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Data Processing Agreement

Version 1.2 · Effective Date: 01/05/2026

This Data Processing Agreement ("DPA") forms part of and is incorporated by reference into the Terms and Conditions (the "Agreement") entered into between MARIOS GAITANIS & SONS MECHANICAL WORKS LIMITED, a company incorporated in the Republic of Cyprus under registration number HE185185 with registered office at 3 Prodikou, Kato Polemidia 4154, Cyprus, trading as DineChat (the "Processor", "Company", "we"), and the Client (the "Controller", "Client", "you") identified in the Agreement.

This DPA governs the processing of Personal Data carried out by the Processor on behalf of the Controller in connection with the provision of the Service. It is designed to comply with the requirements of Article 28 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (the "GDPR"), UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data (the "UAE PDPL"), and equivalent applicable data-protection laws.

1. Definitions

Capitalised terms used in this DPA have the meanings given to them in the Agreement, unless otherwise defined below:

  • "Applicable Data Protection Law" means the GDPR, the UAE PDPL, and any other data-protection or privacy law applicable to the processing of Personal Data under this DPA.
  • "Controller", "Processor", "Personal Data", "Process" / "Processing", "Data Subject", and "Personal Data Breach" have the meanings given in the GDPR (or the equivalent concepts under the UAE PDPL).
  • "End-User Data" means Personal Data relating to End-Users, as defined in the Agreement.
  • "Services" means the services provided by the Processor to the Controller under the Agreement.
  • "Standard Contractual Clauses" or "SCCs" means the standard contractual clauses adopted by the European Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/914 of 4 June 2021.
  • "Subprocessor" means any third party engaged by the Processor to Process End-User Data on behalf of the Controller.

2. Roles of the Parties

2.1 In respect of End-User Data, the Controller acts as the Controller and the Processor acts as the Processor.

2.2 Where, for a specific processing activity, Applicable Data Protection Law requires the parties to be treated as independent or joint controllers, the parties shall interpret their respective obligations in a manner consistent with such requirement and shall cooperate in good faith to document any necessary arrangements.

2.3 The Controller's Account representative who accepts the Agreement represents and warrants that they have authority to enter into this DPA on behalf of the Controller.

3. Scope, Subject Matter, Nature, and Purpose of Processing

3.1 Subject Matter. The Processor processes End-User Data as necessary to provide the Services.

3.2 Nature and Purpose. The Processor processes End-User Data for the purposes of:

  1. receiving, interpreting, and responding to End-User messages via automated (AI) and, where configured, manual means;
  2. facilitating reservations with the Controller's chosen reservation provider;
  3. storing conversation history and reservation records to enable the Controller to review, manage, and report on interactions;
  4. providing analytics, notifications, and operational features to the Controller;
  5. securing and operating the Services, including rate-limiting, abuse prevention, system logging, and audit;
  6. performing the Processor's obligations under the Agreement.

3.3 Scope of Instructions. The Controller instructs the Processor to process End-User Data as necessary for the purposes set out in this Section 3 and as further configured by the Controller through the Services (for example, by selecting a subscription tier, enabling AI, configuring AI personality and schedule, connecting a reservation provider, or adjusting retention settings).

3.4 Additional Instructions. The Controller may provide additional written instructions. The Processor shall inform the Controller if, in its reasonable opinion, an instruction infringes Applicable Data Protection Law.

3.5 Duration. Processing shall continue for the duration of the Agreement and, thereafter, only to the extent and for the period required for deletion or return of data in accordance with Section 12.

3.6 Categories of Data and Data Subjects. The categories of Personal Data processed and the categories of Data Subjects are set out in Annex 1.

4. Controller's Obligations

The Controller warrants and undertakes that it shall:

4.1 comply with Applicable Data Protection Law in its role as Controller, including by establishing a valid legal basis for the Processing;

4.2 provide End-Users with all notices required by Applicable Data Protection Law, including clear information that they are interacting with an automated AI system;

4.3 obtain and document any consent or other lawful basis required from End-Users;

4.4 ensure that its instructions to the Processor are lawful;

4.5 refrain from submitting special categories of Personal Data beyond the limited Permitted Incidental Disclosure described in Section 8.1(c) of the Agreement;

4.6 ensure the accuracy of End-User Data;

4.7 respond to Data Subjects' requests, complaints, and queries regarding End-User Data, with the assistance of the Processor as set out in Section 9.

