How Dabba works

Dabba is a neighbourhood cooking network. Home cooks post batches, neighbours claim portions before a deadline, and the price drops for everyone as more people join. If the batch doesn’t reach its minimum, nobody is charged.

A cook posts a batch

A home cook decides what to cook and how many portions to offer. They set the price per portion and a deadline for orders to come in. The batch doesn’t exist until the cook publishes it.

The cook chooses their neighbourhood and a nearby hub for collection, or offers delivery within a radius.
Allergen and dietary information is listed on every dish.
The cook sets the minimum number of portions needed for the batch to go ahead.

You claim before the deadline

Browse open batches in your neighbourhood. When you find something you want, claim one or more portions. Your card is authorised at the ceiling price — the highest possible price for that batch. You won’t be charged until the batch resolves.

As more neighbours claim, the price drops for everyone who’s already ordered.

You can see the fill level and how much time is left before the deadline.
The price ladder shows exactly what the price will be at each tier.
If you change your mind, you can cancel before the deadline.

The batch resolves

When the deadline passes, one of two things happens:

Minimum met: The batch goes ahead. The cook prepares your portion. You get a notification and collect your meal from the hub or via delivery. Your card is charged at the final community price (which may be lower than the ceiling you were authorised at).
Minimum not met: The batch doesn’t go ahead. Nobody is charged. The cook doesn’t cook, and you’re free to find another batch.

You collect your meal

Pick up your dabba from the cook’s kitchen or a nearby community hub. This is where Dabba is different from a delivery app: the food is cooked by a real person in your neighbourhood, for you specifically, the day before or the morning of collection.

Example: Beyaynetu from Tesfaye

Ceiling price (base price)$15.00

At 5 portions claimed$14.50

At 8 portions claimed$13.00

At 12 portions claimed (tipped)$12.50

Minimum: 5 portions — you only pay $14.50 if 5-7 claimed

What if a batch doesn’t fill?

If a batch doesn’t reach its minimum by the deadline, it’s cancelled automatically. Nobody is charged — not the customers, not the cook. The cook doesn’t prepare any food, and the customers are free to order from another batch.

This is by design: Dabba is not a restaurant. The cook only cooks what has been claimed, and only if enough neighbours want the same thing.

Allergen safety

Every dish lists its allergens. When you create an account, you can add your allergen profile. If a dish contains something in your profile, it’s flagged clearly. If you have a severe allergy, checkout is blocked until you explicitly confirm you’ve seen the conflict. We never guess or assume — if the ingredient isn’t listed, flag it to the cook.

Ready to find a meal near you?

Browse open batches in Toronto East and claim your portion before the deadline.

Browse open batches