Feeling hungry? Look no further than Facebook

Groups help foodies in the city known for its delicacies

LAHORE: The city of Lahore is known for its traditions and its love for traditional cuisines. It is also home to bustling chaos of cheap and fancy cafes that serve every local and foreign delicacy. With so much variety, it is not easy to select the most delicious meals in the food capital of Pakistan.

Facebook food groups like ‘Foodies R Us’ come handy in such situations. With over 94, 332,000 members, the group has helped food lovers make the right choices since 2013.

Members of ‘Foodies R Us’ and others like it, discuss everything from hygiene to the nutritional value of the food being served at eateries across Lahore. Some of the well-traveled ones, including, Asad Sheikh, who runs the group, are also known for sharing their reviews of food sampled outside Pakistan.

‘Foodies R Us’ is one of the many groups that have helped food lovers sample Lahore’s best cuisines. For many years now, groups like Insider, Pak Food Lovers, Food Fiesta, Food Nation, Foodies Council, Food Network, and The Food Rangers have helped spread food reviews.

“These groups have exposed people to the amazing food outlets in the city,” said Ayesha Bhatti, an active member of the group.

Another member said Lahore’s fancy hotels and restaurants boast about their services but seldom live up to the promises. “On Facebook, I found out that the best place for traditionally prepared lentils (daal) was in Lahore’s Daroghawala area,” claimed Rana Aftab, a member of the group.

Reminiscing the experience, he said, “Believe me; we have not forgotten the joy of eating daal on a roadside on a bench.”

Discussions and reviews on these groups have not only earned the praise of food lovers but food experts and chefs. These groups have helped residents of Lahore and visitors from outside, discover the hidden gems of the city. Reviews by members have also exposed local food eateries to new customers.  A little known food stall owner in Lahore’s Gulberg area has every reason to thank the food groups for making his makeshift cafe famous. Muhammad Owais’s homemade food stall became a frequent spot only after a customer posted a review on one of these groups.

“Visitors have been telling me that they found out about my stall from Facebook,” Owais said.

That one post, Owais said had increased his business by many folds.

For some in need of help, like Rabia Ahmed, these groups have served as a lifeline.  Ahmed, a widow from Lahore’s Model Town area, was struggling to make ends meet before someone shared a post about her fledgling food delivery venture.

“That one post on Facebook has helped spread the word about my food,” said Rabia, who now prepares and supplies food to various offices in Lahore.

The Facebook groups have not only benefitted outlet owners, but food regulators have also credited the groups for helping them spot quality issues.

“These groups help our inspection teams to acquire the details about food items,” said Director General of Punjab Food Authority Captain (retd) Muhammad Usman.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2019.