Shipping & Delivery Policy

1. Hyperlocal, Within-Society Delivery Only

Community Chulha operates strictly on a hyperlocal, community-first model. All culinary preparations are made by home chefs residing within verified residential apartment complexes and gated housing societies for fellow residents in the same residential community.

We do not provide inter-city, interstate, or long-distance courier shipping. Delivery is restricted to resident units within the designated residential community where the chef operates.

2. Delivery & Handover Modes

Meals are fulfilled through neighbor-to-neighbor coordination within the residential premises:

• Doorstep Delivery: The home chef (or their designated household assistant) hand-delivers the packed meal directly to your flat / apartment door within the scheduled delivery window.
• Self-Pickup: Residents who prefer to collect their meal directly may pick up their freshly prepared order from the home chef’s kitchen door or tower lobby as coordinated via in-app chat or phone.

3. Timelines & Delivery Slots

• Scheduled Pre-Orders: Most home chefs operate on pre-order batch schedules (e.g., Lunch slots between 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM; Dinner slots between 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM). Dishes are cooked fresh for the selected slot and handed over during that time frame.
• Live Kitchen / Instant Items: When a home chef marks an active batch as "Cooking Now / Live", orders are typically prepared and delivered within 30 to 45 minutes of order confirmation.

4. Delivery Charges

Since delivery occurs exclusively within the same residential community premises, delivery charges are currently ₹0 (Free) for in-society deliveries, unless an explicit nominal packaging or doorstep coordination fee is published on the kitchen menu during checkout.

5. Missed Handover & Unreachable Diners

Because freshly prepared home food is perishable, home chefs make reasonable attempts to reach the diner via phone, intercom, or WhatsApp upon arriving at the flat door. If the resident is unreachable after multiple contact attempts within 15 minutes of the delivery window, the order cannot be re-delivered or refunded once prepared.

Delivery Assistance & Escalations

If your order has not arrived within the promised slot or you experience any handover issues, you can reach the chef directly via the in-app WhatsApp link or contact our community support team: