Indians give eateries cold shoulder amid head-spinning heat

Blazing heatwave and extreme weather conditions in most parts of the country have taken a toll on restaurants, pubs and bars across Indian cities, with outlets reporting an up to 40% dip in sales and footfalls.

Businesses that thrive on al fresco, or open-air dining, and those present in high street locations are among the worst hit, industry insiders said. The impact is most visible during the lunch hours when the usual hustle and bustle have given way to mostly empty tables.

The lunch business is “almost next to nil”, said Priyank Sukhija, chief executive of First Fiddle Restaurants that operates outlets of brands such as Lord of the Drinks, Miso Sexy, Diablo, Tamasha and The Flying Saucer Café.

The national capital, where temperature arguably crossed 50 degrees Celsius for the first time on Wednesday, is among the worst hit with high street locations such as Khan Market, Connaught Place and Defence Colony seeing a significant fall in footfalls, according to Sandeep Anand Goyle, who heads the Delhi chapter of National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI).

“The heatwave has massively hit sales till about 6 pm for some restaurants. People don’t want to venture out and prefer going to the malls. But we heard of mall air-conditioning also falling apart in some instances… so that is another worry,” he said.

“People prefer taking holidays in such weather conditions, so that has also contributed to the dip in footfalls, which would be in the range of 25-30%,” added Goyle who is also a director at Essex Farms, which operates restaurants such as Cafe Tesu. NRAI has over 1,000 restaurant members in Delhi. Many other cities too are affected. Roshan Banan, managing director of Sagar Ratna Restaurants, said the chain has seen a 10-15% drop in consumption across North India. “Such extreme temperatures can bring down the appetite,” he said. Anjan Chatterjee, chairman of Speciality Restaurants that operates Mainland China and Oh! Calcutta chains, said sales are down by 30- 40% across locations including Kolkata, Mumbai and Ahmedabad, besides Delhi NCR as mercury levels hit new highs in many places.

“We have not seen such temperatures historically,” said Chatterjee. “In the winter people can whip up an appetite, but when the temperature crosses 40-45 degrees and you hear of people dying from the heat, who would feel like stepping out for food? The appetite takes a hit and people are unable to digest much.”

“I have been telling fellow restaurateurs that the only solution to tide over the heatwave seems to be a ‘yajna’ (for the rain god).”

The fall in sales has impacted the profit margins, forcing some restaurants to focus more on deliveries and offer deep discounts. The restaurateurs are worried about their workers too, particularly those working in the kitchen. “Our concern is also to do with the kitchen staff as the kitchens are not air-conditioned… We have to take cognizance of that,” said Pranav Rungta, cofounder and director of Nksha Restaurant in Mumbai.

Some are modifying their menu. “People are naturally less inclined to dine out in the sweltering heat, and when they do, they’re craving lighter fare and refreshing drinks,” said Sonali Mullick, head of operations and mixologist at the Bayroute restaurant chain that has outlets in Cuffe Parade, Lower Parel, BKC, Juhu and Powai in Mumbai.