ISLAMABAD: The aroma of freshly cooked chicken and rice drifts through a parking lot as a brightly colored van pulls up near PIMS Hospital. Within minutes, a line forms, delivery riders still wearing helmets, security guards on lunch breaks, day laborers with dust clinging to their clothes.
They are not waiting for charity. They are customers at Islamabad’s most unusual restaurant: The Food ATM.
For just Rs100 [$0.36], barely enough to buy a cup of tea elsewhere, they receive steaming plates of home-cooked meals that would cost three times as much at a street vendor. But this mobile kitchen serves something more valuable than food: self-respect.
“We charge a minimum price so no one’s dignity is compromised,” Tehreem Zakia, the young woman who founded Food ATM, told Pakistan TV Digital. “We want to eradicate the dependency culture in Pakistan.”
In a country where many families face economic challenges, the model offers a positive alternative, providing affordable meals while encouraging self-reliance and preserving dignity by turning beneficiaries into valued patrons.
Saddam Hussain, a delivery rider who stops by regularly, still marvels at the value.
“You get nothing for Rs100 these days,” he said. “A normal meal costs Rs330 to Rs350 now. But this, excellent food for Rs100.”
The menu rotates daily, pushing back against the monotony of poverty. Fridays bring chicken rice with dessert, while Mondays feature bread and curry. Each day offers a small surprise, a modest luxury for people accustomed to skipping meals.
Behind the counter, young women work swiftly, serving portions with easy smiles. University student Hoorain Mariam joined as a volunteer on her first day, inspired by watching senior students lead the effort.
“I’m very passionate about working with them and serving humanity,” she said, her eyes bright with purpose.
The van follows a daily route through Islamabad, PIMS Hospital, the Blue Area, and neighborhoods where working people gather. Since its launch, Food ATM has served more than 49,000 meals, powered entirely by student volunteers and small donations.
Operating in memory of Rakhshanda Memorial, these young women are doing more than feeding the hungry. They are quietly rewriting the rules of charity, proving that dignity matters as much as sustenance.
As Hussain finishes his meal and returns to his motorcycle, he waves. Tomorrow, he will be back, not as a beggar, but as a customer.
