A "cookie" is a set of information, such as user information and preferences, used by web sites to customize information for a user. A number of web sites register with a "cookie server" and provide the server with information regarding what data fields are expected in cookies submitted from clients to the web site. When a client subsequently browses to that web site, the client first checks with the cookie server for any expected cookies. The cookie server uses the cookie requirement information for that web site, along with user specific information, to generate one or more cookies. The cookie server then transmits the one or more cookies to the client. The client then transmits the one or more cookies to the web site so that the web site may provide a customized web page.