10 Irresistible Best Dessert Menu Ideas for Restaurants

In the restaurant business, most owners focus on interiors, marketing, and service. But one powerful tool often gets ignored—the menu. Your menu is more than a list of dishes. It is your biggest selling tool. It influences what customers order, how much they spend, and how they remember your brand.

If your sales have slowed down or your regulars are ordering the same items, it may be time to look closely at your menu. A well-planned menu revamp can improve profits, reduce waste, and create a better dining experience. It is not about adding more dishes. It is about making smarter decisions.

What Menu Revamping Really Means

Menu revamping is a strategic process. It is not just about changing a few dishes or updating prices. It includes reviewing your entire offering. This means analysing what sells, what does not, and what brings you the highest profit.

It also includes improving the layout, rewriting dish descriptions, adjusting pricing, and removing items that slow down your kitchen. In simple terms, it is about making your menu work harder for your business. This process is often guided by menu engineering. It combines data, customer behaviour, and pricing strategy to design a menu that performs better.

Why Menu Revamping Matters

1. Improves Profitability

Every dish on your menu has a different cost and margin. Some items bring high profit but are not ordered often. Others are popular but give very low returns. When you revamp your menu, you can identify these patterns. You can highlight high-margin dishes and reposition or remove low-performing ones. Even small pricing changes can increase your overall revenue. For example, placing a high-profit dish in a visible section can increase its sales without any extra marketing spend.

2. Enhances Customer Experience

Customers do not like confusion. A menu with too many items can feel overwhelming. It slows down decision-making and affects the dining experience. A clean and well-structured menu helps customers choose quickly. Simple descriptions make dishes more appealing. When customers understand what they are ordering, they feel more confident and satisfied. This leads to better reviews and higher chances of repeat visits.

3. Keeps Up with Changing Trends

Food trends change fast, especially in India. Customers today look for healthier options, regional flavours, and seasonal ingredients. Many prefer vegan, gluten-free, or low-calorie meals. If your menu does not reflect these preferences, you may lose relevance. A regular menu update helps you stay aligned with what customers want. Adding a few seasonal dishes or local specials can make your menu feel fresh and exciting.

4. Supports Brand Positioning

Your menu reflects your brand. A premium restaurant needs a refined menu with curated options and strong storytelling. A quick-service restaurant needs a simple and fast-moving menu. Design, language, and pricing all play a role in how customers perceive your brand. A well-designed menu builds trust and consistency.

5. Reduces Operational Issues

A large menu often leads to complex operations. More dishes mean more ingredients, higher storage needs, and increased chances of wastage. By simplifying your menu, you can improve kitchen efficiency. Fewer ingredients lead to better inventory control and faster service. This also reduces costs in the long run.

Read more: Restaurant Business in India: Complete Guide to Start, Run & Grow (2026)

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The Technical Side of Menu Revamping

A successful menu revamp is backed by data and clear strategy. Here are some important concepts used by professionals.

1. Menu Engineering Matrix

This is a common method used in the industry. It divides menu items into four categories:

• Stars: High profit and high popularity
• Plowhorses: Low profit but high popularity
• Puzzles: High profit but low popularity
• Dogs: Low profit and low popularity

The goal is to promote stars, improve puzzles, adjust plowhorses, and remove dogs. This helps in balancing sales and profit.

2. Food Cost Percentage

Understanding food cost is essential. It is calculated using this formula: (Cost of Ingredients / Selling Price) × 100. If your food cost is too high, your profit margin drops. Menu revamping allows you to adjust prices or modify recipes to maintain a healthy margin.

3. Menu Psychology

Customer decisions are not random. They are influenced by how your menu looks. Most customers focus on certain areas of the menu first. This is known as the “golden triangle.” Placing high-margin items in these areas can increase sales.

Other techniques include:

• Using attractive descriptions
• Avoiding currency symbols to reduce price sensitivity
• Creating a price anchor with premium items

4. Data-Driven Decisions

Modern restaurants use POS systems to track sales. This data shows which items are ordered the most, at what time, and in what combinations. By studying this data, you can make better decisions. You can introduce combos, remove slow-moving items, and adjust portion sizes.

Know more: How Restaurants Redesign Their Menus for the Summer Season

Signs Your Menu Needs a Revamp

Many restaurant owners delay this process. But there are clear signs that indicate it is time for a change. If your sales are declining, your menu may not be working well. If customers keep asking for recommendations, your menu may be too confusing. High food wastage is another warning sign. It shows that certain ingredients are not being used efficiently. If your menu has not changed in a long time, it may feel outdated. Customer feedback, both online and offline, can also highlight issues.

How to Revamp Your Menu Effectively

A structured approach gives the best results.

• Start by analysing your sales data.
• Identify your bestsellers and low performers.
• Next, check your food costs and profit margins.
• Remove dishes that do not add value.
• Focus on items that are profitable and easy to prepare.
• Then work on your menu design. Keep it clean, readable, and well-organised.
• Rewrite descriptions to make dishes more appealing.
• Use simple words but highlight key ingredients and flavours.
• Introduce a few new items based on current trends. Do not add too many.  A small and focused menu works better.
• Finally, test the new menu. Monitor performance and make changes if needed. Menu revamping is not a one-time task. It should be done regularly.

Also check: Menu Engineering: How Restaurants Decide Pricing (And Why It Matters More Than You Think)

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The Bottom Line

The Indian restaurant industry is evolving quickly. Digital menus are becoming common. QR codes allow easy updates without printing costs. Many restaurants are focusing on hyper-local ingredients. This supports local suppliers and adds authenticity to the menu. There is also a shift towards smaller menus. Instead of offering everything, restaurants are focusing on a few signature dishes. Storytelling is another growing trend. Customers like to know the origin of a dish or the inspiration behind it. This creates a deeper connection. Menu revamping is not just a design change. It is a business strategy. A well-planned menu can increase profits, improve efficiency, and enhance customer satisfaction. In a competitive market, staying updated is important. Your menu should reflect current trends, customer preferences, and your brand identity. Even small changes can make a big difference. Start with data, make informed decisions, and keep improving. Over time, your menu can become one of your strongest assets.

Dining out was once simple. People would visit a restaurant, choose a dish, and finish their meal without much thought. The focus was on taste and portion. Today, that idea has changed. A luxury menu has turned dining into a complete experience. It is not just about food anymore. It is about how the food looks, smells, and feels. Every dish is carefully planned. Every element has meaning. The meal becomes a story on a plate. It creates a memory that stays with the diner for a long time.

In India, this change is easy to notice. Big cities like Delhi and Mumbai are leading the shift. Diners are becoming more aware and curious. They want more than just good taste. They look for places that offer a unique atmosphere. Lighting, music, and presentation matter more than ever. Creativity plays a big role in their choices. People are willing to try new flavours and styles. They also value the effort behind each dish. This is where luxury menus make a difference. They bring together food, art, and emotion in one space.

What Makes a Menu Truly ‘Luxury’?

A luxury menu is not just about high prices. It is about precision, quality, and design.

• Ingredient sourcing plays a big role. Chefs use rare and premium elements like truffles, caviar, single-origin chocolate, or artisanal cheese. These ingredients are carefully selected for flavour and freshness.

• Technique is equally important. Methods like sous vide cooking, slow fermentation, and molecular gastronomy are used to enhance texture and taste. These techniques require time, skill, and deep knowledge.

• Presentation is treated like art. Each dish is plated with intention. Colours, shapes, and spacing are balanced to create visual appeal.

• Menu engineering is another key factor. Courses are arranged in a sequence. Light dishes come first. Rich flavours build slowly. This ensures the palate does not feel overwhelmed.

• Personalisation adds exclusivity. Many luxury restaurants adapt menus based on guest preferences, dietary needs, or seasonal availability.

How Luxury Menus Transform the Dining Experience

• Multi-Sensory Engagement: You do not just taste the food. You see it, smell it, and sometimes even hear it. From smoke-infused dishes to tableside plating, every detail is designed to stimulate the senses.

• Storytelling Through Food: Each dish has a story. It could be inspired by a region, a memory, or a cultural tradition. This adds emotional depth to the meal.

• Precision and Technique: Luxury dining focuses on consistency. Temperatures are exact. Textures are controlled. Every bite tastes as intended by the chef.

• Exclusivity and Personalisation: Limited seating creates intimacy. Chefs often interact with guests. This makes the experience feel special and curated.

• Emotional Connection: A luxury meal often becomes a milestone. It could be a celebration, a date, or a personal treat. The experience stays with you.

Read more: Restaurant Business in India: Complete Guide to Start, Run & Grow (2026)

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Find 5 Iconic Luxury Menus That Redefine Dining

1. Osteria Francescana

Led by Massimo Bottura, this restaurant is known for blending tradition with modern creativity. The menu reimagines Italian classics in unexpected ways. One of its famous dishes, “Oops! I Dropped the Lemon Tart,” turns a mistake into art. The idea is simple but powerful. It shows how imperfection can be beautiful. What makes it special is its emotional storytelling. Every dish connects with memory and culture.

2. Sublimotion

This is not just a restaurant. It is a performance. At Sublimotion, dining includes virtual reality, projection mapping, and live theatre. The environment changes with each course. You might feel like you are underwater or in space. It is known as one of the most expensive dining experiences in the world. But the price reflects the level of innovation. This is where technology meets gastronomy.

3. Alinea

Created by Grant Achatz, Alinea is a pioneer in modernist cuisine. The menu is full of surprises. Dishes are served in unusual ways. Some are plated directly on the table. Others involve interaction from the guest. The focus here is on innovation. Every course challenges what you expect from food.

Know more: Top Innovative Menu Ideas Restaurants Are Launching to Attract Modern Diners

4. Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet

This restaurant takes multi-sensory dining to another level. There is only one table. Each course is paired with specific lights, sounds, and even scents. The environment changes to match the dish. This controlled setting enhances the flavour experience. It shows how atmosphere can influence taste.

5. Indian Accent

Closer to home, Manish Mehrotra has created a menu that blends Indian flavours with global techniques. Dishes like blue cheese naan or meetha achaar ribs bring familiar tastes in a new form. For Indian diners, this feels both modern and nostalgic. It proves that luxury can still stay rooted in tradition.

The Science Behind Luxury Menus

Luxury dining is not just creative. It is also scientific.

• Flavour pairing is carefully studied. Ingredients are combined based on chemical compatibility. This creates balanced and complex tastes.

• Texture contrast is important. A single dish may include something crispy, creamy, and soft. This keeps the palate engaged.

• Plating psychology plays a role. Studies show that well-presented food can taste better. Colour contrast and symmetry influence perception.

• Course sequencing is designed to avoid fatigue. Light dishes refresh the palate. Rich dishes come later. This ensures the experience remains enjoyable from start to finish.

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Luxury Dining Trends in India

India’s dining scene is evolving quickly.

• Chef tasting menus are gaining popularity. Restaurants in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru are offering curated multi-course experiences.

• Experiential dining is on the rise. Diners want something unique. They are willing to spend more for a memorable evening.

• Sustainability is becoming important. Many luxury restaurants are focusing on farm-to-table concepts and local sourcing.

• Global techniques are blending with Indian flavours. This creates a new category of modern Indian cuisine.

Happy Dining!

There is also a psychological aspect to luxury dining. When people pay more, they expect more. This expectation enhances the experience. The ambience, service, and presentation all contribute to perceived value. In fact, studies suggest that presentation alone can increase how much we enjoy food. A well-designed dish can feel more flavourful. Luxury menus are not just about indulgence. They are about intention. Every detail is planned. Every dish has a purpose. For diners in India, this shift offers a new way to explore food. It is not just about eating out. It is about discovering stories, techniques, and creativity on a plate. The next time you step into a fine dining space, look beyond the menu. Notice the sequence, the plating, and the experience. Because in luxury dining, every element is designed to leave an impression that lasts.

Seasonal change affects the way people eat, drink, and dine out. During the summer months, rising temperatures influence customer preferences, pushing restaurants to rethink what they offer on their menus. Heavy dishes that work well in winter often become less appealing, while lighter meals, refreshing drinks, and fruit-based flavors gain popularity.

For restaurants, redesigning the menu for summer is not simply about adding a few seasonal items. It is a strategic process that combines culinary creativity, ingredient sourcing, menu engineering, and consumer insights. Restaurants that plan their summer menus carefully can improve customer satisfaction and increase revenue during one of the busiest dining seasons.

Why Summer Dining Habits Are Different

When temperatures rise, the body naturally craves foods that feel lighter and more refreshing. Customers often look for meals that are easy to digest and do not feel too heavy in the heat. This change in behavior is one of the main reasons restaurants redesign their menus every year. Diners are more likely to choose fresh salads, grilled proteins, chilled desserts, and hydrating drinks during summer. Outdoor dining also becomes more popular, and people often prefer casual meals with friends and family rather than long, heavy dinners.

Restaurants closely track these shifts in customer behavior. Many businesses use insights from food delivery platforms like Zomato and Swiggy to identify what dishes are trending during the warmer months. This data helps chefs and restaurant managers decide which items should be added, modified, or removed from the menu.

