Restaurants across India see steep fall in business amid heatwave conditions: Report

Some restaurants are looking to change up their menu to suit the climate while others ar focussing more on food deliveries and discount

Heatwave conditions in the country has started affecting the restaurant industry, a report by the Economic Times has revealed.

Some pubs, bars and restaurants have reportedly witnessed around 40 per cent dip in footfalls since the heatwave conditions began. High street establishments, as well as those that provide Al fresco dining, have been among those most severely affected, the publication reports. The sharp decrease in footfall is especially during lunch hours, when the weather is hottest during the day.

First Fiddle Restaurants' chief executive Priyank Sukhija told the publication that business during lunch hours is “almost next to nil”.

Delhi has been the worst-hit in this case, with high-street localities like Connaught Place, Defence Colony, and Khan Market witnessing a considerable dip in footfall, the publication quoted National Restaurant Association of India's (NRAI) Delhi head Anand Goyale as saying.

“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,” Goyal said.

He further added, “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 per cent.”

Anjan Chatterjee, whose company operates restaurants like Mainland China and Oh! Calcutta, has said that sales have fallen by 30-40 per cent in metro cities such as Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Kolkata.

“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,” Chatterjee told ET.

Restaurant owners have also voiced concerns about the impact of the heat on their kitchen staff's health.

Some are looking to change up their menu to suit the climate while others ar focussing more on food deliveries and discounts.