Why hotel restaurants need a transition
Why hotel restaurants need a transition

Food business scenario in India is changing with every single day. Being an occasion driven place, it has become a place to be. The stuffs, the quality of food that we used to get at a five star restaurants are easily available at much affordable pricing at the new upcoming set of restaurants. This is making restaurants at these hotels to either change their model or keep innovating with time. There is so much of competition in the sector and once you decide on a restaurant and the idea is all ready to be positioned, you notice that somebody in your neighbour copying your idea. “The restaurants are mushrooming a lot. The younger generation is very innovative. You don’t know what is hitting you,” says Chef Sumant Vikas, Corporate Chef-Cremica Foods.

But with the mushrooming of new age stand alone restaurants that are matching the same standard to that of a star restaurant cost benefit is a challenge. Retaining of staff is challenge as the average of the kitchen employee in all these restaurants are maximum one year. “There was a time when hotel chefs feel very proud because their restaurant was the star of the hotel but young entrepreneurs who are opening beautiful restaurants and stand alone restaurant have given them a good competition.” adds Vikas. Also, as the stand alone restaurants are priced a bit sensitively with the same experience as a 5 star restaurants, customers are shifting from in-hotel restaurants to these places because they are getting a better variety at a more competitive price.

Known for their speciality

In-hotels restaurants are always speciality restaurants where they bring in the speciality chefs to do the cuisine. Also, 5 star hotels keep on doing food fests and events to promote cuisine which is also a good practice to boost the growth of the cuisine which these restaurants hardly entertain. Known for their standards which have been followed for years the menu is extraordinary. Chefs coming to the table and taking order is another personal touch that the star restaurants add. “Chefs are becoming more flamboyant and customer centric. Also, we keep on doing at least 4-5 food festivals to make customers taste varied cuisines and also we change our menu 3 times a year to attract our customers who have got bored of our menu and are looking at stand alone restaurants,” points Chef Karthikeyan S of The Rice Boat Kochi.

Though, when we go ten years back restaurant business was about guest satisfaction, today it is about customer delight. And, that is the reason they are able to stand with the star restaurants.

“As a customer I would make 2-3 visits probably to a hotel restaurant but stand alone has become a place which is pocket friendly and affordable to make multiple trips. That’s where people tend to go to stand alone to a 5 star restaurants,” comments Owner at Bundar Café Bengaluru. 

 
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