5. Processor's Obligations

5.1 The Processor shall Process End-User Data only on the documented instructions of the Controller, unless required to do otherwise by applicable law.

5.2 The Processor shall ensure that persons authorised to Process End-User Data are bound by appropriate confidentiality obligations.

5.3 The Processor shall implement and maintain the technical and organisational measures set out in Annex 2.

5.4 The Processor shall engage Subprocessors only in accordance with Section 7.

5.5 The Processor shall assist the Controller in accordance with Sections 8 and 9.

5.6 The Processor shall not use Client Data, End-User Data, or Outputs to train or fine-tune any artificial intelligence models.

5.7 At the end of Processing, the Processor shall delete or return End-User Data in accordance with Section 12.

6. Security of Processing

6.1 The Processor shall implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk. These measures are described in Annex 2.

6.2 The Processor shall regularly review and, where appropriate, update these measures.

7. Subprocessors

7.1 General Authorisation. The Controller grants the Processor a general authorisation to engage Subprocessors to assist in the provision of the Services.

7.2 Current Subprocessors. A current list is published at dinechat.io/subprocessors and is incorporated into this DPA by reference.

7.3 Additions and Changes. The Processor shall provide at least thirty (30) days' prior notice of any intended addition or replacement of a Subprocessor. The Controller may object on reasonable data-protection grounds within the Notice Period.

7.4 Expedited Change Procedure. Where a change is required urgently (confirmed security incident, legal order, or imminent service disruption), the Processor may implement the change before expiry of the 30-day Notice Period, with notification as soon as reasonably practicable.

7.5 Subprocessor Terms. Each Subprocessor is engaged under a written contract containing data-protection obligations substantially equivalent to those in this DPA.

7.6 Liability for Subprocessors. The Processor remains fully liable for the performance of its Subprocessors' obligations, subject to the limitations of liability in the Agreement.

8. International Data Transfers

8.1 The Controller acknowledges that End-User Data may be transferred to countries outside the EEA and/or the UAE.

8.2 Transfer Safeguards. Transfers outside the EEA are governed by: (a) the EU–US Data Privacy Framework; (b) an adequacy decision; (c) the Standard Contractual Clauses; or (d) any other valid transfer mechanism.

8.3 UAE Transfers. The parties shall cooperate to implement the transfer mechanisms required under the UAE PDPL.

9. Assistance to the Controller

9.1 Data Subject Requests. The Processor shall assist the Controller with Data Subject rights requests. Direct requests received by the Processor will be forwarded to the Controller.

9.2 Compliance Obligations. The Processor shall assist with security of Processing, breach notification, data protection impact assessments, and supervisory authority consultations.

9.3 Cost of Assistance. Assistance is provided at no additional charge, except where manifestly excessive or requiring bespoke engineering work.

10. Personal Data Breach Notification

10.1 The Processor shall notify the Controller without undue delay, and within seventy-two (72) hours of becoming aware of a Personal Data Breach.

10.2 The notification shall contain: (a) a description of the nature of the breach; (b) contact details; (c) likely consequences; (d) measures taken or proposed.

10.3 Where all information is not available initially, it shall be provided in phases.

10.4 Notification shall not be construed as an acknowledgement of fault or liability.

11. Audit and Inspection

11.1 The Processor shall make available information necessary to demonstrate compliance with this DPA and shall allow for audits.

11.2 Audits shall be conducted no more than once per twelve-month period, during normal business hours, with at least 30 days' notice.

11.3 The Controller and any auditor shall be bound by written confidentiality obligations.

11.4 The Processor may satisfy audit obligations by providing certifications, audit reports, or written responses to questionnaires.

11.5 Audit costs are borne by the Controller, unless the audit identifies material non-compliance.

12. Return or Deletion of Data

12.1 Upon termination, the Controller has thirty (30) days to export its data.

12.2 After the export period, the Processor shall delete or anonymise End-User Data, except for: (a) billing records retained by law (6 years); (b) aggregated de-identified data; (c) data required for legal claims; (d) Subprocessor backup retention (maximum 90 days).

