Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Local Break?

Local Break is a community platform created for true San Clemente locals. It connects you with local businesses that want to recognize and appreciate the people who actually live here.

You get access to locals-only perks, deals, and small thank-yous from participating businesses — and in return, they get to know the real people who make this town what it is.

2. How do I join Local Break?

Joining is simple and takes less than a minute.

• Create your account. Enter your name, email, and basic info.
• Answer a few human questions. These help businesses connect with you as a real neighbor, not just a customer. You'll answer things like:
  • How long you've lived in San Clemente
  • Your favorite local spot
  • Your interests (surfing, hiking, etc.)
  • A short "about me"
• Get verified as a true local. Verification happens automatically using the ZIP code on the credit card you enroll with.
• Start saving perks. Once verified, you can browse perks, save your favorites, and redeem them in person.

3. What if my ZIP code doesn't automatically verify?

If your credit card ZIP code doesn't match a San Clemente ZIP code, you can verify manually by uploading:

• A driver's license
• A utility bill

Any irrelevant information can be covered or blacked out for privacy. Local Break protects all information and uses it only to benefit locals and participating businesses.

4. How do I find perks and deals?

Inside the Local Break app, you can:

• Browse the full list of participating businesses
• Search by category (food, retail, fitness, etc.)
• Search by business name
• Save perks to your favorites

When you save a perk, your personal QR code is automatically created for redemption.

5. How do I redeem a perk at a business?

Redeeming a perk is easy and takes seconds:

1. Open the Local Break app
2. Tap the perk you want to redeem
3. Show your phone to the business
4. They tap "Scan QR Code" on their dashboard
5. They hover over your QR code
6. The perk instantly appears on their screen

That's it — you're good to go.

6. What does the business see when they scan my QR code?

They see:

• The perk you're redeeming
• Your Local Break profile answers — how long you've lived here, your favorite local spot, your interests, your neighborhood (if you choose to share it)

They do not see your address, phone number, payment info, or anything sensitive. Your profile is designed to spark connection — not expose private details.

7. Why do businesses see my profile?

Because Local Break is about community, not coupons. Your profile helps businesses:

• Recognize you as a real local
• Start a genuine conversation
• Build familiarity over time
• Create a locals-first culture

It turns a quick transaction into a human moment.

8. How often can I use perks?

Each perk can be redeemed once per local. Some perks may also have a total cap set by the business. The app will show you exactly what's allowed before you tap to redeem.

9. Does Local Break cost anything for locals?

Yes — Local Break has a $29 annual fee, which comes out to just 13 cents per day. This small fee helps keep the platform running, supports local businesses, and ensures the entire experience stays locals-only.

10. Why do I need to verify that I'm a local?

Because Local Break is built for the people who actually live in San Clemente. Verification ensures perks stay exclusive to locals — not tourists, not visitors, not people passing through. This keeps the value where it belongs: with the community.

11. What if a business doesn't recognize Local Break yet?

You can gently encourage them — and you really should — because Local Break is already changing things for the better here in San Clemente. You can show them the Local Break website and point out the "Join Local Break" button. It takes a business less than two minutes to enroll and create their first deal.

Local Break was designed to be robust, but incredibly simple, and the platform is getting more polished every day.

12. What if a perk doesn't load or something glitches?

Because Local Break is currently in beta testing, small bugs may appear. If something doesn't work:

• Close and reopen the app
• Refresh your perks
• Or email support at support@localbreak.biz

We're updating the platform daily to make everything smoother.

13. Why is Local Break starting in San Clemente?

Because San Clemente is the founder's hometown — the place that shaped this entire idea. Local Break was created with care, compassion, and love for this town, with the goal of bringing the community closer and creating a new positive buzz around local businesses and locals themselves.

San Clemente gets it first because it deserves it.

14. Is there a trial period for locals?

Yes — your $29 annual membership begins with a free 90-day trial, with no charges whatsoever during that period. If the platform needs more time before we consider it fully polished, your free trial will be automatically extended.

You'll never be charged until Local Break is truly ready.

15. How can I suggest improvements?

We love suggestions — this platform is being shaped by the community. Send ideas to suggestions@localbreak.biz.

Your feedback directly helps improve the experience for everyone in town.

1. What is Local Break?

Local Break is a community platform that helps businesses connect with real locals in a human, meaningful way.

Locals create short, personal profiles. Businesses offer perks. When a local redeems a perk, the business gets to see who they are — not just a customer, but a neighbor.

