Accuracy Disclaimer
Effective: May 26, 2026
The short version: Sift gives you useful estimates, not lab results. Everything is approximate. If something affects your health or safety, verify with the restaurant.
OCR limitations
OCR converts a photo of a menu into text. It's imperfect. Poor lighting, camera angle, glare, unusual fonts, handwriting, and low resolution all reduce accuracy. Items may be misread, skipped, or merged. Non-English text and decorative formatting may not parse correctly.
Verified Scan is designed to catch uncertainty before ranking: Sift shows recognized dish titles and asks you to correct or retake uncertain pages. A weak or unresolved scan should not produce a confident top recommendation.
Nutrition estimation limitations
Calorie, protein, carb, and fat estimates are directional unless Sift identifies a validated published restaurant catalog match. Estimated values come from on-device analysis based on dish names and descriptions, not from the restaurant. Portion sizes, cooking methods, sauces, oils, and sides can change actual nutrition significantly. Complex dishes, chef specials, and off-menu items are less reliable. Published catalog values may still differ from what is actually served. Exact published values are shown only when the restaurant and item identity match.
Allergen detection limitations
Allergen states are warning signals from dish names, descriptions, catalog information, or your own notes, not verified recipes. An Unknown state means Sift lacks sufficient evidence. Sift cannot detect cross-contamination, shared equipment, trace ingredients, or hidden allergens (butter in a sauce, flour as a thickener, nuts in a garnish).
If you have a food allergy or any condition where consuming a specific ingredient could harm you, verify with the restaurant directly. Do not rely on Sift for allergy safety.
Scoring limitations
Dish scores are calculated from estimated data that may itself be inaccurate. A high score doesn't guarantee a dish is healthy, safe, or right for you. Scores are relative rankings within a single scan, not absolute nutritional assessments. The model can't account for factors it doesn't know about — medical conditions, drug interactions, etc.
Menu freshness
Menus change constantly. Published catalog data displays its update context when available, but it may not reflect what is currently served. Always check with the restaurant.
Bottom line
Sift is a decision aid, not a definitive source. Verify the scan when prompted, treat estimated nutrition as directional, and verify anything that affects your health with the restaurant.