12.3 Written confirmation of deletion is available on reasonable request.

13. Liability

Liability under this DPA is governed by the limitation of liability provisions of the Agreement. Nothing in this DPA excludes or limits liability that cannot be excluded under applicable mandatory data-protection law.

14. Term and Termination

This DPA takes effect on the Effective Date of the Agreement and remains in force for so long as the Processor Processes End-User Data. Termination of the Agreement automatically terminates this DPA, save for obligations that by their nature survive (including Sections 10, 12, 13, and 15).

15. Order of Precedence

In the event of conflict between this DPA and the Agreement on data protection matters, this DPA prevails. In the event of conflict between this DPA and the Standard Contractual Clauses, the SCCs prevail.

16. Governing Law

This DPA shall be governed by the laws of the Republic of Cyprus, without prejudice to the mandatory application of the GDPR, the UAE PDPL, and any other applicable data-protection law.


Annex 1 — Details of Processing

A1.1 Subject Matter

Provision by the Processor to the Controller of the DineChat AI messaging and reservation automation service.

A1.2 Duration

For the duration of the Agreement plus the post-termination retention period set out in the Privacy Policy.

A1.3 Nature and Purpose of Processing

  • Receipt, interpretation, and response to End-User messages by artificial intelligence;
  • Transcription of voice messages (Professional and Enterprise tiers), processed exclusively for speech-to-text conversion;
  • Facilitation of reservations via integrated reservation providers;
  • Storage and display of conversation history and reservation records for the Controller;
  • Generation of operational analytics and notifications;
  • Security, logging, and abuse-prevention for the Service.

A1.4 Categories of Data Subjects

End-Users of the Controller (persons messaging the Controller's WhatsApp Business number).

A1.5 Categories of Personal Data

  • Identifiers (WhatsApp phone number, Meta profile name);
  • Message content (text messages, audio transcripts);
  • Reservation details (name, phone, date, time, party size, special requests, confirmation codes, status);
  • Conversation metadata (timestamps, message IDs, conversation state, language detected).

A1.6 Sensitive Data

The Services are not designed to process special categories of Personal Data on a routine basis. However, End-Users may voluntarily disclose limited information concerning food allergies, dietary restrictions, or accessibility needs ("Permitted Incidental Disclosure").


Annex 2 — Technical and Organisational Measures

A2.1 Confidentiality

  • Role-based access controls
  • Row-level security in the managed database
  • Principle of least privilege for personnel access
  • Personnel bound by written confidentiality obligations
  • Secrets management via environment variables and hosted secret stores

A2.2 Integrity

  • Cryptographic verification of inbound webhooks (HMAC-SHA256)
  • Input validation of all external data via typed schemas
  • Atomic operations for state transitions and counters
  • Audit logging of security-relevant events

A2.3 Availability and Resilience

  • Managed, high-availability cloud hosting
  • Automated database backups
  • Circuit-breaker patterns for external dependencies

A2.4 Encryption

  • TLS 1.2 or higher for all data in transit
  • Encryption at rest for managed-database storage

A2.5 Pseudonymisation and Minimisation

  • Collection of only necessary Personal Data
  • Aggregation and de-identification for long-term analytics
  • Short retention periods for raw message data

A2.6 Subprocessor Governance

  • Pre-engagement review of each Subprocessor's data-protection posture
  • Contractual terms substantially equivalent to this DPA
  • AI Subprocessors configured for no-training endpoints only

A2.7 Incident Response

  • Monitoring and alerting on security-relevant events
  • Documented incident-response process
  • 72-hour maximum breach-notification window

Annex 3 — Subprocessors

A current list of Subprocessors is maintained at dinechat.io/subprocessors and is incorporated into this DPA by reference.

End of Data Processing Agreement

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DineChat is a trading name of MARIOS GAITANIS & SONS MECHANICAL WORKS LIMITED, a company incorporated in the Republic of Cyprus (registration number HE185185).

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