Seasonal Ingredients Shape the Summer Menu

One of the most important aspects of a summer menu is the use of seasonal produce. Fresh ingredients not only improve the taste of dishes but also help restaurants maintain quality and reduce ingredient costs. Summer offers a wide range of fruits and vegetables that work well in refreshing recipes. Mangoes, watermelons, cucumbers, lemons, and mint are commonly used in both food and beverages. These ingredients naturally add hydration and freshness to meals.

Restaurants also rely on seasonal sourcing to maintain consistency in flavor. Many chefs collaborate with local suppliers or farms to ensure that their ingredients are harvested at the right time. This farm-to-table approach allows restaurants to offer dishes that taste fresh while supporting local agriculture. Using seasonal produce also helps restaurants introduce limited-time dishes that feel unique to the season.

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Lighter Cooking Techniques Become Popular

Summer menus often focus on cooking techniques that keep dishes light and flavorful. Deep frying and heavy sauces are usually reduced, while grilling, roasting, and cold preparation methods become more common.

• Grilling is particularly popular because it adds smoky flavor without making the dish too heavy. Grilled seafood, chicken, and vegetables often appear as signature items on summer menus.

• Cold dishes also gain popularity during the season. Chilled soups, yogurt-based preparations, and fruit salads provide relief from the heat while still delivering balanced flavors.

Restaurants aim to design dishes that are satisfying without being overwhelming. The goal is to create meals that customers can enjoy comfortably even during hot afternoons.

The Growing Importance of Summer Beverages

While food plays a key role in seasonal menus, beverages often become the biggest attraction during summer. Restaurants redesign their drink menus to offer refreshing options that match the weather.

Cold drinks not only satisfy customer cravings but also generate strong profit margins for restaurants.

Popular summer beverages often include:

• Fresh fruit coolers
• Iced teas and herbal infusions
• Cold brew coffee
• Lemon-based drinks
• Tropical mocktails

Restaurants frequently experiment with ingredients such as basil, ginger, citrus, and coconut to create unique drink combinations. These beverages also perform well on social media because of their colorful presentation.

A creative beverage menu can attract new customers and encourage repeat visits, especially among younger diners who enjoy exploring seasonal drinks.

Menu Engineering Behind Seasonal Changes

Behind every successful summer menu is a careful planning process known as menu engineering. Restaurants analyze data to understand which dishes perform well and which items should be replaced. Menu engineering focuses on factors such as ingredient cost, preparation time, customer demand, and profit margins. By studying sales data, restaurants can determine which dishes generate the highest revenue and which items slow down kitchen operations.

Restaurant managers also consider supply chain factors when redesigning the menu. If a certain ingredient becomes expensive or difficult to source during summer, chefs may adjust the recipe or replace the dish with a seasonal alternative. Industry bodies like the National Restaurant Association often highlight the importance of combining culinary creativity with financial analysis when designing seasonal menus.

Know more: Menu Engineering: How Restaurants Decide Pricing

Updating the Menu Design and Presentation

edesigning a summer menu goes beyond introducing new dishes. Restaurants also rethink the visual presentation and structure of the menu so that it reflects the light, vibrant mood of the season. A well-designed menu helps customers quickly spot refreshing options and seasonal highlights, making their dining experience smoother and more engaging.

Key elements restaurants focus on while redesigning summer menus include:

• Seasonal Visual Design: Menus often feature bright colors, tropical tones, and vibrant images. These visual cues instantly create a fresh and energetic summer feel, making the menu more appealing to diners.

• Highlighting Seasonal Specials: Restaurants clearly mark limited-time dishes or chef’s specials. This helps customers easily discover new summer items and encourages them to try something different.

• Strategic Menu Layout: Lighter dishes, salads, and refreshing beverages are often placed in prominent sections of the menu so that they catch attention quickly.

• Storytelling Through Descriptions: Many menus now include short descriptions that highlight the freshness, origin, or seasonal ingredients of a dish. This storytelling approach helps customers feel more connected to the food and increases their interest in trying new items.

Seasonal Specials and Limited-Time Dishes

Many restaurants introduce limited-time summer specials to keep the menu exciting. These seasonal dishes allow chefs to experiment with flavors without making permanent changes to the menu.

Limited-time offerings create a sense of urgency among diners. Customers are more likely to visit the restaurant if they know a dish is available only for a short period. Seasonal specials also give restaurants an opportunity to test new recipes. If a dish becomes extremely popular, it may eventually be added to the permanent menu.

Sustainability and Local Sourcing

Seasonal menus also support sustainability in the restaurant industry. By using locally available ingredients, restaurants can reduce transportation costs and lower their environmental impact. Local sourcing helps maintain ingredient freshness while supporting nearby farmers and suppliers. It also reduces food waste because restaurants can plan their menus around ingredients that are abundant during the season.

Modern diners are increasingly aware of sustainable dining practices. Restaurants that highlight local and seasonal ingredients often build stronger relationships with their customers.

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How Technology Helps Restaurants Plan Seasonal Menus

Technology has become an important part of how restaurants redesign and update their menus. By using digital tools and data analytics, restaurants can better understand customer preferences and dining trends. This helps chefs and managers make informed decisions when introducing new dishes or adjusting seasonal menus.

• Digital Ordering and POS Systems: Modern POS systems track every order placed in the restaurant. This data helps restaurants identify which dishes sell the most during the summer season and which items customers prefer.

• Customer Feedback and Online Reviews: Feedback from online platforms allows restaurants to understand what diners like or dislike. Reviews often highlight popular dishes, service experiences, and seasonal favorites.

• Data-Driven Menu Improvements: By analyzing sales reports and customer insights, chefs can refine recipes, remove underperforming items, and introduce dishes that align with changing tastes.

• Understanding Seasonal Trends: Over time, this data reveals seasonal patterns. Restaurants use these insights to design summer menus that feel fresh, relevant, and exciting for returning customers.

The Experience!

A well-designed summer menu goes beyond food and beverages. It creates an experience that reflects the energy of the season. Fresh flavors, colorful drinks, and lighter dishes help customers feel refreshed while dining out. Restaurants that successfully redesign their menus for summer combine several elements. They understand customer behavior, use seasonal ingredients, apply menu engineering strategies, and experiment with creative recipes. By adapting to the changing season, restaurants keep their offerings relevant and engaging. For diners, this means discovering new flavors and enjoying meals that perfectly match the warmth and vibrancy of summer.

Dining trends change with the seasons. In summer, people look for light meals, refreshing drinks, and food that feels fresh and cooling. Restaurants are responding to this shift in consumer preference by introducing summer pop-up menus. These limited-time menus are designed to capture the flavors of the season and create a unique dining experience for guests.

Across India’s urban dining scene, many restaurants are experimenting with seasonal menus that appear for a short period and then disappear. These menus often highlight summer ingredients such as mango, watermelon, coconut, and fresh herbs. The goal is simple. Offer diners something new, exciting, and exclusive. For food lovers, this trend adds an element of discovery. For restaurants, it creates a strategic opportunity to experiment with dishes, attract attention, and drive repeat visits.

What Are Summer Pop-Up Menus?

Summer pop-up menus are temporary menus introduced by restaurants for a short period, usually during the warmer months. They focus on seasonal ingredients and dishes that complement the summer climate. Unlike regular menus that remain unchanged for long periods, pop-up menus are dynamic and experimental. They allow chefs to introduce creative dishes without making permanent changes to the restaurant’s core offerings. These menus are often built around seasonal produce and refreshing flavors. Restaurants may introduce a dedicated section in their menu or host special dining events around these offerings. This approach gives chefs creative freedom while offering diners something that feels exclusive.

Why Restaurants Are Launching Summer Pop-Up Menus

1. Seasonal Ingredients Improve Flavor

Summer brings an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. Ingredients like mango, cucumber, pineapple, berries, and mint are widely available during this season. When restaurants build menus around seasonal produce, the result is better flavor and freshness. Seasonal sourcing also helps chefs create dishes that feel natural for the climate.

Examples of summer-friendly ingredients used in restaurants include:

• Mango for desserts, salads, and beverages
• Watermelon for refreshing starters
• Citrus fruits for sauces and dressings
• Coconut for tropical desserts
• Fresh herbs for light aromatic dishes

Using seasonal ingredients also supports local farmers and improves sustainability.

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2. Limited-Time Menus Create Curiosity

One of the strongest reasons behind the popularity of pop-up menus is exclusivity. When a menu is available for only a limited time, diners feel encouraged to try it before it disappears. This limited availability creates excitement and urgency. Customers often plan visits specifically to explore these seasonal offerings.

Restaurants benefit from this strategy because:

• It increases footfall during specific months
• It creates buzz around the brand
• It encourages repeat visits from regular customers

This sense of novelty makes dining out more engaging.

3. Chefs Get Space to Experiment

Restaurants must balance creativity with consistency. Their regular menus need to remain stable to meet customer expectations. Pop-up menus solve this challenge by giving chefs space to experiment. Through seasonal menus, chefs can test:

• New cooking techniques
• Unique ingredient combinations
• International flavors adapted to local tastes
• Fusion dishes

If a dish becomes popular during the pop-up phase, restaurants often consider adding it permanently to the main menu.This approach allows restaurants to innovate while minimizing risk.

4. Enhancing the Dining Experience

Dining today is not just about food. Customers are increasingly looking for memorable experiences. Seasonal pop-up menus help restaurants create themed dining moments. Many establishments design entire experiences around these menus.

Examples include:

• Summer tasting menus curated by chefs
• Mango festivals featuring multiple mango dishes
• Tropical brunch menus
• Seasonal dessert collections

Such experiences make dining feel special and encourage customers to share their experiences with others.

Popular Summer Ingredients Driving Seasonal Menus

The success of summer pop-up menus largely depends on the ingredients used. Seasonal produce plays a key role in shaping these menus. One of the most popular ingredients in Indian summer menus is mango. Known as the king of fruits, mango appears in desserts, drinks, salads, and even savory dishes. Watermelon is another favorite. Its high water content makes it perfect for refreshing dishes during hot weather. Many restaurants use it in salads, cold soups, and mocktails.

Other ingredients frequently used in summer menus include:

• Pineapple for tropical flavors
• Coconut milk for desserts and beverages
• Lime and citrus fruits for refreshing acidity
• Cucumber for cooling salads
• Mint and basil for aromatic drinks

These ingredients help chefs create dishes that feel light and refreshing.

Know more: Top Gut-Friendly Foods Becoming a Key Menu Category

Summer Menu Trends Restaurants Are Following

1. Farm-to-Table Summer Menus

Consumers are increasingly interested in where their food comes from. Restaurants are responding by sourcing seasonal produce directly from local farms. Farm-to-table summer menus focus on fresh ingredients and simple cooking techniques that highlight natural flavors. This approach also supports sustainability and responsible sourcing.

2. Summer Beverage Menus

Drinks play a major role in summer dining experiences. Many restaurants introduce dedicated beverage menus during this season.

Popular options include:

• Fruit-based mocktails
• Cold brew coffee drinks
• Herbal iced teas
• Fresh fruit coolers
• Tropical cocktails

These beverages are designed to complement the food while helping guests stay refreshed.

3. Health-Focused Summer Dishes

Modern diners are becoming more health-conscious. Summer menus often reflect this shift.

Restaurants are introducing dishes that are:

• Low in calories
• High in nutrients
• Plant-based or vegetarian
• Made with fresh seasonal produce

Salad bowls, grilled vegetables, cold soups, and smoothie bowls are common examples.

4. Global Summer Flavours

Many restaurants use seasonal menus to introduce international flavors. These dishes often blend global cuisines with local ingredients.

Examples include:

• Mediterranean salads with Indian twists
• Asian-inspired cold noodle bowls
• Latin American street food specials
• Tropical desserts influenced by Southeast Asian cuisine

This fusion approach keeps menus exciting and diverse.

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The Role of Social Media in Popularizing Pop-Up Menus

Social media has played a major role in the growth of seasonal dining trends. Platforms such as Instagram and food blogs influence where people choose to eat. Restaurants promote their summer pop-up menus through visually appealing content. Colorful fruit-based dishes and vibrant drinks photograph well, making them ideal for social media. Many restaurants also collaborate with food influencers and bloggers to showcase these limited-time offerings. This digital exposure helps restaurants reach new audiences and create anticipation around their seasonal menus. For diners, summer pop-up menus offer something beyond the usual restaurant experience. They introduce novelty and creativity into everyday dining.

Some reasons why customers enjoy these menus include:

• Access to unique dishes that are not available year-round
• Fresh flavors suited to the summer season
• Opportunities to explore new cuisines
• Attractive presentation designed for sharing on social media

These factors transform a simple meal into an experience worth remembering.

The Future!

Summer pop-up menus are changing how restaurants serve seasonal food. These menus appear for a short time and highlight fresh summer ingredients. Chefs use fruits, herbs, and light flavors that suit the warm weather. This makes the food feel refreshing and exciting. For diners, these menus bring something new to the table. People get to try dishes that are not part of the regular menu. Mango desserts, tropical salads, fruit drinks, and light plates often become the star of these menus. It turns a normal meal into a special experience. Restaurants also benefit from this idea. Pop-up menus allow chefs to try new recipes and flavors. They can see how customers respond before adding dishes to the main menu. It also helps attract more visitors during the season. As people look for unique dining experiences, seasonal pop-up menus will continue to grow. They bring creativity, freshness, and excitement to the restaurant scene.

