Stale copyright
Example: A neighborhood bistro's footer still reads "© 2019," quietly making an out-of-town diner wonder whether it survived the pandemic, until the owner sets the year to render automatically so it always shows the current one.
outdated footer year, freshness signal
The copyright year shown in your site footer (e.g. "© 2024 Joe's Pizza"). Diners use it as a subconscious freshness signal — particularly when planning a special meal or visiting from out of town.
Why it matters
A "© 2019" footer reads to an anxious diner as "are they still open after COVID?" It costs nothing to update and removes a silent doubt signal. Two-minute fix: change the year, or better, set it to auto-render from the current year so it never goes stale again.
Frequently asked
What is stale copyright?
Stale copyright is the copyright year shown in your site footer (e.g. "© 2024 Joe's Pizza"). Diners use it as a subconscious freshness signal — particularly when planning a special meal or visiting from out of town.
Why does stale copyright matter for a restaurant?
A "© 2019" footer reads to an anxious diner as "are they still open after COVID?" It costs nothing to update and removes a silent doubt signal. Two-minute fix: change the year, or better, set it to auto-render from the current year so it never goes stale again.
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