Sell Tamales Online
Sell tamales online and cook to paid pre-orders.
Chefry gives tamale makers a free storefront, by-the-dozen ordering, deposits for big orders, local discovery, and daily payouts, with 0% commission on every order you take.
Free to start · 0% commission on orders · Pre-orders built in
Tamales sell themselves. The problem is volume. When the holidays hit and everyone wants three dozen, you end up tracking orders across texts, comments, and a notes app, hoping nobody forgets to pay. One missed deposit on a five-dozen order is a real loss.
Chefry lets you open a pre-order window, take orders by the dozen, and collect payment up front, so you only buy masa and cook for tamales people already paid for. Buyers get a clean menu instead of a DM thread, and you keep the full price of every order.
From kitchen to paid order in 4 steps
Create your free storefront
Sign up, add your name, photo, and the area you cook in. No website to build, no monthly fee. Be live the same day.
Add your menu
List your tamales with photos and prices. Customers see a clean menu, not a messy DM thread.
Share one link
Drop your Chefry link in your Instagram bio, group chats, and posts. Buyers browse, order, and pay in a couple of taps.
Get found and get paid
Show up in the Chefry marketplace for local buyers, and get paid daily for completed orders, with instant-to-debit options.
Tamale season is a built-in rush
Christmas, New Year, and family gatherings turn tamales into a by-the-dozen business overnight. Local buyers actively search "who's selling tamales" every December. With a Chefry storefront and the in-app marketplace, you capture that demand with a real order link instead of racing to answer comments, and you can cap how many dozen you take so you never oversell your stove.
What tamale makers list and sell
- •By the dozen: pork in red, chicken in green, cheese and rajas
- •Sweet tamales: pineapple, strawberry, and conchita
- •Half-dozen sampler packs
- •Party and holiday orders of five dozen or more
- •Vegan and vegetarian tamales
- •Masa-only and build-your-own options
What tamale makers charge
Most sellers price by the dozen and offer a small discount on bulk holiday orders. Deposits protect you on large orders. These are common ranges; adjust for your fillings, region, and ingredient costs.
- Standard tamales: commonly $15 to $30 per dozen
- Specialty and premium fillings: often higher per dozen
- Bulk holiday orders (5+ dozen): frequently discounted per dozen
- Large orders: a deposit up front is standard
Everything you need to sell tamales online
A real storefront and marketplace, not a link that nobody finds.
0% commission on your orders
Keep 100% of the sale price on tamales and menu orders. A small customer-paid service fee and standard Stripe processing apply, that is it.
No website required
Skip the theme and the weekend lost to a site builder. Your storefront, menu, and checkout come ready to go.
Real customer discovery
A marketplace and native app put you in front of local buyers actively looking for home cooks, not just the followers you already have.
Pre-orders and drops
Open an ordering window, cap how much you make, and collect payment up front so you cook to confirmed, paid orders.
Built-in payments
Card checkout, receipts, and order tracking are handled for you. No chasing payments across three different apps.
Daily payouts
Money for completed orders pays out daily, escrow-backed, with instant-to-debit options. No two-week waits.
Is it legal to sell tamales from home?
Tamales are a hot, cooked, perishable food, so in most states they are NOT covered by cottage food laws, which only allow shelf-stable items like baked goods and jams. To sell tamales legally you usually need a permitted kitchen: a home kitchen permit like a California MEHKO, a commissary or commercial kitchen, or a caterer license. A few states allow limited perishable home sales, so check your local health department. Many cooks start by taking pre-orders to prove demand before they invest in a permit. Chefry publishes MEHKO and state-by-state guides to help.
Packaging and pickup
Tamales travel best hot or properly chilled with clear pickup windows. Count and label each dozen, separate fillings, and include a quick steaming or reheating card. Most sellers run pickup from home or a set spot; Chefry handles the order, deposit, and timing.
Start selling online with zero fees for a year.
The first 100 chefs on Chefry become Founding Chefs and pay 0% commission on every order type for their first year, locked in. Only 22 founding spots left.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to sell tamales from home?
Tamales are a hot, perishable food, so they usually are not allowed under cottage food laws. Selling them legally typically requires a home kitchen permit like a California MEHKO, a commissary or commercial kitchen, or a caterer license. Rules vary by state and county, so check your local health department. Chefry publishes MEHKO and state guides to help you sell the right way.
How do tamale pre-orders work on Chefry?
You open an ordering window, set how many dozen you can make, and list your fillings and prices. Buyers order and pay up front, so you cook to confirmed, paid orders. When the window closes you have a clean list of who ordered what, with deposits already collected.
How much should I charge for tamales?
Home tamale makers commonly charge $15 to $30 per dozen depending on the filling and region, with bulk discounts for large holiday orders. Price for your masa, filling, and time, and take a deposit on big orders.
Can I take large holiday orders?
Yes. You can cap total dozens, require a deposit, and set a cutoff date so you never accept more than you can cook. Chefry collects payment up front, which protects you on the five-dozen orders that used to fall through over a forgotten Venmo.
How much does it cost to sell tamales on Chefry?
Chefry is free to list with no monthly fee, and tamale orders are 0% commission to you, so you keep the full price (a 5% customer-paid service fee and standard Stripe processing of 2.9% + 30 cents apply). The first 100 chefs pay 0% on everything for their first year.
Sell more from your kitchen
One storefront grows with your business. Open up another line whenever you are ready.
Related guides
- How to Sell Food From Home (2026 Guide)
- Sell Food Online: Free Storefront, 0% on Plates
- Sell Plates Online: Run a Clean Weekly Drop
- Sell Cakes Online: Take Custom Orders From Home
- Start a Food Side Hustle Before You Get a Permit
- 5 Best Platforms for Home Food Businesses
- Cottage Food Platform Comparison (2026): Fees & Features
- Castiron Alternative: Where to Move Your Food Business
- Homegrown Alternative: Free, With 0% on Plates
- How to Sell Food From Home in California
- Selling Food From Home in Los Angeles
- MEHKO Los Angeles: $597 Fee Waived Before June 30
- MEHKO Long Beach: New Home-Kitchen Program for 2026
Your kitchen is open. Let people order.
Create your free Chefry storefront, add your menu, and take your first online order this week.
Start Free on Chefry →