As the era of digitalization reaches its peak, many businesses, including the restaurant sector, are starting to realize its value and the ways it can be utilized. One such way is using different varieties of digital menus. The days of static, printed sheets are over, when an old laminated sheet of paper was used as a menu. Today's restaurants use interactive screens, QR code menus, and online ordering systems to communicate with customers and streamline operations. However, simply having a computerized menu is not sufficient. To fully realize its potential and promote profitability, restaurants must deliberately enhance their digital presence.

This detailed article digs into five important ways restaurants in India and worldwide may use digital menus to increase profits, improve customer experience, and stay competitive.

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1. Captivating Visuals and High-Quality Imagery: Appetizing the Digital Palate

When it comes to eating, aesthetics are crucial. High-quality photos and eye-catching graphics on your digital menu can greatly impact ordering decisions and eventually increase sales, much like a nicely prepared meal attracts customers in a physical restaurant.

Why it Matters for Profitability:

• Increased Perceived Value: Your dishes' perceived worth is raised by expertly captured, delectable photos. Even if an item is slightly more expensive, customers are more inclined to order it if it looks good.
• Reduced Order Errors: Uncertainty about what a dish comprises is reduced by precise and clear graphics, which lowers the possibility of wrong orders, food waste, or unhappy customers.
• Emphasizing Signature Dishes and Specials: With digital menus, you can showcase your best-selling dishes, daily specials, and temporary promotions in a way that attracts customers and influences their choice.
• Boosting Cross-Selling and Upselling: Carefully positioned pictures of related products, such as a dessert that looks good or a side dish that goes well with a main course, can gently persuade customers to add more to their order, raising the average check value.
• Enhanced Customer Engagement: Longer browsing sessions and a greater chance of customers finding what they want to order are the results of visually appealing menus that are more entertaining to peruse.

Optimization Strategies:

• Invest in Expert Photography: Employ a food photographer to take crisp, well-lit pictures of your most well-liked and eye-catching dishes. Make sure the backgrounds and styling are consistent with the look of your brand.
• Highlight Dish Elements Clearly: Pictures ought to faithfully capture the main components and appearance of every dish. Think about using close-ups to draw attention to features and textures.
• Use videos to Create Dynamic Appeal: For some products or promotions, think about using brief, interesting movies that demonstrate how the food is made or highlight its special qualities.
• Optimize Image Sizes for Quick Loading: Unoptimized, large photos will cause your digital menu to load slowly, which will make it difficult for users to navigate. Make sure photos are suitably resized for mobile and online viewing without compromising quality.
• A/B Test Visuals: Try out various picture layouts and styles to determine which ones your clients like best and which generate the most orders.

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2. Strategic Menu Organization and Categorization: Guiding the Customer Journey

A smooth and simple consumer experience depends on a digital menu that is well-structured. Customers can easily find what they're looking for, learn about new products, and place orders quickly thanks to the logical flow and clear categorization.

Why it Matters for Profitability:

• Increased Order Efficiency: Especially during busy times, customers are more likely to finish their orders faster and spend less time searching when the menu is simple to use.
• Increased High-Margin Item Discovery: By placing high-profit items in pertinent categories, you can make them more visible and encourage buyers to buy them.
• Reduced Cart Abandonment: Frustration and cart abandonment might result from a menu that is unclear or cluttered. A menu that is organized properly guarantees a seamless and pleasurable ordering experience.
  Facilitating Upselling and Cross-selling: You can carefully recommend comparable items inside specific sections by using logical classification, such as desserts under "Sweet Endings" or appetizers under "Starters."
• Better Data Analysis: Better tracking of popular items and category performance is made possible by a well-structured menu, which yields insightful data for upcoming menu changes and promotions.

Optimization Strategies:

• Use Simple and Clear Categories: Sort menu items into categories that make sense and are simple for patrons to comprehend, such as appetizers, main courses, vegetarian options, desserts, and beverages.
• Use Subcategories for Specificity: To further streamline the arrangement of larger menus, think about implementing subcategories (for example, under "Main Courses," you might have "Chicken," "Seafood," and "Pasta").
• Make Use of Search Functionality: If your digital menu platform has a search bar, make sure it is easily accessible and works well so that patrons can locate particular foods fast.
• Highlight Popular Items: To highlight your best-selling or most well-regarded foods, think about utilizing visual signals or special areas.
• Optimize Menu Flow: Put items and categories in a sensible sequence that leads the client through a normal meal (appetizers, main courses, sides, desserts, and drinks, for example).
• Ensure Mobile Responsiveness: Since many clients will be browsing on their mobile devices, your digital menu should be simple to use on a variety of screen sizes, particularly smartphones.

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3. Dynamic Pricing and Promotions: Leveraging Flexibility for Increased Revenue

The ability to apply dynamic pricing and promotions with flexibility is one of the major benefits of digital menus. Digital menus, as opposed to printed ones, may be changed instantly, giving you the flexibility to change prices, provide discounts, and launch focused promotions to increase sales.

Why it Matters for Profitability:

• Optimizing for Demand: Prices can be changed according to the day of the week, peak hours, or even current inventory levels. Offering discounts during off-peak hours, for instance, can draw in more clients and boost total revenue.
• Driving Sales of Specific Items: Digital menus make it simple to advertise particular dishes—particularly those with larger profit margins or extra ingredients—through short-term sales or package deals.
• Personalized Promotions: Certain digital menu platforms provide customized promotions according to the order history or preferences of the consumer, which promotes increased spending and repeat business.
• A/B Testing Pricing Strategies: To find out what appeals to your target market the most and generates the most profit, you can test out various price points and special offers.
• Reducing Food Waste: You may cut down on food waste and recover some of the expense by providing discounts on products that are getting close to expiration.

Optimization Strategies:

• Use Happy Hour Specials: To draw clients during customarily slower times, provide special discounts on a selection of drinks and appetizers during designated hours.
• Run Limited-Time Promotions: By providing exclusive discounts or package offers for a certain period, you can generate a sense of urgency and excitement.
• Provide Loyalty Rewards: To provide loyal consumers access to exclusive discounts and incentives, combine your digital menu with a loyalty program.
• Utilize Day-Part Pricing: Offer breakfast or lunch specials at reduced costs depending on the time of day.
• Bundle Items for Value: Make eye-catching combo meals or bundled offerings that raise the average order value while giving the customer a sense of value.
• Display Promotions: Make sure that every discount and promotion on your digital menu is easily comprehensible and clear.

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4. Seamless Integration with Online Ordering and Delivery Platforms: Expanding Your Reach

Many clients choose to buy online for pickup or delivery in today's convenience-driven environment. It's essential to smoothly integrate your digital menu with online ordering systems and delivery services if you want to reach a larger audience and attract more clients.

Why it Matters for Profitability:

• Increased Sales Volume: By allowing clients who might not normally visit your restaurant to place an order online, you can greatly expand your potential sales volume.
• Increased Customer Base: Delivery systems allow you to connect with clients outside of your own geographic area.
• Simplified Order Processing: By automating the order-taking process and minimizing errors, digital menus combined with online ordering platforms free up employees to concentrate on food preparation and customer service.
• Data gathering and analysis: Online ordering systems offer useful information about consumer preferences and ordering trends, which can guide marketing campaigns and menu changes.
• Improved Customer Convenience: Providing online ordering and delivery choices increases customer happiness and ease of use, which encourages repeat business.

Optimization Strategies:

• Pick the Correct Platforms: Pick online ordering and delivery systems that complement your target market and your operating capacity. Think about things like platform popularity, delivery radius, and commission fees.
• Ensure Menu Consistency: Make sure your digital menu is consistent in terms of price, descriptions, and images on both your website and third-party platforms.
• Optimize Menu Descriptions for Search: To make your menu items easier to find on online ordering platforms, include appropriate search terms in their descriptions.
• Provide Customers Clear Order Information: Make sure that clients receive delivery updates, projected preparation times, and a clear confirmation of their purchases.
• Provide secure payment choices: To accommodate a range of consumer preferences, offer several secure online payment choices.

5. Gathering and Utilizing Customer Feedback: Continuous Improvement for Profitability

One useful way to get client feedback is through your digital menu. You may consistently enhance your menu selections, pricing policies, and general customer experience by implementing feedback systems and closely examining the data you gather. This will eventually increase profitability.

Why it Matters for Profitability:

• Identifying Popular and Unpopular Items: You can determine which items are popular and which ones may need to be changed or taken off the menu by looking at customer ratings and reviews.
• Recognizing Customer Preferences: Insights into consumer preferences for ingredients, serving sizes, costs, and general satisfaction can be gained from feedback.
• Enhancing Menu Descriptions and Visuals: Feedback regarding confusing descriptions or unattractive images might help you make the required changes.
• Resolving Customer Concerns: You can enhance your reputation and keep consumers by promptly resolving unfavorable comments.
• Inspiring Future Menu Innovations: Consumer input can inspire concepts for fresh menu items and exclusive deals that satisfy their changing preferences.

Optimization Strategies:

• Include Rating and Review Systems: Give consumers the option to score and comment on specific menu items right on your online store.
• Use Feedback Forms: Provide brief feedback forms after the online ordering process or make them available at your restaurant via QR codes.
• Track Social Media and Online Reviews: Keep a close eye out for any mentions of your restaurant and menu on social media and online review sites.
• Examine Order Information: Find out which menu items are most often ordered and which have the greatest average order value.
• Engage with Customer Feedback: To demonstrate that you respect customer perspectives, reply to reviews and feedback, both favorable and unfavorable.
• Use Feedback to Make Data-Driven Decisions: Analyze order data and input regularly to guide price plans, menu modifications, and operational enhancements.

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Conclusion

Optimizing your digital menu is now essential for businesses hoping to succeed in the cutthroat market of today. Restaurants in Faridabad and beyond can turn their digital menus from static displays into effective tools for increased profitability, better customer experience, and sustainable growth by concentrating on eye-catching visuals, strategic organization, dynamic pricing, seamless online integration, and constant feedback utilization. Adopting these five crucial tactics will boost order values and draw in more clients, but it will also offer insightful information for continued menu innovation and business growth in the ever-changing digital era.

When you enter a coffee shop, you are engulfed by the aroma of freshly brewed beans used to make different kinds of coffee. The ambience of the coffee shop is both soothing and refreshing. Music is playing in the background, and all the customers are either engaged in conversation or working on their laptops. This is when you decide that you also want to open a coffee shop of your own. But just deciding is not enough. You need to make a perfect plan, gather the ingredients, pick a place for the shop, and decide the coffee and dishes you’re going to serve. In all of these, you mustn’t forget an important step, which is to design a menu card for your coffee shop.

A menu card is not just a list of offerings. It's a silent salesman, a potent marketing tool, and frequently the first time a consumer interacts with your brand in person. A well-designed menu has the power to inform, upsell, and entice customers—all of which have a direct effect on your bottom line. On the other hand, a badly designed one may overwhelm, confuse, and even discourage potential customers.

Therefore, in this article, we will walk you through 10 essential tips to design a menu card that not only looks great but also works hard for your coffee shop.

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1. Decide on brand identity and target audience

Choose the type of coffee shop you want to have and the type of customers you want to serve before you start thinking about the menu. What kind of coffee shop is this going to be? What's the unique selling proposition? Is this a cozy, rustic neighborhood spot? A minimalist, modern urban oasis? A vibrant, artistic hub? Your menu design should be a direct extension of this personality. If your ambience is playful or sophisticated. Your menu should reflect that.

Also, who are your primary customers? Are they students looking for a place to study? If your shop is near a business district, then most of your customers are going to be professionals grabbing a quick morning coffee. Is this a family-oriented coffee shop? Understanding these demographics, preferences, and even their budget influences how you present your offerings. 

2. List the items that will be included in your menu

After you know what kind of customers are going to visit your shop the most, you can list all the items that should be included in your menu. For example, if your customers are mostly going to be students or young people (mostly Gen Z and Millennials), then there will be a demand for more customizable, aesthetic, and Instagram-worthy drinks. Young people tend to like drinks like latte, cafe mocha, Cold Brew, Frappuccino, iced coffee, etc.

Unlike them, the older generation is more favourable towards drinks like espressos, drip coffee, Americanos, and flat whites. While the older generation is more favourable towards high caffeine content, the younger generation likes sweeter coffees. So, you need to create a customized menu according to your customer base. Keep in mind that there should be a variety of items. You can include things other than coffee, like pastries, cakes, or cookies.

3. Implement Effective Menu Engineering

Menu engineering is a strategic process of designing your menu to maximize profitability. It's about more than just aesthetics; it's about psychology. To create a menu that looks both systematic and aesthetically pleasing, first, you need to group the items. The most popular or star items should be strategically placed in prime viewing areas. The items that are highly popular but less profitable are called plow horses. Avoid placing them in prime spots unless they serve as a hook for other items. The low-popularity but high-profit items should be listed by making them more appealing with better descriptions or an aesthetically pleasing picture of the item. The low-popularity, low-profit items should either be placed at the bottom or just removed to create more space. The prime spots of a menu card are the right corner, then the middle, then the top left. So, place your star items in these specific locations. Consider adding a very high-priced item in a place where the customer can see it more easily. This way, the other high-priced items will look more reasonable by comparison.

