Sell Extra Food in Islamabad: The Complete Guide for Restaurants and Home Chefs

You cooked too much. The shop is closing. Or you cook well and want to sell. How do you sell extra food in Islamabad? This is a complete, simple guide for restaurants, bakeries, cafes and home chefs.

Quick answer

You have five main ways: tell your regulars on WhatsApp, post on Instagram, use Facebook food groups, use a delivery or food marketplace, or use a local deals app. The best one depends on how fast your food must sell. Read on to pick.

1. Decide what you are selling

• Surplus food (made today, not sold by closing): needs a fast way, today.
• Home-cooked meals (made fresh to order): needs steady customers. On SastaKhana, home chefs sell freshly made food only.
• Baked goods and frozen food: can be pre-ordered a day or two ahead.

2. Set a fair price

Add the cost of ingredients, gas, packing and your time. Divide by the portions. Then add a profit and any fee you pay to an app or rider. Read our simple guide: how to price homemade food in Islamabad. Food left at closing time often sells for less, and that is fine. It is better than throwing it away.

3. Take photos people trust

Use daylight and show the real food. Write what it is, how many it feeds, and when it was cooked.

4. Pick your way to reach buyers

• WhatsApp (your regulars): free and fast. Hard to grow beyond people you know.
• Instagram: good for photos and a loyal following. Slow at first.
• Facebook food groups: free and local. Messy, and you answer every question yourself.
• Food marketplaces and delivery apps: reach many buyers. Check the fees and whether home kitchens are allowed.
• A local deals app like SastaKhana: made for fresh deals and same-day surplus. You set the price and pickup time. Buyers nearby reserve and pay online, then collect. Home chefs list freshly made food only.

You can use more than one. Many sellers do.

5. Check the rules

In 2024, news reports said the Islamabad Food Authority (IFA) asked food businesses in the city to register. Later reports said inspections had started. The reports we read did not explain how this applies to home kitchens. We are not lawyers. Ask the IFA directly, and keep your kitchen clean, label your food, and never sell food you would not eat yourself.

6. Plan delivery

The cheapest way is pickup. If buyers want delivery, many sellers book a rider service such as Bykea for each order. Decide who pays before the order, and say it clearly.

7. If it does not sell: share it

Food that cannot be sold safely should not be wasted. Local food-rescue groups collect clean, untouched food. Check that a group is active before you call.

How SastaKhana works for sellers

• You list your food and set your own price.
• You choose a pickup time. Pickup only for now. Delivery through SastaKhana is not available, but you and your customer may arrange delivery yourselves.
• 0% commission for your first 30 days, starting on your first sale. Home chefs then pay 10%. See the Partner Terms.
• Home chefs: your address is shown to a customer only after they reserve and pay. We ask for photos and a short video of your kitchen, so buyers can trust you. Here is why.

What can you sell on SastaKhana?

• Fresh deals: food made fresh, at a price you set. Every seller can list these, home chefs too.
• Surplus deals: fresh food made that day that did not sell. Restaurants, bakeries and cafes only.
• Home chefs: freshly made food only. No surplus food.

More in our guide: what can you sell on SastaKhana.

How to join SastaKhana

1. Open List My Business on our website and fill the short form. Or email partner@sastakhana.com.
2. Our Islamabad team contacts you.
3. Home chefs: we ask for an ID and photos of your kitchen and food, plus a short video. This is private and builds trust with buyers.
4. You list your food, set your price and choose a pickup time.

SastaKhana is new, and we are building it with our first partners in Islamabad. Tell us about your business and our team will reply.

Common questions

How do I sell extra food in Islamabad?

Decide what you sell, set a price, take clear photos and pick a way to reach buyers: WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook groups, or a local food app. Food that must sell today needs a fast way. Regular home orders need a steady way.

Can I sell homemade food from home in Islamabad?

Many people do. Rules depend on what you sell and where. News reports say the Islamabad Food Authority asked food businesses in the city to register, but the reports we read did not explain home kitchens. Ask the Authority before you start.

How do I price homemade food?

Add ingredients, gas, packing and your time, divide by the number of portions, then add a profit. Add any app or rider fee too.

How do I deliver homemade food in Islamabad?

Many sellers book a rider service such as Bykea for each order. Decide who pays before the order. Customer pickup is the cheapest way.

Is SastaKhana available now?

SastaKhana is launching in Islamabad. Businesses and home chefs can join the partner list now. It is pickup only on the website. Delivery through SastaKhana is not available.

More reading: how to start a home food business and what to do with extra food at closing time.

Sources

• Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), 28 February 2024 and 3 December 2025, on Islamabad Food Authority registration and inspections.