee experiences. Our services include both private journaling features and public community sharing.
Respect the Beans provides the following services to all users, regardless of whether they have created an account:
Users who create an account have access to all the services above, plus the following additional capabilities:
Private Features:
Community Features:
Technical Features:
All services are provided free of charge to all users.
While basic read access to public content is available without registration, you will need to create an account to access interactive features such as writing posts and commenting. When you create an account, you must provide accurate and complete information. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities that occur under your account.
You are solely responsible for:
You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account or any other breach of security.
You must be at least 13 years old to use our Platform.
RTB operates on a "private by default" model:
Private Content (Coffee Logs):
Public Content (Posts):
By submitting content to our Platform (including posts, comments, photos, coffee logs, and other materials), you grant RTB a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, and fully sublicensable right to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, and display such content throughout the world in any media for the purposes of operating and improving our Platform.
You represent and warrant that:
By using our coffee recognition features, you agree that:
You agree not to post content that:
All user-generated public content is subject to moderation through automated systems and, when necessary, human review. We reserve the right to:
Our app may request camera access to enable coffee bag scanning and photo capture features. By granting camera access, you agree that:
We may request additional device permissions including:
You acknowledge and agree that:
The RTB name, logo, app design, and all related names, logos, product and service names, designs, and slogans are trademarks of RTB or its affiliates. You may not use these marks without our prior written permission.
Our Platform may contain content owned by third parties, including coffee roaster information, logos, and other materials. All such third-party content and related intellectual property rights belong to the respective third parties.
The coffee database created through user contributions (OCR processing, manual entries, reviews) becomes part of our Platform's intellectual property, while users retain rights to their original contributions.
If you believe content on our Platform infringes your copyright, please contact us at https://www.respectbeans.com/contact. We will respond to valid DMCA takedown notices and take appropriate action under applicable intellectual property laws.
In addition to the content restrictions above, you agree not to:
Our Platform is designed to foster a positive coffee community. Users are expected to:
Violations of community guidelines may result in:
We may terminate or suspend your account and access to our Platform immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason whatsoever, including, without limitation, if you breach these Terms or engage in harmful behavior.
You may terminate your account at any time by contacting us through our contact page. Upon termination, your right to use our Platform will immediately cease.
Upon termination of your account:
OUR PLATFORM IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS. WE MAKE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, REGARDING THE OPERATION, AVAILABILITY, ACCURACY, OR RELIABILITY OF OUR PLATFORM.
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE BY APPLICABLE LAW, WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND OPERATION OF THE PLATFORM FREE OF ERRORS OR HARMFUL COMPONENTS.
WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT:
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL RTB BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS, ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF OUR PLATFORM.
IN NO EVENT SHALL OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL DAMAGES, LOSSES, OR CAUSES OF ACTION EXCEED ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100) OR THE AMOUNT PAID BY YOU, IF ANY, FOR ACCESSING OUR PLATFORM.
YOU SPECIFICALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT RTB SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR USER CONTENT, OCR INACCURACIES, OR THE DEFAMATORY, OFFENSIVE, OR ILLEGAL CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY.
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless RTB, its officers, directors, employees, agents, and third parties from and against all losses, expenses, damages, and costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees, resulting from:
Before filing a claim against RTB, you agree to try to resolve the dispute informally by contacting us. We'll try to resolve the dispute informally by contacting you via email.
Any disputes shall be resolved in accordance with applicable law.
The arbitration agreement does not preclude you from bringing issues to the attention of federal, state, or local agencies, nor does it prevent you from seeking injunctive relief in a court of law for matters related to intellectual property infringement.
These Terms and any disputes relating to these Terms or your use of the Platform shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Kentucky, without regard to its conflict of law principles.
We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will provide notice of any significant changes by:
Your continued use of our Platform following the posting of changes constitutes your acceptance of such changes.
These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and RTB regarding your use of our Platform and supersede all prior and contemporaneous written or oral agreements.
The failure of RTB to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not be deemed a waiver of such right or provision.
If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision shall be struck and the remaining provisions shall be enforced.
You may not assign or transfer these Terms without the prior written consent of RTB. RTB may assign or transfer these Terms without your consent.
RTB shall not be liable for any failure to perform its obligations hereunder where such failure results from any cause beyond RTB's reasonable control, including, without limitation, mechanical, electronic, or communications failure or degradation.
Provisions that by their nature should survive termination shall survive termination of these Terms, including but not limited to ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.
If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us at https://www.respectbeans.com/contact.
These Terms and Conditions are effective as of the date listed above and apply to all users of the RTB mobile application and website.