2. How do businesses sign up?

The sign-up process is simple:

• Create your business account.
  • Select your membership level — currently all memberships are Premium.
  • Enter your business name, address, contact info, and choose your category.
  • Upload your business logo — this is separate from the image used in perk/deal creation.
• Set up your perks. You can offer multiple perks at once — not just one. You can edit or update perks anytime.
• Get verified. Local Break confirms your business so locals know you're a real participating location.
• You're live. Locals will only see your business if you have at least one active perk/deal. If all perks are paused or inactive, your business becomes hidden until a perk is active again.

3. How does it work when a local visits my business?

This is the heart of Local Break — the moment where businesses and locals become community.

1. The local shows their phone. They'll open the Local Break app and show the perk they want to redeem.
2. You tap "Scan QR Code" in your business dashboard. Once the QR Scan tool is open, hover your device over the QR code on their screen.
3. The perk instantly appears on your screen. You're scanning the perk you created, now being presented by the local on-site. The moment you hover over it, the perk details appear instantly.
4. You see their Local Break profile. This is the magic moment.

You'll see human details like:

• How long they've lived in town
• Their favorite local spots
• Whether they surf, skate, hike, or have kids
• What neighborhood they're from

It's a one-second way to turn a stranger into a familiar face.

4. What is the purpose of the local's profile?

The profile is designed to help you:

• Start a real conversation
• Build loyalty naturally
• Remember people when they return
• Create a "locals first" culture inside your business

It's not about data. It's about connection.

5. What perks can my business offer?

You can build a perk using any of these three discount types:

• Percentage off — e.g. 20% off your order
• Flat amount off — e.g. $5 off
• Free — pair with custom text for things like "Free coffee with any pastry," "Free locals-only gift," or "Free upgrade"

You can run multiple perks at the same time and pick a start date and expiration for each. If you want a one-day "morning special," set the start and expiry to that morning. If you want to cap a perk so only the first 50 locals can claim it, set a max-redemptions number when creating the deal.

6. How do locals join?

Locals answer 4–5 simple human questions:

• How long they've lived here
• Their favorite local spot
• Their interests (surfing, hiking, etc.)
• A short "about me"

Important: Locals must be verified before they can redeem any perk.

Verification happens automatically at enrollment — their credit card ZIP code must match one of San Clemente's ZIP codes. If automatic verification fails, locals can present:

• A driver's license
• A utility bill

Any irrelevant information can be covered or blacked out for privacy. All information on Local Break is protected and used only in ways that benefit locals and participating businesses.

7. How do locals find my business?

Locals can:

• Scroll through the Local Break feed
• Search by category
• Search by business name
• Save your perk to their favorites

Once they save your perk, a QR code is automatically created for redemption.

Plus: your business receives a free Local Break window sticker with a QR code linking to the mobile platform. Locals can join directly from that sticker.

8. How does the QR code that a local presents work?

The QR code is generated when a local saves your perk. When your business scans it:

• You're scanning the perk you created, now being presented by the local
• It confirms the perk
• It shows the perk details
• It reveals the local's profile
• It logs the redemption for your records

9. Can I see analytics or insights?

Yes. Your dashboard shows:

• How many locals viewed your perk
• How many saved it
• How many redeemed it
• Basic profile insights (no personal contact info)

This helps you understand your local audience.

10. What does Local Break cost?

Businesses pay a simple monthly Premium subscription. There are no hidden charges, no per-scan fees, and no long-term contracts. Your first 90 days are free — your card sits on file but isn't charged until the trial ends, and you can cancel anytime before then without paying a cent.

11. Can I change my perks anytime?

Yes — instantly. You can update, pause, or replace perks whenever you want. You can also run multiple perks at once.

12. What if a local tries to redeem a perk twice?

Each local can redeem a given perk one time. Once they've redeemed it, the system won't let them re-redeem the same perk — re-opening their saved version will show it as already used.

If you want to limit a perk further (for example, "only the first 50 locals get this"), set a maximum redemptions cap when you create the deal.

13. What if my staff needs to use Local Break?

Currently there is one main login per business, and any number of staff members can be signed in at the same time. This makes it easy for multiple employees to scan perks throughout the day.

14. What if I need help?

Local Break provides:

• Quick support
• Onboarding help
• Perk strategy guidance
• In-person or virtual walkthroughs

Email support@localbreak.biz any time.

15. A few notes about the beta