Featured Image Credit: Dylan Huynh / YouTube
Facebook Marketplace is typically where people hunt for bargain furniture, secondhand clothes or discounted kitchen appliances.
But it's not exactly the first place you'd think to order dinner.
Turns out there's an entire hidden food industry operating on the platform that most people have no idea exists.
While most of us turn to UberEats or JustEat when craving takeaway, YouTuber Dylan Huynh set out to discover whether ordering meals from random sellers on Facebook was a brilliant idea or a recipe for disaster.
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After simply typing 'food' into the Marketplace search bar, Huynh saw several AI-generated photos of everything from pasta dishes to Mediterranean cuisine.
For his initial test, Huynh wanted to try 'something that looks good off the photos, but is also fairly simple to make.'
He placed an order for a BBQ spread costing around $60 and received a generous tray filled with brisket, a rack of ribs, two different types of sausages and smoked chicken.
"So we finished eating and based off of our reactions, I think it's very safe to say that the first Facebook Marketplace order was worth the risk," he explained.
Next up, Huynh decided to try something more adventurous called Hot Cheeto Food Balls for $16. He and his companion made the wise decision to eat these out of the car, seemingly in case of 'what it would do to their bodies.'
According to Huynh, the balls are made with boudin sausage, rice, and cheese that's deep-fried and coated in crushed Hot Cheetos.
"The thing I will say about it is I don't mind the flavour. The texture, though, is kind of what got me. It's just a lot all in one bite," he described. "It's super cheesy and I don't know how else to say this nicely, kind of like mush."
Then, noticing Dallas has a limited number of Filipino restaurants, Huynh decided to see if Facebook Marketplace could fill his cravings.
After a pleasant interaction with the seller, who brought the food directly to his car, Huynh opened his order to find a tray filled with pancit (a stir-fried noodle dish) and lumpia (deep-fried Filipino spring rolls). The most surprising part was that the whole tray came at a bargain price of $35.
Based on Huynh's reaction, the order was a clear winner in both quality and value.
Switching cuisines again, Huynh next ordered bánh bột lọc, which are Vietnamese tapioca dumplings traditionally filled with pork and shrimp. The content creator sampled the 'gelatinous' dumplings, dipping them in fish sauce that came conveniently tied in a ziplock bag. And while he was impressed with the quality and taste of the food, his companion wasn't quite so pleased.
For his final Facebook Marketplace food adventure, Huynh ordered a seafood boil. While he ended up waiting an extra 30 to 40 minutes beyond the expected time, the food that finally arrived was worth the wait.
"Everything looks a lot more appetising than I thought it would," he said.
Four days after trying all five Facebook Marketplace food orders, Huynh had made his decision about which was best. The Filipino food won hands down, so much so that he immediately placed another order from the same seller.