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4. Making it aesthetically pleasing

An aesthetically pleasing menu is vital for your coffee shop, serving as a powerful extension of your brand. It will define your brand’s visual identity. Next, learn how to use typography to make things easy to understand and look good. It's important to use typefaces that are easy to read and have a clear hierarchy. Use color psychology strategically to set the tone and draw attention to things, making sure there is good contrast. Use whitespace to keep things from getting too crowded and give the space a classy, airy feel. 
High-quality images might be appealing, but utilize them sparingly for important things. Design for intuitive navigation, grouping items logically. Organize the items logically and for easy navigation. For a high-end tactile experience, select high-quality materials and carefully proofread every detail. Last but not least, take into account your lighting situation and always test and refine based on user feedback. A stunning menu boosts sales, improves the customer experience, and highlights the special appeal of your coffee shop.

5. It should be easy to read

Make sure not to make a lengthy or cluttered menu card. In a bustling coffee shop, the customers want to order quickly. A clear, readable menu allows them to find items and make choices without delay, preventing queues and improving service flow. Also, if the menu is not designed properly, then confusion from illegible fonts, poor contrast, or cluttered layouts can create frustration. An easy-to-read menu card can minimize questions, enhance the ordering process, and ensure the customer feels confident while ordering.

Making the menu easy to read helps in the sales process, too. As the high-profit, or signature items, are within the eyes of the customer, then the orders for the item will increase, resulting in higher profits for the shop.

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6. Use Enticing Descriptions and Visual Cues

Words and images can awaken the senses and make your offerings irresistible. Try to list the items more creatively. Like, instead of “Coffee,” try “Rich, aromatic Colombian roast." Use adjectives that appeal to taste, smell, and texture. Mention the key ingredients used in a specific item. Like if a coffee is made from premium coffee beans, write "fair-trade beans”. These can be powerful selling points. Especially to the health-conscious customers. 
Also, list some suggestions with particular items. Like, instead of just listing "Latte," you could say "Latte (add a shot of vanilla or caramel for ₹XX)." You can add high-quality images of the signature drinks or food items. But make sure not to include too many, as it will clutter the menu card. Ensure the photos are vibrant and accurately represent the product. Use small, clear icons to denote dietary information (e.g., vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free) or special features (e.g., spicy, popular, new). This aids quick comprehension.

7. Highlight Seasonal Specials and Promotions

Keep your menu dynamic to generate excitement and encourage repeat visits. Create a clear, easily noticeable section for "Seasonal Specials," "Limited Time Offers," or "Featured Drinks." Use a different color, border, or icon to make it stand out. Design this section in a way that it can be easily updated without reprinting the entire menu. Chalkboards, small inserts, or digital screens are excellent for this. Try storytelling the reason why these items are special. This advice can also help your store gain more customers via websites and blog posts. Using trending keywords (e.g., "summer iced coffee," "winter specials coffee shop").  If you promote these online, it provides fresh content for your website and social media, signalling to search engines that your business is active and relevant.

8. Include Allergen Information and Dietary Options

In today’s world, people are more health-conscious, so they look for coffee shops that provide clear dietary information. As many people are allergic to different food items like dairy, gluten, nuts, soy, etc., so mentioning clear dietary information is not just good practice – it's often a necessity. So, use clear icons or text to indicate common allergens. Also, highlight having different dietary alternatives like vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free options. Mention milk alternatives (oat, almond, soy) and any sugar-free syrup options. Ensure your staff is also well-versed in allergen information to answer customer questions confidently.

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9. Test, Gather Feedback, and Iterate

The job doesn’t finish after designing a proper menu once. You need to keep updating it from time to time. If possible, observe the customer's behaviour after taking a look at the menu. Are they asking questions? Are they lingering? Take feedback from staff as they will know the most about what kind of questions the customers ask the most. Gather the input. Also, do customer surveys occasionally. After doing all this, plan to update your menu at least seasonally to reflect new offerings, price changes, or to remove underperforming items.

10. Tell a story

The last tip is to tell a short story in your menu. It can be about anything. How this shop came to be. A fictional story about a certain ingredient. Or how the ingredients are sourced from the fields to the coffee shop. This can create a connection with the menu, and the customers will appreciate it more.

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Read before you drink

The menu card for your coffee shop is a living, breathing document that is essential to your business's success. It's both an art and a science, combining psychological cues with visual appeal to influence your customers' decisions. By carefully following these ten suggestions, which range from knowing your brand identity and emphasizing readability to strategically designing your products, you can create a menu that not only elegantly presents your mouthwatering coffees and treats but also serves as an effective sales tool, improving customer satisfaction and increasing revenue. A well-designed menu is not only a competitive advantage in the highly competitive coffee industry, but it is also a necessary component for long-term success.

Are you a coffee enthusiast seeking your perfect Starbucks fix in the bustling metropolis of Delhi? Look no further! This comprehensive guide will take you through everything you need to know about Starbucks locations across the capital city, complete with detailed menu insights, calorie information, and insider tips to enhance your coffee experience.

Why Delhi Loves Starbucks

Have you ever wondered why Starbucks has become such an integral part of Delhi's coffee culture? The answer lies in their perfect blend of global coffee expertise and localized offerings that cater specifically to Indian tastes. Whether you're looking for a quiet corner to work, a meeting spot, or simply a place to enjoy premium coffee, Starbucks has positioned itself as the go-to destination across Delhi.

Starbucks Locations Across Delhi: Find Your Nearest Store

Central Delhi: The Heart of the City

Central Delhi boasts some of the most visited Starbucks outlets, perfectly positioned for both tourists and locals alike:

• Connaught Place (N Block): Located at Shop No 16, N Block, Outer Circle, this flagship store remains open until 11:45 PM, making it perfect for late-night coffee cravings.

• Connaught Place (Hamilton House): At No A 1, Hamilton House, this centrally located store also stays open until 11:45 PM, serving the busy CP crowd with efficiency.

• Shivaji Stadium Metro: Positioned at the Mezzanine Level on Baba Kharak Singh Marg, this transit-friendly location operates until 7:00 PM, catering to commuters.

South Delhi: Premium Coffee Experience

South Delhi's Starbucks outlets offer a more relaxed atmosphere in some of the city's most upscale neighborhoods:

• Khan Market: Found at No A45, 1st & 2nd Floor, Barsati, this outlet in one of Delhi's most expensive markets stays open until 11:45 PM.

• Delhi High Court: The ground floor location at Delhi High Court, Bapa Nagar serves legal professionals and visitors until 10:00 PM.

• Nehru Place: Situated on the Lower Ground Floor of Eros Corporate Tower, this business district location serves until 11:00 PM.

• Epicuria Food Mall: Near Nehru Place Metro Station, this food hub location offers an average cost of ₹900 for two people.

West Delhi: Comfort and Convenience

West Delhi residents can enjoy their favorite Starbucks beverages at:

• Pusa Road: At Plot No 3, Ground Floor, Block 18A, Karol Bagh, this location serves until 11:30 PM.

• Paschim Vihar: Located in Reserve Bank Enclave, this outlet caters to West Delhi residents.

Additional Notable Locations

• Hauz Khas Village: Operating from 10 AM to 11 PM
• R.K. Puram: Sangam Courtyard, Sector 9, open from 10 AM to 12 AM
• Kamla Nagar: First Floor, Spark, MLCP
• Lajpat Nagar: I-1, Central Market
• Greater Kailash Part 1 & 2
• South Extension: E-29, 1st Floor, South Ex – II
• Delhi Airport: Both T3 Domestic Departure and T3 International Terminal

Understanding the Starbucks Size Guide

Before diving into the extensive menu, it's helpful to understand Starbucks' distinctive sizing system:

Exploring the Starbucks Delhi Menu

Espresso-Based Beverages: The Foundation of Excellence

Starbucks built its reputation on exceptional espresso, and these signature drinks continue to be bestsellers in Delhi:

The Americano offers the pure coffee experience without any calories, making it your go-to option if you're looking for a low-calorie, high-caffeine beverage that showcases the true character of Starbucks coffee beans.

The Cappuccino combines espresso with steamed milk and a thick layer of foam, creating the perfect balance of strength and creaminess. A Grande size contains approximately 120 calories, making it a relatively light option for those watching their intake.

The Caramel Macchiato is a fan favorite with its vanilla-flavored milk marked with espresso and caramel drizzle. This beverage offers the perfect introduction for those new to espresso drinks, with the sweetness balancing the coffee's intensity.

Cold Coffee Creations: Beat the Delhi Heat

Delhi's scorching summers make these cold coffee options particularly popular:

Cold Coffee features chilled coffee with milk and ice, offering a refreshing yet satisfying experience.

Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew features cold brew topped with house-made vanilla sweet cream, making it a relatively lighter option for a flavored cold coffee.

The innovative double-layered cold brew with ginger ale offers a unique flavor profile that's rapidly gaining popularity among Delhi's coffee enthusiasts.

Frappuccino Range: Blended Beverages for Every Taste

Starbucks Frappuccinos remain wildly popular in Delhi, offering a dessert-like beverage experience:

The Java Chip Frappuccino is consistently one of the most popular Frappuccino options in Delhi stores, offering the perfect indulgence for chocolate lovers.

The Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino blends coffee with chocolate and cookies for a decadent treat that's worth every calorie.

The Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino offers a non-coffee option that's particularly popular during summer months, providing a refreshing and sweet experience.

Seasonal and Specialty Beverages: Limited-Time Treasures

Starbucks Delhi regularly introduces special beverages that create excitement among coffee enthusiasts:

The Stardust Macchiato features vanilla half and half crowned with cold foam, marked with ristretto shot and cocoa dust for a truly unique experience.

The Mango Dragonfruit Refresher combines lemonade with mango and dragonfruit flavors with diced dragonfruit, making it perfect for Delhi summers when you need hydration with a flavorful twist.

The legendary Pumpkin Spice Latte features espresso with pumpkin spice flavoring and milk. This seasonal treat is eagerly anticipated by Delhi's Starbucks enthusiasts every year.

Food Menu: Perfect Pairings for Your Coffee

The Almond Biscotti is a crunchy twice-baked cookie with almonds that makes for a perfect companion to your coffee.

The Classic Cinnamon Swirl is a vegetarian pastry with a delicious cinnamon swirl that contains wheat and dairy allergens.

The Chicken Salad Sandwich is a hearty option filled with chicken salad that contains 574 calories per 175g serving.

Himalayan Still Water with 0 calories in a 300ml bottle is always available if you need pure refreshment alongside your coffee.

Making the Most of Your Starbucks Delhi Experience

Best Times to Visit

If you're looking to avoid crowds, consider visiting:

• Weekday mornings (before 9 AM): Perfect for a peaceful start
• Mid-afternoons (2-4 PM): The post-lunch lull offers shorter lines
• Late evenings (after 8 PM): Most locations remain open late

Starbucks Rewards Program

Did you know you can earn stars for every purchase at Starbucks Delhi? The Starbucks Rewards program offers:

• Free drinks
• Birthday rewards
• Exclusive offers
• Special member events

Sign up through the Starbucks app or website to start earning benefits with each visit.

Customization Options: Create Your Perfect Beverage

Starbucks Delhi offers extensive customization options:

• Milk alternatives: Soy, almond, and oat milk available
• Sweetness levels: Request less syrup or sugar-free options
• Espresso modifications: Extra shots, decaf options
• Temperature adjustments: Extra hot or less ice

Don't hesitate to ask your barista to create your perfect beverage!

Conclusion: Why Starbucks Continues to Thrive in Delhi

Starbucks has successfully established itself as a premium coffee destination across Delhi by combining its global coffee expertise with local sensibilities. From the business districts of Connaught Place to the shopping hubs in South Delhi and residential areas in West Delhi, Starbucks ensures its signature offerings are widely available to coffee enthusiasts.

The extensive menu caters to diverse preferences with options ranging from zero-calorie black coffees to indulgent frappuccinos, along with a selection of bakery items, sandwiches, and snacks. Most locations offer extended operating hours, with some stores in central areas like Connaught Place remaining open until almost midnight, making Starbucks a reliable destination for coffee and quick bites throughout the day.

Whether you're a coffee connoisseur or casual sipper, Starbucks Delhi offers something for everyone in an atmosphere that encourages both productivity and relaxation. The next time you need your coffee fix in the capital, you know exactly where to go and what to order!

Have you ever wondered what to order when you walk into a Starbucks in Ahmedabad? With so many choices on the menu, finding your perfect brew can feel overwhelming. This guide will help you navigate the Starbucks menu in Ahmedabad with confidence, whether you're a coffee connoisseur or a casual visitor.

Understanding the Starbucks Experience in Ahmedabad

Starbucks offers a unique coffee experience that blends global standards with local flavors. When you visit any of the Ahmedabad locations, you'll find a wide variety of hot beverages, cold drinks, frappuccinos, and food items to satisfy your cravings.

