New Delhi, When the sun goes down, the temperature crosses 40 degrees Celsius and the scorching heat seems even more terrifying, stepping out for lunch is no easy task. And when the heat waves continue till night then dinner is also not the best option.
For non-mall restaurant business in Delhi-NCR, summer 2024 has seen a 25 per cent decline in business with few reservations, declining footfall and almost empty lunch hours. And some eateries say the number could be closer to 40 percent.
Seeing empty tables and staggering losses, Rahul Arora, owner of The Big Tree Café in Gurgaon, is one of them.As the name suggests, the USP of their restaurant is the al-fresco dining experience. It thrives on the same for a good part of the year. “Normally, we see a slight decline in the number of tourists during the warmer months, but this year, the decline has been greater due to the extreme temperatures. But there has been a significant impact, affecting both our revenue and the overall dining experience, which we are proud of,” said Arora.“Due to the record-breaking heat, our business has declined by a whopping 40 percent,” he said.
The temperature in and around Delhi has reached an all-time high this summer. The day's maximum temperature of 46.8 degrees Celsius was recorded at the primary weather station Safdarjung Observatory on May 29, which was the highest temperature in 79 years. This broke the previous record of 46.7 degrees Celsius recorded on June 17, 1945. The temperature rose even higher in Najafgarh area.According to industry insiders, lunch time is most impacted as typical office goers and loyal shoppers prefer to stay indoors. Additionally, true foodies are also skipping their weekly meals and preferring to stay at home.
Manpreet Singh, treasurer of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) and owner of several restaurants including Zen and Fujia, said the apparent decline in footfall in big market centers like Connaught Place is a problem. "Usually, even in summer, people Come out to shop in the afternoon and then go to a restaurant to relax, have a cooler drink or snack. That hasn't happened this year... business as usual. There has been a 25 percent decline,” Singh said.In hopes of mitigating the effects of the heat, restaurants are offering attractive discounts, rearranging menus and enhancing outdoor cooling systems with misting fans and additional shady areas.
For example, casual dining chain Anardana is offering refreshing plant-based summer feasts at several of its outlets to beat the heat, featuring dishes made from seasonal ingredients and cool mango drinks. Shruti, founder of Anardana "This year's unprecedented heat has significantly impacted the number of tourists, especially during lunch time...," Malik said.
For those staying inside, ordering outside is an option. And while home delivery has eased the concerns of restaurant management to some extent, food delivery agents are facing the heat.As they roam the streets of Delhi-NCR, young men – and some women – say they face tough times, sweating under their helmets in the scorching heat to earn a modest income – a 10km journey. Earn at least Rs 40 for Rs. — and the occasional tip. A 36-year-old man who makes his living by delivering food says doing so between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. is a "living nightmare."
“We have to stop several times for shade. We can't even look at our mobile screens for maps because the sun is so bright.A wet handkerchief on my head, under my helmet is all I do to keep myself cool during the ride,” he said on condition of anonymity.
Of course, he said, there is no bonus for summer. In an unusual request, food aggregator Zomato recently urged customers to avoid ordering during afternoon peak hours amid the heat wave.
The appeal, sent as an ex-post, sparked a debate, where some appreciated the company's concern, while others offered alternative solutions to the problem.
Rushabh Jhaveri, founder of food aggregator platform Recipe Cup, lauded Zomato's initiative, but said a more nuanced approach, where the company prioritizes delivery partners while ensuring a seamless customer experience, would be more beneficial.Their suggestions include "incentives for delivery partners during afternoon peak hours and encouraging customers to place pre-orders during morning and evening hours to avoid the extreme heat of the afternoon."
It's not at all bad for a food business if it's located in the cool sanctuary of an air-conditioned mall. Insiders said the negative impact of the decline in footfall during the afternoon was offset by the increase in footfall in the evening.
So, Birch at Pacific Mall at Netaji Subhash Place, Harajuku Tokyo Café at Select Citywalk Mall in Saket or Bira 91 Taproom, which has outlets in various malls, are among the outlets that recorded "significant growth" in evening and nightlife sales. "The heatwave has not disrupted our business.On the contrary, we had the best May ever. And we are looking forward to a wonderful June. Most of our outlets are in malls, and people are spending a lot of time in malls shopping to get relief from the heat. This is helping our business,” said Rahul Singh, senior vice president, pubs at Beera 91.
