Verification Policy
How restaurant ownership is verified on ForkReel Studio, and what to expect at each step.
Overview
Verification confirms that the person managing a restaurant on ForkReel Studio actually owns it or is authorized to act on its behalf. Verification protects diners and legitimate businesses from impersonation and abuse, and it unlocks features such as publishing a menu and running promotions.
You can use ForkReel Studio to set up and draft before verifying, but certain actions remain locked until your restaurant is verified.
Who can request verification
Only the owner of a claimed restaurant can start verification. After claiming a restaurant in Settings → Restaurant → Claim another restaurant, the owner can begin verification from the restaurant's profile or verification screen.
Required documentation
We ask for evidence that reasonably establishes your ownership of, or authority over, the business. Depending on the situation, we may request one or more of the following:
- A government-issued business registration, license, or permit showing the business name.
- A recent utility bill, lease, or similar document tying the business to its address.
- Proof of control of the restaurant's official contact channel (for example, a verification email or code sent to the business's listed email or phone).
- For staff acting on an owner's behalf: written authorization from the owner.
- Additional information we reasonably need to confirm the claim.
Submit only what we request. We handle verification materials under our Privacy Policy and retain them only as long as needed to verify and to keep a record of the decision.
Review process
After you submit, our team reviews your claim and documentation. Most reviews are completed within a few business days; complex cases (multiple locations, ownership changes, or conflicting claims) can take longer. We may contact you for clarification, and we may verify details against public business records and the restaurant's listed contact channels.
Approval
When a claim is approved, the restaurant is marked verified and verified-only features unlock — including publishing your menu and running promotions and ForkReel Studio campaigns. You'll see the verified status on the restaurant's profile. Approval reflects that we received satisfactory evidence at the time of review; it is not a permanent guarantee and may be revisited (see Revocation).
Rejection
We may decline a claim when documentation is insufficient, inconsistent, expired, or cannot be confirmed; when the business appears to be controlled by someone else; or when the request otherwise violates our Terms. If we decline, we'll let you know and, where appropriate, explain what additional information could allow us to reconsider. You may resubmit with stronger documentation.
Revocation
We may revoke verification if we later determine a claim was inaccurate or obtained with false information, if ownership of the business changes, if the account is misused or violates our Terms, or if a competing claim is substantiated. If verification is revoked, verified-only features are locked until the restaurant is re-verified. We will generally notify the affected account and provide a path to re-verify where appropriate.
Additional verification
Failure to complete a reasonable additional-verification request may result in features being locked or verification being revoked.
Disputes & contact
If you believe a verification decision was made in error, or you need to report an impersonated or incorrectly claimed restaurant, contact support@forkreel.app with the restaurant name and relevant details. We take ownership disputes seriously and will investigate.