Starbucks Locations in Ahmedabad

Starbucks has expanded its presence across Ahmedabad to serve coffee lovers throughout the city. You can find Starbucks at these locations:

• Bodakdev - A popular location serving the western part of the city
• Prahlad Nagar - Convenient for residents and professionals in this business district
• Vastrapur - Located in One Mall, perfect for shoppers
• Navrangpura - Central location serving the heart of the city
• CG Road - Situated in the commercial hub
• Thaltej - Serving residents of this upscale neighborhood
• Science City Road - Convenient for those near Sola and Science City area
• Phoenix Palladium Mall - Located in Ghatlodiya, perfect for mall visitors
• Sindhu Bhavan Road - Located at the Taj Skyline
• Kudasan - Serving the Gandhi Nagar area

Starbucks Size Guide

Before diving into the menu, it's helpful to understand Starbucks' distinctive sizing system:

• Short: 237ml (limited availability)
• Tall: 354ml
• Grande: 473ml
• Venti: 591ml

Hot Beverages That Warm Your Soul

Espresso-Based Favorites

When you're looking for that perfect coffee kick, Starbucks' espresso-based drinks offer rich, aromatic flavors that can be customized to your taste preferences.

Tea & Other Hot Beverages

Not in the mood for coffee? Try these comforting alternatives that offer unique flavor profiles.

Refreshing Cold Beverages

Iced Coffee & Cold Brew

When Ahmedabad's weather calls for something cool, these refreshing coffee options provide the perfect pick-me-up.

Iced Tea & Refreshers

For a lighter refreshment with vibrant flavors, these options are perfect for hot Ahmedabad days.

Indulgent Frappuccino® Blended Beverages

When you're craving something special, these blended treats combine coffee, milk, ice, and various flavors for a dessert-like experience.

Grab-and-Go Bottled Beverages

Need something quick? These convenient options let you enjoy Starbucks flavors on the move.

Delicious Food Options

Snacks & Bakery Items

Pair your beverage with these tasty treats for a complete Starbucks experience.

Making the Most of Your Starbucks Visit

How can you get the perfect Starbucks experience in Ahmedabad? Here are some tips:

1. Know your preference: Whether you enjoy something strong like an espresso or creamy like a frappuccino, understanding your taste preference helps narrow down choices.

2. Consider customizations: Starbucks baristas can adjust sweetness levels, milk types, and toppings to suit your taste.

3. Try the most popular items: The Caramel Macchiato and White Chocolate Mocha are customer favorites for good reason.

4. Watch your budget: If you're cost-conscious, the Brewed Coffee is the most affordable option at approximately ₹60.

Conclusion

Your Starbucks journey in Ahmedabad doesn't have to be complicated. With this guide, you now have the knowledge to order confidently and explore new flavors. Whether you're seeking a morning caffeine boost, an afternoon refreshment, or a sweet treat, Starbucks Ahmedabad has something to satisfy your cravings.

Remember that prices may vary slightly between locations, and seasonal or limited-time offerings may be available beyond what's listed here. The next time you visit Starbucks in Ahmedabad, you'll be ready to order like a pro!

There has been a constant debate over the years about what is ‘authentic’ in terms of recipes and flavours and what is not. Innovation in food has taken traditional recipes a step (or many) forward to make them more global or let’s say, locally acceptable, depending on where a restaurant is located. For example, a traditional Chettinad flavour might be too hot or spicy or a lentil from the east may be too runny for someone in the north. So, how does a restaurant make some of the most amazing dishes from different parts of the country more accessible? On the other hand, there are many who may ask why one should tamper with original recipes at all? Even if it is not a coup for the masses, it’s all right as long as it serves its niche and the flavours are not lost in any way. 

With the rise of disposable incomes across the country, people like to go out and try new cuisines and have different experiences a lot more than say a decade ago. There are all formats of food joints that have opened all over, be it the metropolitan cities or tiers – I, II and III. With the competition at the highest level, restaurants need to serve the ultimate in taste and quality, along with maintaining their prices as well as manage footfalls constantly. With authenticity being a question at most times that most restaurateurs grapple with, one needs to understand what it means to them.

Let’s find out!

According to Rachna Desai, owner of Chateau de Pondicherry, “Food culture is changing all over the world even within the countries of their origin; recipes are changing and evolving to suit their modern needs. My food is Franco Tamil or Pondicherry style. Now, when the French adopted a Tamil dish they ‘frenchified’ it a lot by adding jaggery to sambhar to mute the chillies and adding white flour to dosa batter to suit their palette, it has been adopted as original Pondicherry food by my restaurant. I would call that authentic; would you?”

“Food culture develops slowly from necessity when cultures collide and populations intermingle and slowly it becomes a cuisine like Anglo Indian cuisine; is that authentic? So, we have to ask ourselves what is authentic! I think if you use local products that are fresh and somewhat organic and you infuse those with a foreign recipe and put your touch and magic to it with love and passion that food is authentic,” she adds.

A lot depends upon the place that you’re catering to, and, to a large extent, cooking styles and personal choices as well.  “We source all our food locally, with most of our produce being seasonal and fresh. With the produce is locally sourced, and keeping in mind the palate of the region, the food at our F&B outlets like Fire and Mist carry original recipes, cooked in a style that is most adored by our clientele,” says Corporate Chef, Abhishek Basu, at The Park, New Delhi.

Pikkle has opened its doors to the public a couple of months back and is located in West Delhi, they serve world cuisine, including a wide variety of sushi and dim sums. The owner, Jasneet Sahni, feels, “What’s authentic for me is what I have grown up with; what may be authentic for another person from the same city might be totally different, depending on the taste that she/he has grown up with. As far as possible, the ingredients and quantities have to match the recipes. However, the food served needs to be for the people and the area that the restaurant caters to. I believe in regional Indian food & Ingredients, which is why you will always find a lot of influence of the forgotten ingredients in my food.”

Chef Harangad Singh of Prankster adds, “We Indians are the most innovative species on earth when it comes to food. According to me, there are region-specific ingredients and techniques or methods in India, which are used for a particular dish that we can call a dish prepared with authentic methods. But, I try to stay away from people who ask me to cook authentic food.”

India being a country with numerous cultures and traditions, where the dialect changes every 50-100 kilometres, why should food and cooking styles be any different?

Chef Basu continues, “Our traditional dishes from different parts of the country at Fire are a huge hit with the walk-ins as well as our resident guests. Some of the favourites are Panchkotakisabji, which is a traditional Rajasthani dish, Millet biryani, and Gilnar ki tikki – one of the main ingredients is amaranth (called cholai in Hindi), which grows only in the summers. Even with traditional recipes, cooking styles would still differ; that doesn’t make mine less authentic than anyone else’s. It’s what we love to make and our customers love to come back for again and again.”

Rachna feels that “Authenticity is a challenge every chef must take if the produce of the region allows it.  For example, we can procure kokum from the south and make a genuine sambhar or rasam; ferment our rice in a humid temperature and make idlis that are quite close to the Bangalore idlis, and duplicate an Italian pasta with an Indian version of the sweet red Mediterranean tomatoes and use the best Parmigiano Reggiano. So, of course, we should keep it authentic with what ingredients we have and the style of cooking we follow; we need to keep it authentic for ourselves first. If we bend the rules too much and change things around to suit palettes of each of our customers, we will eventually fail since everyone has a different version of authentic. Yes, it’s difficult to maintain a balance but we must keep at it.” 

Harangad adds, “In India, there are 40 plus cuisines and some of the tribal cuisines are yet to be discovered. My question is that how have these cuisines come into existence? These cuisines came into existence due to the availability of resources in different regions and also cultural diversities. So, we need to celebrate our cuisines without setting an ‘authentic’ barrier. Yes, the basic ingredients and method need to be given most respect but out cooking styles can vary. Like Japanese say they have umami as one extra flavour, we Indians also have an extra flavour called “chatkora”. I love creating a balance for my dishes by using ingredients which make each dish worth achatkori.”

Cicchetti by Mr Beans is a fun and modern take on classic Italian bistro, aiming to bring ‘Bacari’ culture to India; offering a place where friends and family enjoy a hearty meal over fun conversations in a chic setting. 

About the Co-Founders of Cicchetti

Cicchetti by Mr Beans is a brainchild of the husband-wife duo, Abhimanyu Singh and Neha Singh, with the latter being the chef of the bistro. Both are well-travelled restaurateurs with a successful chain of restaurants called Mr Beans to claim upon! On one of their travel, they came across the concept of a bacari and the concept of Cicchetti took birth. They saw the opportunity in giving a rustic and colloquial Venetian experience to the patrons in India in the concept of small Italian plates. 

The Bacari Bar Concept at Cicchetti 

Photo Credits: Cicchetti, Gurugram

Taking inspiration from a tradition that dates back its genesis to the 13th Century Wine Bars of Venice when they added nibbles to the menu to keep the conversation going and hold the crowd longer at the bar. The idea was gradually lost in time but with the evolution of Tapas in Spain, the small courses of Cicchetti sections consisting of cheese boards/bread/jams over house wines and cocktails came back to life again. And that is where the restaurant picked its name Cicchetti (Shi-ke-tti) is a Venetian term for small plates typically served with a glass of native white wine in traditional ‘bacari’ bars located in the by-lanes of the enchanting city of Venice, Italy. 

Photo Credits: Cicchetti, Gurugram

As they say “all good things come in small packages”, Cicchetti by Mr Beans is going to give a gourmet makeover to the Venetian small plates wherein one can also make a full meal by ordering multiple portions that are primarily small servings of typical full-course plates. Usually accompanied by a glass of local wine, colloquially referred as an 'ombra', shadow, spritzers and aperol, a Cicchetti acts as a great place for cultural and social bonhomie.  

The Menu at Cicchetti 

Photo Credits: Cicchetti, Gurugram

With the essence of a wine bar backed by excellent food and service at accessible prices, the excitement lies in the food at Cicchetti. It includes cheese boards, a delicious selection of small plates, soul-satisfying main courses as well as delicious desserts! Their signatures include Smoking Cheese Dome, Egg Plant Ravioli in Tomato Consommé, Poached Chicken Quenelles in Mustard Sabayon, Almond Crusted Fish, Lamb Shanks with Polenta, Potato Leek Soup, Chocolate Salami, and Vanilla Bean & Coconut Pannacotta with Fresh Raspberry Sorbet. Each dish in the menu is beautifully plated with a lot of attention to detailing with the use of authentic ingredients. The emphasis is on fresh, innovative and affordable offerings, in a cool and casual vibe and ambience. 

Photo Credits: Cicchetti, Gurugram

The multi-layered European menu has been curated by Chef Neha Singh, trained from Glion Hotel School, Switzerland. Her style is very interactive owing to authentic techniques, masterful styling and an array of cooking skills that are truly international. The dishes on the menu are handpicked while keeping the significance of fresh produce and locally sourced ingredients in mind. 

Beverage Menu  

The beverage menu is where you will find all the drama! Molecular gastronomy is used to create variations in textures, an element of surprise & drama for the guests. Molecular mixology brings science to the shaker to create new flavours, textures and enhancing the overall experience. The award-winning coffee menu includes a wide range of Signature Hot and Cold Coffees, other offerings for the teetotallers are Gourmet Tea like Café Frappe, Cafe Pasha, Cinnamon Macchiato and Jasmine Mandarin Tea. 

The Ambience and Decor  

Photo Credits: Cicchetti, Gurugram

Situated in the bustling DLF Cyber Hub at Gurugram, Cicchetti by Mr Beans is an amalgamation of old world charm and modern contemporary finesse. A warm, informal space and a fresco setup (with 40 covers indoors and 30 covers outdoors) are adorned with worn down mirrors, creating mirages. The fabric lights, mud colour Italian stones used for flooring look chic and minimal transporting the patrons to the lanes of Venice. With worn down mirrors, each corner oozes a European simplicity. The restaurant is a fascinating mix of Venice bar culture and new-age techniques offering a menu which blends the Italian dishes and its culinary gastronomic goodness in complete harmony.

A first-of-its-kind in Singapore, Maziga Indian Bar & Grill follows the concept of a casual-style cafe and dining experience with a Modern Indian cuisine menu that brings old Indian favourites, but with a twist.

Created by Chef Javed Ahamad and team, the folks behind Singapore’s premier Indian restaurant Punjab Grill at Marina Bay Sands — Maziga has opened its outlet at Whitefield’s VR Bengaluru Mall. It is the first outpost in India. It promises to create an innovative Indian dining experience in a trendy and fun environment.

And what does “Maziga” mean exactly? The term refers to cooking in traditional earthen pots. Chef Javed Ahamad takes on traditional dishes such as kebabs created by the nawabs and turns them into a patty for his Kulha burgers — a signature menu. While the vibe of the restaurant is contemporary and new age, the menu is very Indian and rooted, but with a playful twist.

Dal Tadka served at Maziga

The seating at Maziga is comfortable and plush but not overdone because the focus here is on the food. The ceiling is perked up with giant crystal drops chandelier-style lighting.

Also Read: This Bengaluru Restaurant In India Is Doing The Nikkei Cuisine

The 15-Course Journey Through India

While the regular menu offers plenty of choices, the USP of Maziga is definitely their 15-course tasting menu, available for lunch and dinner.  The tasting menu gives a whirlwind experience.

The meal starts with Chat Masala Yoghurt Spherification, Goat Brain Pav, Quinoa Upma Cod Fish Kaffir Lime Sauce. Move on to Chicken Liver Coconut, Banana Flower Dumpling, Edamame Beans and Green Peas Soup, Malwani Prawn Bharta, White Chocolate Bombs, Tandoori Smoked Duck, and Palak Gucchi Khichdi and more, ending with the 15th course, the three varieties of desserts.

Charcoal Pancake with Malwani Prawns | Maziga

Every dish on the tasting menu is meticulously thought-out and re-interpreted to give diners a unique and alternative perspective to Indian cuisine. 

