Hey family,

Last time, I shared why I started African Dishout.

Today, I want to tell you what those early days actually looked like.

It didn’t look like a tech company.

It looked like me… trying to make something work.

I was printing flyers myself. Walking into restaurants, introducing myself over and over again. Explaining the same idea, sometimes getting a yes, a lot of times getting ignored.

I remember setting up at events, hoping people would stop by. Some days people were curious. Some days it felt like I was just standing there.

And every small win mattered.

One restaurant saying yes. One person downloading the app. One order coming through.

At the time, there was no big system behind it. No playbook. No roadmap.

Just belief… and consistency.

I didn’t know exactly how it would all come together. I just knew it was worth trying.

Looking back now, those moments taught me a lot.

They taught me patience. They taught me resilience. They taught me how to keep going even when things don’t look like they’re working yet.

Because sometimes, progress doesn’t look like progress right away.

Sometimes it just looks like showing up again… and again.

I’ll share more about what happened next, the parts people didn’t really see, in my next note.

For now, I just want to say thank you for being part of this journey.

Every single one of you matters more than you know.

With love,

Jamila

Founder, African Dishout

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Frequently Asked Questions

What were the early days of African Dishout like?

African Dishout did not start with a big system behind it. The founder, Jamila Zomah, was printing flyers herself, walking into restaurants individually to introduce the idea, and setting up at events hoping people would stop by. There was no playbook. Just belief and consistency, and every small win counted.

How did African Dishout get its first restaurants on the platform?

Jamila approached restaurants directly, explaining the concept one by one. Some said yes immediately. Many ignored her. She kept going. The first restaurant that agreed to join set her a challenge: bring in $1,000 in delivery revenue in a month, and I will come on board. By the end of that month, Dishout had brought the restaurant $3,000 in delivery revenue. It never looked back.

How long has African Dishout been operating?

African Dishout has been operating for over eight years, growing from a single restaurant in the Bronx to a platform serving restaurants and grocery stores across New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.

What can I order on African Dishout today?

African Dishout delivers from Black-owned African restaurants and grocery stores across New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. From Ghanaian jollof and waakye to Senegalese Thiebou Djen and dibi, Nigerian egusi and suya, and African groceries and pantry staples. Download the app to explore what is near you.

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