For non-mall restaurant business in Delhi-NCR, summer 2024 has seen a 25 per cent decline in business with few reservations, declining footfall and almost empty lunch hours. And some eateries say the number could be closer to 40 percent.
Seeing empty tables and staggering losses, Rahul Arora, owner of The Big Tree Café in Gurgaon, is one of them.As the name suggests, the USP of their restaurant is the al-fresco dining experience. It thrives on the same for a good part of the year. “Normally, we see a slight decline in the number of tourists during the warmer months, but this year, the decline has been greater due to the extreme temperatures. But there has been a significant impact, affecting both our revenue and the overall dining experience, which we are proud of,” said Arora.“Due to the record-breaking heat, our business has declined by a whopping 40 percent,” he said.
The temperature in and around Delhi has reached an all-time high this summer. The day's maximum temperature of 46.8 degrees Celsius was recorded at the primary weather station Safdarjung Observatory on May 29, which was the highest temperature in 79 years. This broke the previous record of 46.7 degrees Celsius recorded on June 17, 1945. The temperature rose even higher in Najafgarh area.According to industry insiders, lunch time is most impacted as typical office goers and loyal shoppers prefer to stay indoors. Additionally, true foodies are also skipping their weekly meals and preferring to stay at home.
Manpreet Singh, treasurer of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) and owner of several restaurants including Zen and Fujia, said the apparent decline in footfall in big market centers like Connaught Place is a problem. "Usually, even in summer, people Come out to shop in the afternoon and then go to a restaurant to relax, have a cooler drink or snack. That hasn't happened this year... business as usual. There has been a 25 percent decline,” Singh said.In hopes of mitigating the effects of the heat, restaurants are offering attractive discounts, rearranging menus and enhancing outdoor cooling systems with misting fans and additional shady areas.
For example, casual dining chain Anardana is offering refreshing plant-based summer feasts at several of its outlets to beat the heat, featuring dishes made from seasonal ingredients and cool mango drinks. Shruti, founder of Anardana "This year's unprecedented heat has significantly impacted the number of tourists, especially during lunch time...," Malik said.
For those staying inside, ordering outside is an option. And while home delivery has eased the concerns of restaurant management to some extent, food delivery agents are facing the heat.As they roam the streets of Delhi-NCR, young men – and some women – say they face tough times, sweating under their helmets in the scorching heat to earn a modest income – a 10km journey. Earn at least Rs 40 for Rs. — and the occasional tip. A 36-year-old man who makes his living by delivering food says doing so between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. is a "living nightmare."
“We have to stop several times for shade. We can't even look at our mobile screens for maps because the sun is so bright.A wet handkerchief on my head, under my helmet is all I do to keep myself cool during the ride,” he said on condition of anonymity.
Of course, he said, there is no bonus for summer. In an unusual request, food aggregator Zomato recently urged customers to avoid ordering during afternoon peak hours amid the heat wave.
The appeal, sent as an ex-post, sparked a debate, where some appreciated the company's concern, while others offered alternative solutions to the problem.
Rushabh Jhaveri, founder of food aggregator platform Recipe Cup, lauded Zomato's initiative, but said a more nuanced approach, where the company prioritizes delivery partners while ensuring a seamless customer experience, would be more beneficial.Their suggestions include "incentives for delivery partners during afternoon peak hours and encouraging customers to place pre-orders during morning and evening hours to avoid the extreme heat of the afternoon."
It's not at all bad for a food business if it's located in the cool sanctuary of an air-conditioned mall. Insiders said the negative impact of the decline in footfall during the afternoon was offset by the increase in footfall in the evening.
So, Birch at Pacific Mall at Netaji Subhash Place, Harajuku Tokyo Café at Select Citywalk Mall in Saket or Bira 91 Taproom, which has outlets in various malls, are among the outlets that recorded "significant growth" in evening and nightlife sales. "The heatwave has not disrupted our business.On the contrary, we had the best May ever. And we are looking forward to a wonderful June. Most of our outlets are in malls, and people are spending a lot of time in malls shopping to get relief from the heat. This is helping our business,” said Rahul Singh, senior vice president, pubs at Beera 91.