À la carte menu

The À la carte menu includes a meal with good ‘ol Pind Wali Kesar Lassi, Shikanji, Matta or Jal Jeera. There’s also Blueberry or Avocado Lassi. The diners get a variety of choices in salads such as the Murgh Tikka Caesar Salad or soups such as Broccoli & Lentil Shorba. From the Chaat Bazaar section, one can pick Methi Papadi Chaat to Mumbai Beach Ragda Pattie, or the trendier Artichoke and Kale Chaat and Goat Cheese Samosa.

Seafood Pilaf (left) and Gilawat Kabab Kulcha (right) | Maziga

The pan-grilled kababs section includes choices like Tava Scallops, Daniwal Aloo Paneer Tikki with Raspberry & Amchur Chutney and Lamb Galouti Kebabs. And wait! There’s Chicken Tikka Popcorn with Truffle Mash, Maziga Naanlets and Maska Pao Bhaji Fondue too. The big, fat barbecue section offers vegetarian and non-vegetarian grills — all done in tandoor. Vegetarians can take their pick from Peshawari Bharwan Aloo, Dahi Wale Kebab or Mazika Chukunder Aur Quinoa Seekh Kebab. For non-vegetarians, there is Amritsari Crab Kaffir Lime Korma Sauce, Tandoori Lobster, Tandoori Duck and generous kabab and seafood platters.

The mains comprise curries with national representation — from Rajasthani Saunf Wale Aloo to Tandoori Gobi Mussalam and Jaipuri Bhindi Masala to Kashmiri Rogan Josh and Chettinad Duck Curry.

White chocolate Gol Gappa | Maziga

The desserts come with a few Bangalore twists such as the Malai Mawa & Gulkand Cheese Cake the Kurkuri Mysore Pak Halwa. But there’s also the quirky Bournvita Phirni and Masala Thandai Panna Cotta.

An Ode To Singapore

With a nod to its Singapore roots, Maziga offers the classic Singapore Sling with gin and cherry brandy. Classic like Negroni, Bloody Mary, Daiquiri, and Manhattan are also on the menu along with Martinis and Margaritas. There’s also a selection of international beers, aperitifs and shooters to pick from.

The restaurant menu is a wider concept. If I narrow it down and speak only of a Pan-Asian restaurant in India, you get so, so many options on the menu. I do not want my menu to be perceived as such. Today when you take a look at the menu of a Pan-Asian restaurant in India, you end up realising that it is essentially a Chinese restaurant with few dishes here and there. If you take up a Chinese restaurant they serve “Chinjabi and Sino-Ludhianvi” food. If a restaurant decides, ‘yes, we want to move towards serving the Pan-Asian’ as it’s the flavour of the month or it is something in demand, it should include Indonesian and Thai, too; it should maintain the authentic flavours. I don’t serve more Chinese or Japanese cuisines. In fact, I want to be less Chinese and more other cuisines. That is my vision for Wok Tok at The Grand, Delhi. You’ll see Japanese and Chinese being served less, and other cuisines more. In the orchestra, those other instruments - Indonesian, Burmese, Thai, Malay play a bit louder; Chinese and Japanese are in much more precise form. That is my vision.

Must Read: Menu Hacks For Your Online Food Delivery Business In Mumbai

You should always keep a track of these three elements while designing or re-designing your restaurant's menu.

Defining the Concept of the Restaurant

The concept may already exist. You might just want to change the menu but still, you need to readjust. The times might have changed or the restaurant has become old now. You need to focus on one question – “What is going to be the concept of the restaurant?”And then the rest - what space you want to hit the market, where do you stand and what you are. More importantly, you need to know what you are not. What your restaurant is not. Know if there are any boundaries - huge or tight, within which you’ll operate. Those boundaries have to be very well defined.

Respecting the Geography

In terms of the area or the geography you are in, you have to respect those sensibilities. If there are more vegetarians, your menu has to be designed accordingly. Geography doesn’t mean just the location; it’s the times, space and the place you live in. You see much more examples of lactose or gluten intolerance than you would see 10 years back. So you have to have those options on your menu. If there are more vegetarians, you want to have those kinds of cuisines. The next menu I’m doing for the Cascades, my all-day dining restaurant, 40-45 % of the menu is vegetarian. So, you have to respect the geography and what the market demands.

Click To Read: Points To Consider While Designing Menu For Restaurant

Maintaining the Balance, Flavours

And then you have to look at the balance of rich vs light food. I always wanted to have my food very flavourful. Whether it’s an Indian, European or a Japanese restaurant, I don’t like bland food. When I say bland food, I don’t want you to mistake it for the spicy cuisines we are served in India. It’s the flavours that matter. The flavours have to be robust - that is my thing. I have visited a lot of restaurants and had insipid food that really didn’t speak to me. I love vibrant flavours. That’s a personal and individual thing to me. And then I prefer to balance across from rich to light, from flavourful to delicate, from spicy to non-spicy, from veg to non-veg; you have to balance all these aspects, based on the geography, and the kind.

As told to Sara Khan, Feature Editor, Restaurant India

As your brand is all about having a great dining experience. What are the elements that you bring in to give customers’ an everlasting experience?

A meal at A Reverie is comforting and yet gastronomically challenging, the food is simultaneously artisanal and technical, with references to both traditional and avant-garde. We don’t want to be a restaurant that does anything as prosaic as merely feeding people. Instead; we attempt to conjure the history, landscape and soul of culinary evolution from around the globe in a series of thoughtful, attractive plates of food.

For a restaurant to be good; so many pieces have to come together and our restaurant is a three dimensional, fully sensual, repeat artistic performance every day. 

You have hosted likes of Vijay Mallya, Hrithik Rohan, Celebrity Chef Raymond Blanc, Yuvraj Singh and Farah Ali, Sussanne  Khan, Sushmita Sen, Pooja Bedi, amongst many others. How difficult/easy was it for you to host or accommodate them? Tell us about your experiences?

For us, all our diners are VIP and there is no special status given to celebrities (except for often, they have a retinue of their security team). Most of these celebrities over the years have become extremely dear friends and regular patrons. Serving them is in fact far easier, and not because they have higher spending power, but because they truly understand the creative aspects of our culinary philosophy and are less fussy; leaving it to us to serve them whatever we please.  Experience of serving them has been an absolute pleasure and effortless to be honest.

What are the design elements that make ‘A Reverie’ different from other restaurants?

A Reverie has an air of contemporary tropical chic. Behind the intriguing facade, a warm yet professional welcome awaits you. The recent re-design & renovation, this November has only enhanced that further. At first glance, A Reverie is theatrical; deliberately intended to root diners  in “a reverie”

The dining area of the restaurant provides a cohesion that few places can emulate. It is a universe of emotional connections, enriched with the feedback of proximity.

Tell us about your journey in the world of food?

My husband and I were professionally trained in the hospitality business and worked at the finest luxury hotels in the country; had garnered a compelling individual reputation in their respective fields. Since its inception A Reverie instantly became an institution to reckon with; the standards have remained stratospheric and therein began one of the most intriguing stories in modern Goa gastronomy.

What are the challenges that you face in running a high end restaurant in Goa?

At the onset; we do not consider ourselves high end, though it has been a general perception. It’s just that we are different from quite a few sea side casual eateries with no negative inclination towards them. Entrepreneurship in this country, not just Goa does come with a fair share of challenges. One is perennially on a fire fighting mode, which can get rather overwhelming at times. We have had a rather crazy tryst with such challenges.

The key challenges specific to Goa, which we reckon other restaurateurs too suffer  seasonal variables, ever changing markets, ingredient availability, torrential rains that cause enormous damage to property, equipment, resulting an issues of maintenance. It’s like opening a new restaurant every year with stupendous costs of pre-opening, especially for open air or partially open air restaurants like ours.

Quality manpower and retaining a consistent loyal team in a state where a huge segment has a traditional sailor temperament of wanting to work aboard  is a huge challenge. And lastly, there is a small segment of  audience who fail to appreciate our pricing and compare to some other eateries obsession and fail to understand our obsession with supremely high quality ethically sourced ingredients which come at a price. And that being a licensed legitimate business operation, we are obliged to charge VAT.

Are there any plans to take the business to other parts of the country? Absolutely in form of pop up formats or perhaps even permanent ventures. We look forward towards showcasing the essence of Goa to other parts.

How did you design your menu? Tell us something about that?

Over the years, travelling and exploring have given me a way to explore new things. Dishes are re-visited, re-interpreted and re –invented. It is an endless continuous pursuit of learning, nourishing one’s love of food & its improvisation whilst maintaining a youthful enthusiasm, energy & dynamism.

We have seen many new restaurants opening in Goa during the last one year and the new one is that of Sarah Todd. Do you look at her as a potential competitor?

Firstly, in the business of restaurateuring; perhaps unlike many other businesses good competition is the greatest thing. No one has a meal at the same restaurant every day, especially whilst on a holiday experience. Multiple good restaurants help build a gourmet destination and collectively help all restaurants & a holiday destination. Travellers in today’s day and age actually plan holidays around meal experiences. We would want nothing more than to have many more great dining establishments open in Goa.  

Falafal is the freshest concept in the restaurant business today. Beginning as a very small outlet, the group has expanded its services to IIM-Ahmedabad, seeking a great response and invite from the institute. And, with a target to achieve over 50 stores in 3 years, the juice brand is betting big on the highly ripe food business market.

Share your entrepreneurial journey and what led to the birth of your brand?

It was a thought that struck my mind in the office where I used to work before starting my own venture. Then I shared this thought with my parents who used to live in Mumbai at that time. So, then I started working on the strategy part and other things which eventually led to the birth of FALAFAL.

How many stores are there within your brand today and what is the average store size?

As of now we have 2 stores under the brand name of falafal. The average store size is of 700 sq. ft.

What are the challenges with growing your (franchise) business-i.e. maintaining standard, brand integrity, customer experience etc. and how have you addressed these challenges?

Yes, there are a lot of challenges when you are expanding, but I have strong and experienced team of people who work hard round the clock to maintain standard, customer satisfaction and all. Above all, we also have very strong IT support, that minimizes our problems and help in maintaining the standards.

As you are serving the freshest concept, how is the response so far?

So far we have got an overwhelming response. Within six month from the date of starting Falafal we got an offer for IIM Ahmedabad to open up an outlet at their campus. And now also from a small shop of 250 sq. ft. we have almost 1500 sq. ft. of space for the cafe at Drive in (our mother outlet).

What are the extended menu other than juice and shake?

Apart from juice & milk shake we have fast serving items like sandwich and wraps. We also have antipasti pizza, pastas and dessert as well.

What is the average duration a customer spends at you cafe and the average price break up?

More than 50% of business works on take always. But apart from that, a dine-in customer spends around 45-60 min at the cafe. The average ticket size is Rs. 200-250/-.

Do you have growth targets for next few years and any strategy for how you intend to achieve this?

Yes, of course. We are now looking to come up with 50 stores in 3 years across the western region via franchising.

How are you building on quality at a time when your model is based not on food but time?                                                                                                                                                     

It starts from the procurement itself.  We buy the best brands and best quality fruits available and we have dedicated vendor for that. So, it helps us in maintaining the quality.

Where would you like to see your Brand in the next 5 years?                                                 

In next 5-7 years our target is to cover up major cities of India and is expecting around 200 stores in next 7 years. I see FALAFAL in the top brand of the nation.

Based at Dehradun, Cafe Marigold is run by three friends- Alka Kukreti, Amita Bahuguna and Kumud Taimni, wives of merchant navy officers who are mostly sailing for at least six months in a year. It’s only when their children went off to other cities for college education, they suddenly felt the need to do something to fill that big vacuum. Thus the idea of running a cafe was born as food was one common passion among them.

The cafe was started on a shoe string budget as they were all homemakers who turned into entrepreneurs. The business was launched more on an experimental basis with no specific business plan. “We just followed our heart and turned our passion for good food and cooking into our profession. All our travelling experience and running a household helped us set up the cafe. We learnt the job only by hit and trial method,” shared Kukreti.

What is the USP of your restaurant?

The USP of our cafe is simple, fresh, home style food which is cooked under our strict supervision and served at very pocket friendly rates ranging between Rs 50 to Rs 350 at the maximum. Our menu changes every day and this idea of a varied variety of dishes served on different day’s appeals to people. The location of the cafe is also a big factor as it is nestled on top of a hill far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The music which we play at the cafe is also very much loved by our guests. So, personally supervising the functioning of the cafe and interacting with the guests, is the biggest USP of Cafe Marigold.

What new product range you are offering for your customers?

Our Menu changes almost every day. On special days we just offer a discount on certain food items served.  

Which is the most popular dish among all? What is the revenue generated from the same?

Most of our dishes are popular. But our guests love the pastas and Dimsums which are very much in demand.  We also do a saucy version of the Dimsums, available at our cafe only; guests are also very fond of various Mutton and Chicken curries that we serve on our special menu. The Chicken Steak has many takers and so does the Grilled Fish Platter. Besides this various kind of Sandwiches, Burgers and Cheesy Garlic Toasts are available at the cafe everyday and are very popular among the younger guests. The Pancakes and eggless chocolate cake served with ice cream are very popular too. So, in all I can say that most of our dishes are popular. 

How do you maintain the authenticity of the food?

For us the freshness of every dish we prepare matters the most. Nothing is pre-cooked; everything that we have on the menu is cooked fresh when we get an order for that particular dish. That is why I can say with conviction that the authenticity of our food is maintained for our daily menu.. In fact we personally supervise the purchase of the fresh produce, breads and meats etc required for consumption at the cafe every day.

What is your marketing strategy?

Our marketing strategy is simple. We, at Cafe Marigold believe in selling pocket friendly simple delights to our guests in the form of fresh delicious home style recipes that we prepare at the cafe every day. There is never a compromise on quality. We believe in quality than quantity. Smile of satisfaction that we see on the faces of our guests before they walk out of the cafe keeps us going.        

What is your average footfall?

The average footfall at the cafe differs from day to day. Generally on weekends numbers of people who visit the cafe are double of those who visit on weekdays. On weekends we mostly get big groups and families whereas weekdays it’s more of young professionals and students. On an average at least 30 to 40 people visit the cafe every day.

What is your expansion plan?

For now we are content with what we have. Making money was never the purpose of our life. Doing something constructive to keep ourselves positively occupied was what we were out to do. For now the challenge is to continue running the business on our own terms without any compromise in the low pricing and the high quality of food that we offer at Cafe Marigold.         

Thakur Bhuvan Singh completed Bsc (Hons) in Hotel & Restaurant Management from Oxford Brooks University, UK and worked at Radisson, New Delhi as a trainee. On completion he joined his father’s restaurant business under the brand DeeZ Biryani | Kebab | Curry. He worked with his father towards the expansion of the brand from a Single Restaurant to six restaurants at present. Here are the excerpts from the interview.

What made you enter into food business?

My interest in the F&B industry led me to create something more diverse in terms of both food and service and hence I decided to launch a Multi Cuisine Cafe and Bar under the brand Filmy Cafe & Bar by DeeZ.    

How many stores are there within your brand today and what is the average store size?

This is the first store and it’s in 2000Sq.ft.

What’s so filmy about your new restaurant?

The theme, the interiors, the experience the music and everything else is Filmy! We have different walls showcasing different film trivia like Famous dialogues, major blockbusters from 50’s to 2010’s, a James Bond corner etc. the props are also very filmy like the PK radio of Amir Khan, film clapper from Universal studios, Helmet from 300 etc.

What are the initial challenges and how have you met these challenges?

The initial expansion (two more restaurants) will be done as company owned restaurants and not franchised restaurants. During this period we will develop our expertise in replicating the successful model that we have. We have already started working of creating Standard Operating Procedures and Manual which will help our future restaurant management teams to maintain the same standards of food, quality, service and customer experience. 

Can you tell us more about your Business operations from the standpoint of Loyalty Program, technology (Hardware & software), raw material sourcing and talent recruitment & training?

Being a Unit of DeeZ, a lot these things have been a part of our operations from day one. We have complete recipe management solution borrowed from the central kitchens of DeeZ and we also have CRM systems which maintain a database of customer details as well as previous orders and likes/dislikes (if any). The material sourcing is done at DeeZ Central kItchen thereby enabling us to get great price and quality through our suppliers who have been working with us for many years.

What is the average duration spent by the customers’ at you cafe and the average price break up?

We have two categories of Customers who visit us. The first being the cinema goers, who usually visit us before the movie show or during intervals, these customers have little time and usually order for quick snacks and shots. They typically spend anywhere between 15-30 minutes and we ensure that the service they receive is very quick with average price cost of Rs 400-500. The other are the regular diners who take out time and enjoy our food, beverages, shesha and music. They typically spend 2-3 hours with around Rs 800-1000 total spend.

Do you have a growth targets for the next few years and can you reveal any strategy for how you intend to achieve this?

We are looking at expanding both DeeZ and Filmy Cafe & Bar brands across Delhi NCR. The targets are 5 DeeZ and 2 Filmy Cafe and bar before December 2016. All these will be company owned outlets. We will be franchising both the brands outside Delhi NCR.

How are you building on quality at a time when restaurants are much more focusing on the concept and theme?

We believe that our restaurants should please each of the five senses but taste should be the foremost. DeeZ has been famous for its taste and quality of its food products and we have enjoyed this reputation for almost three decades. We wish to attain the same status for Filmy as well. We have strict quality control measures as we believe that repeat clientele will always endorse you if you have good taste and quality of food products. We are selling food as the primary product the concept and theme are an additional secondary support.

Where would you like to see your Brand in the next 5 years?

We would like to take things one step at a time and hence we only make projections and targets for the next year which I have already shared with you.

What all things come along in designing your restaurant menu?

There are three important factors that are taken care of when designing a menu; The guest profile mix, as understanding this is most important as we are catering to business travellers who are always in a rush. Keeping this in mind food offering should be supplementing and revitalizing. The menu mix should also support his business needs while the guest is entertaining others, The Rend, customers today are amongst frequent travellers and well aware of the trends. They are also looking for simplicity yet innovative platter which always surprises them so missing that in menu is certainly reflect on the footfalls of the restaurant and The usage mix: The menu shouldn't burden the operation, it should rather compliment. Increase in usage of similar ingredients directly multiplies the profitability.

What menu tweaks are you planning to introduce to stand out from the crowd?

We consider all the three factors mentioned above. I am looking forward to bring in more authenticity and also innovative styling. This will further help position our restaurants as trendsetters.

Tell us something about the supply chain management in your hotel. Who are the suppliers? Can you please name some?

The supply chain for all Delhi hotels is almost similar. We are associated with the big vendors who are common in hotel supplies. The simple fact is that, these vendors are aware of hotels requirements and they are dedicated towards supporting the hotel.

Comment something on the involvement of senses in the restaurant?

Senses to me are most vital. Especially, in case of restaurants, we use all our senses while dining. The eye appeal is something that will mesmerize the customers even before they have entered the place. The rich aroma of the Food & ambience will keep them enticed. The ambiance and music also plays an important role. It should be soothing and entertaining. Once all these four senses are taken care of, the taste will create the master stroke for everything.

What are the different types of cuisines served at your restaurant?

Level 2, a 24 hour multi cuisine restaurant offers several options both through buffet and A-La-Carte. It also promises a sumptuous dining experience and offers fresh, flavourful world cuisine with a trendy, live kitchen.

Indyaki, an authentic Indian speciality restaurant cooks meals to perfection in an extraordinary culinary theatre which feeds the senses and entertains the appetite. Its major attraction lies with its Teppanyaki grills which serves food in the similar style. The best sellers here are Indyaki tawa macchi, chicken apricot kebab, subz kaju ki seekh, nalli ki nihari and dal Indyaki.

What is the contribution of good menu in restaurant business? How are new techniques in food helping the restaurant grow?

A balanced menu mix and standardized offerings will always multiply the footfalls which are directly proportionate to the revenue. There are many e-channels to grow the restaurant business but by far customer’s personal experience is the best way of marketing with least or no investment. The guest is the brand ambassador. I always strive to see the WOW expression from my guest and rest assured business is taken care of.

How familiar are you with the legalities involved in opening a restaurant? Are you planning to open up your own restaurant?

I am quite familiar with the legalities but I am not focusing on my own enterprise at the moment. My prime focus is performing the best in my job at Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Paschim Vihar and would love to make F&B the most talked about thing. I also look forward to place this hotel in top league through hospitality recognition and awards.

What according to you are the top trends that will drive the industry in 2016?

Authenticity without tampering the basic recipes ably paired with innovations will be the mantra. Great chefs are always rooted to basics and that’s why they are successful.

Chef Ranveer Brar is today one of the top celebrated chef in India. From working as a judge for MasterChef season IV to taking his dancing skills on television, the young chef has become the favourite choice of every modern food place in India. And, recently when MTV has launched its cafe in association with Delhi based Fun Bars Hospitality; Brar was roped in as the corporate chef of the group crafting the most inspirational food from around the globe.

What made you join hand with MTV as a brand?

I think MTV as brand perfectly fits into my kind of food.  Today, food places around philosophy are turning a stint. We have played around certain recipes like biryani iron chini, gulab jamun cheese cake, Japanese miso tikka etc. which are a new inspiration in food. But what should be kept in mind that the food should not become a mockery while playing around flavours. So, we have tried to keep the respect, yet FLYP the food around.

What is the most important aspect that you look into while crafting the menu?

Respect is what I always keep in mind while designing the menu. The respect for flavours has to be intact, serious and food should always be inspirational not the fusion.

How much is your involvement in this menu?

Everything in the menu is thought for and curated by me. It took us almost four months to create the concept and finally bring the menu.

How localised is the sourcing?

Unfortunately when we are trying to use international food, we have incorporated western ingredients and global imports and rest everything is locally sourced.

How difficult it was curating the menu for MTV keeping in mind the kind of customers’ it targets?

Every time you curate a menu it is difficult because you want to know who’s going to eat those foods. For me the biggest challenge was the urban youth of Delhi who would visit the restaurant, their choice, likes and preferences. 

Are you going to create menu for all MTV outlets depending on the city and region?

We have very different palates, perception and taste. And the menu is not going to be copied in any part of India. The FLYPing part is consistent everywhere in food and drinks.

What all things come along in designing your restaurant menu?

While designing a restaurant menu, culture, taste of people and availability of ingredients play a vital role. Any good menu should be able to deliver something exciting yet authentic meal experience to guests.

What menu tweaks are you planning to introduce to stand out from the crowd?

This is the only hotel in Thimphu with a Pan Asian restaurant.With our carefully curated and authentic Pan Asian flavours and savoury South East Asian cuisines to tempt the palate, SeseShamu presents an inspirational dining experience. Bhutan being a country which attracts lot of Asian tourists, we are planning to introduce a Bento box style lunch menu.

How is the food palate different in Bhutan as compared to India?

Bhutanese food has a very distinct flavor and most dishes tend to incorporate cheese and chili. This is the only country in the world where chili is not used as a seasoning but a vegetable. Some of the favourites include soups and stews of meat, lentils, dried vegetables, spiced with chili peppers and cheese. The cuisine in India differs from region to region. There are a lot of religious and cultural influences in the Indian Cuisine. It also varies seasonally, depending on which fruits and vegetables are available. It is very diverse- Southern spices and ways of cooking is very different from North or East. India is a real pot pourri of flavours, yet each region stands out as unique.

Tell us something about the supply chain management in your hotel. Who are the suppliers? Can you name some?

Bhutan being a landlocked kingdom,it is still developing its supplier and vendor management. For our hotel we do buy vegetables and fruits from the local vegetable market to support local vendor. We also buy our imported and Asian ingredients imported by local importers. To name few “My Mart” and “Eight Eleven” are the biggest importers we are currently dealing with.  For our imported meats and sea food we rely on our vendors in Singapore or Thailand.

Comment something on the involvement of senses in the restaurant?

An exceptional and satisfying dining experience is also a sensory experience. Today there are restaurants which are moving forward and breaking traditional norms, whereby they are experimenting with food and using senses to give a wow effect to guests. Use of molecular gastronomy is one such example. What you see on your plate, what you can smell and what you can taste are all important aspects of good dining. The textures, presentation and food design are also key elements.

What are the different types of cuisines served at your restaurant?

We satisfy every craving with the global flavours and artful presentation of our two fine restaurants and Lounge bar. Our signature all day dining restaurant, Latest Recipe has a mix of local and international cuisine, including the signature Le Meridien breakfast.  Our stylish speciality restaurant, SeseShamu serves authentic flavours from across South East Asia.

Latitude 27 complements the creative atmosphere of the Le Meridien Hub by drawing guests in with the sights, sounds, and smells of a coffee bar by day and a cocktail bar at night, showcasing our brand’s sparkling program.

What is the contribution of good menu in restaurant business? How are new techniques in food helping the restaurant grow?

A good food menu plays an integral part in a success of any restaurant. Technically without a good menu and tasty food no restaurant can survive. Innovative food offerings, attractive description of your dishes that also generate curiosity while at the same time whet your appetite, are all qualities of a good menu.

Menus should be easy to read and understand. It should have the right amount of information, yet encourage some ‘conversation’ points with the servers or even amongst the guests ordering. All this, it is found, sets the tone for a good dining experience. It really starts with your menu.

An ideal menu should always have ‘chefs specials’ or the restaurant’s signature dishes mentioned. A menu should also keep changing even if some ‘favourites’ are kept the same.

What inspired you to become a chef? Tell something about your journey in the world of food.

I belong to the family of chefs and so you can say it’s in my DNA.  I started my career with Taj hotels as management trainee under Taj’s veteran chef Arvind Saraswat.  I have been and trained in Traditional European, European fusion and Lebanese cuisine. I have worked or trained in very exclusive and respected restaurants like Orient Express, Patio, Macchan, Chambers, Trattoria and Mynt.

In my 13 years culinary journey I have worked with Taj hotels, Millennium Hotels, Ista Hotels, Hyatt Hotels before joining Starwood Hotels and Resorts. I can proudly say that I have learnt from the best in the field.

How familiar are you with the legalities involved in opening a restaurant? Are you planning to open up your own restaurant?

We all have to know the regulations and licences needed for restaurants as we are in a very professional industry and an international hotel chain. Licences range from food safety licences to pollution, health and fire safety licences. At present I enjoy being part of Le Meridien. Cuisine is one of the signature elements of the brand and that gives me a lot of opportunities to innovate and try out new things. I feel i am still learning and am enjoying the process. Who knows, later on in life I might start something of my own. Right now I am happy to hone my skill and just make good food for people seeking unique dining experiences.  

Being an IIT alumni, what made you to come up with the idea of online food ordering store? How do you consider this business?

The business got started by me and my partner. We were always interested in doing something of our own which was not just interesting, but also socially relevant, so we found food as an area with most impact as well as it is most relevant for us.  And hence, decided to go with this business.

What was the initial investment and how did it happen?

The initial investment was around 70 lakh. It was all from our end only with the help of our family, friends and promoters.

You have around 400 options in menu. How do you maintain the consistency and authenticity of each of the item served?

We have very high quality chefs in our team who have a long- term experience with Oberoi’s, Intercontinental etc. They are only responsible for maintaining consistency and authenticity of all the foods served.

You serve around seven different cuisines. Do you have specialised chefs for each cuisine. How difficult it is for you to manage them under one umbrella?

It is not at all difficult for us as all our operations are driven by the needs and likes of the customers. Today, every person has his own particular likes in terms of cuisines, so we don’t want a group of people ordering food with us to stick only on one single cuisine or food. Moreover, the experience of our chefs and the time and management helps us to do these things together with ease.

Can you tell us the elements you kept in mind while designing the kitchen to meet both these requirements?

There are two main points which we keep in mind while designing the kitchen, one is proper space and options to keep the food ingredients fresh and safe and another is to make sure that the food should be prepared in the minimum possible time without affecting the product quality and all this is done by our chefs with the help of some professionals.

What are the products that you use in your kitchen?

There are more than a thousand products which we use in our kitchen. We possibly use the best quality ingredients and equipments; also, we have a lot of international products we get supplied from the importers directly. We get most of our products from NCR only, but we are also directly linked with some importers who help us in getting the products from outside India.

Is there any special type of packing you use to maintain the freshness of the food product till it reaches the customer? From where do you get these packing materials?

We don’t use any special kind of packaging as we supply it within 15 minutes once it gets prepared. Within 15-30 minutes, it reaches the customer where the customer has to consume it within one to one-and-a-half hour so it does not require any special kind of packaging. For packaging, we keep in mind the basic things that it should be hygienic, of best possible quality and food grade.

What has remained your most successful marketing strategy? Currently, what strategy you are following?

We try to provide quality and toothsome food to the customer so that he/she should come again and again, apart from that we use promotional offers from time to time. Our most successful promotional offer was food at one rupee which we did for two days. Sometimes we tie up with different brands and names also to promote our name and products.

How many food orders you get daily? What is the annual turnover?

We do around 350-400 orders daily and the annual turnover is around 1-1.5 crore.

Are you looking to enter into the franchisee model of the business?

Yes, we will surely go for it as we want to maintain hundred percent quality of our product, but right now we are not working upon this, but we will definitely do this later.

In which other cities will we see Bueno Foods serving in the next 2-3 years?

In next three years we will be in the top ten cities which will include NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Chandigarh, Calcutta and Pune.  

In a candid chat with Franchise India, Chef Preetam talks about the evolution of Indian food connoisseurs, next big trend in the restaurant industry and his duty as a head chef at the restaurant.

Please tell us something about evolution of Indian food connoisseurs?

The Indian cuisine is almost as diverse as the entire European cuisine, because of the four different main regional styles: the North Indian cuisine (the regions Benaras, Kashmir, Mughlai, Punjab and Rajasthan), the South Indian cuisine (regions Andhra, Kannada, Kerala and Tamil), East Indian cuisine (regions Assamese and Bengali) and Western Indian cuisine (regions Gujarat, Maharashtrian and Malwani). The northern part of India is mostly rural, although it contains large cities such as Delhi and Calcutta, thus its cuisine is more agricultural than anything, wheat being a primary constituent of this region’s dishes. Southern regions however trend to be more exotic, spicier in their dishes and rice is a constant ingredient in their food. To give the taste of their main dishes, North Indians use onions and coriander whilst southerners use a more exotic coconut base for their dishes.

What according to you is the next big trend in the restaurant industry?

Next big trend in the restaurant industry could be the food court where people can get the all the cuisines easily under a single roof.

Your expertise includes Italian, Kababs and Mexican cuisines. Which among these is most preferred by the customers and which one is your favourite?

Most people prefer Italian food in comparison of kababs and Mexican cuisines; even I am also very fond of Italian cuisine.

What made you choose a career in hospitality industry? Who was your inspiration?

Cooking was my hobby when I was in school; I used to watch the show of Chef Rakesh Sethi and Chef Sanjeev Kapoor to know something new and creative from them. These two celebrities were my inspiration.

We see lots of foreign food chains coming to India. What is the reason?

Yes, a lot of foreign food chains are coming to Indian market to develop their business and to get the idea of Indian restaurant industry and to know more about  Indian cuisine so that they can also easily prepare Indian food and keep the Indian dishes in the menu accordingly.

How challenging is your role as the head chef at the restaurant?

Being the head chef at the Lounge, I have to maintain the quality of food and the standard, correct portion size to be delivered to the guest, so that we can make the guest happy and satisfied, as you know “one satisfied customer brings you hundred more”.

What offers is your restaurant planning on Diwali?

We are not offering anything on diwali but we are celebrating “cheesy chicken & beer festival” which will start from 16^th October to 2^nd November. We are doing beer competition from 21^st October to 24^th October which would be a fun for beers lover, we are making gift hampers for diwali special offers and discount. We keep on trying the new things as the industry needs.

Tell us something about menu designing in a restaurant? What are you doing at your restaurant to go delicious by design?

We keep “special of the day” everyday in the menu, so that guests get to know what special we are offering apart from the ‘a la carte menu’, and to design the menu we always keep the nutritious and healthy food in the chart and of course it should be according to the need of the restaurant.

How to maintain value and position within the market place?

To maintain the value and position within the market you have to maintain good standard, you should not compromise with your quality, should keep the things right and according to the needs and demand of the guest.  If you follow these, you will automatically start rising and people will also appreciate you.

How has been the journey working as a kitchen trainee with TAJ President, Mumbai till now?

I started my carrier as a kitchen trainee with Taj President, Mumbai. I must say it was not a cake walk.  I remember I used to work 20 hours a day. But then I realise if you are working to learn something then you have to be strong enough, I worked for Karma Restaurant in Mumbai, Olive Bar and Kitchen Delhi, Hotel Diplomat, Manree and Zest managed by DLF in a different position. I am fully satisfied with my carrier till now.

In a candid chat with Franchise India, Chef Sandeep Pande talks about the current F&B trend, menu designing and also about his role at the hotel.

What is the current food and beverages trend in the industry?

The current food and beverages trends include using local ingredients, adopting simple presentations and offering small plates.

How does restaurant communicate their use of ingredients to guests?

We communicate use of ingredients to guests by way of mentions on the menu.

Your expertise includes multiple cuisines like Mediterranean, Indian, Thai and British. Which of these is your favourite and which is the most preferred by customers?

My preferred cuisine is Mediterranean and the bold flavours of Garlic, Olives, and a lot of seafood is very much preferred by the guests.

What all things come along in designing a restaurant menu?

While designing a menu, we keep in mind our guests’ preferences, weak areas of existing menus, current trends, availability of ingredients, seasonal tastes etc. Menu tweaks include live counters, smaller tasting portions, seasonal, local and guest driven tastes.

We see lots of foreign restaurants coming to India. What is the reason?

Reasons to attribute to this current trend are like- increasing number of people willing to experiment and eat out; increased per capita income and a stable population coupled with increased exposure and travel are the main reasons encouraging foreign chains to debut in India.

What are you doing at your restaurant to go delicious by design- creating a lifestyle relevance right from store design to food layout?

I am doing two important works- live counters and involving guests at every stage of menu.

What is your role as Executive Chef at Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel?

I lead a well-chosen team to deliver excellent guest experience by way of providing a ‘wow’ dining experience to them.

What are the different types of cuisines served at your restaurant? Which one is most preferred?

Indian, Western, Chinese, Italian are the different types of cuisine served at our restaurant. We keep on doing various food festivals as well to attract customers. The most popular cuisine is Indian.

What do you do to ensure the quality of food going out to the customer?

To ensure quality of food which is going to be served to the customers, I always ensure there is right receiving, we have a well trained team and consistency in preparation.

Tell us something about your journey at Oberoi Hotel to a senior member of the UAE Culinary Guild and a member of the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals, USA?

The journey has been very rewarding. During my journey, have worked with some big names and cooked for even bigger names.

In a candid chat with Franchise India, Chef Soumya Goswami talks about his stint at the Oberoi kitchen, his responsibilities and his take on gourmet dining.

I look after the Oberoi group’s New Delhi kitchen as well as 25 other properties. One should have the passion to do all activities. What I do on a daily basis is interact with chefs, look at menus, go to upcoming restaurants or existing restaurants to do upgrades.

On pitching in innovation

Most importantly to be ahead of the market, innovation is the key to our survival and without innovation restaurants die a natural death. A restaurant’s shelf life is about 2 years and people get bored very fast. To drive innovation, I bring in discipline within my chef team wherein one has to research two new dishes every week.

All our hotels do promotions – produce-based and region-based chef-centric promotions every quarter. This drives innovation again. We have to constantly tickle the customer senses to draw them back into the restaurant again. Today customers are not just happy with normal meal but expect something of a little surprise, a little more indulgence.

On the gastronomy in hotel and fine dining restaurant

Gourmet dining is on the rise. Standalone restaurants have jumped at the concept and they are giving hotel restaurants a run for their money. Earlier the hotels had great talent in terms of chefs but we lose them to standalone restaurants now. There’s a lot more money involved with standalone restaurant because people understand food more.

Gourmet dining starts definitely with good produce and good ingredients. If you have high quality ingredients only then can you transform them into high quality food. Second is the ambience because you cannot expect gourmet dining kind of atmosphere at a very basic minimalistic restaurant. You need gimmickry in terms of ambience to give a luxury feel to the restaurant which I think is more of the standalone restaurants are doing better and better every day.  There are some great interior designers specifically meant to do interiors of restaurants. And certainly what is most important is having a good talented chef at the helm – one who chooses his team well, keeps them motivated so that there is consistency. A good talent pool is what is needed to execute a good fine dining restaurant.

On competition

Oberoi group and its competitors strive very hard on innovations. Every hotel chain opens a new themed restaurant every 2 years. Earlier it used to take a decade or 5-6 years; now with the hotel boom coming up whoever has the money wants to build a nice hotel.  

In an exclusive interview with Franchise India, Manuu Mansheet talks about the design, the art aspect before starting a new project.

I did my schooling from Modern School (Barakhamba Road) and then completed my graduation from Sri Venkateswara College (South Campus). I also did an MBA from Fore School of Management (Delhi).

It was art that attracted me towards itself. From the very childhood I was very artistically inclined and always yearned for a creative and unique career and destiny played the right role. I started designing, styling, and decorating at a very young age. I am a self taught person & got an opportunity to go abroad (Netherlands) and get trained at an IKEA pilot store, and subsequently work at 2 stores of IKEA in UAE.

When starting a new project I hear my inner voice, is it a project that I like or love to do once I am clear about that I act myself busy and geography, location, style, budget are the factors that I consider.

There have been many milestones and many interesting projects where I learnt a lot, added a lot and created a large body of very satisfying and commercial work like Tatas,Godrej, Bharti Walmart, Alsorg etc. But my first commercial design project was displaying art for an exhibition at Taj Palace hotel. This was also my stepping stone to future.

My day could take me to site visits, meetings, shopping for props/accessories etc. Mondays are generally reserved for teaching. Evenings go for art openings, theatre, etc. My mother is a major influence in my life. I have learnt a lot by just watching her in my growing up years.

When we are talking of creating an experience or environment for a service, a store and a restaurant, it has to appeal to our 5 senses. It is the senses which experience the food, the ambience, the design, the art and many more things at a place or in a restaurant.

It’s just a gift- to be able to visualise a solution or idea and then be able to think out of the box and do things. For a new graduate I would say think out of the box, break some rules and take risks, rewards will follow you.  

In my opinion a restaurant goes through a lot more usage/wear and tear than a normal household/office, etc. hence good quality material and finishes stand a longer lasting chance.

I am in the process of doing up some heritage buildings, restoration work excites me and I am also doing some projects for the Govt. I renovated an old cafeteria once and it was a bit challenging to change the user’s mindsets and satisfy the staff. Nobody was keen to change old methods but ultimately it became one of the most buzzing lucrative businesses.

It always works to be practical and functional. The design should be stylish but not OTT (over the top).I hate vulgar money display and gaudy tastes. Being careful and sensible with budgets is very welcome but being stingy and cheap.

The biggest decision is on Look. Most clients are very reluctant to experiment. A promoter may sometimes want to compromise and pack more number of patrons where as I; a designer may want space for easier movement or features/props etc.

A restaurant should focus on five things, art, linen, flowers, candle and a wow menu card. A restaurant should always select a designer on his past experience, projects done and the passion for the art and design. I design restaurants according to the experience and what do particular restaurants want for his customers to feel, what is the type of cuisine to be served, who will be the target audience the restaurant is targeting.

In a candid chat with Franchise India, Chef Gautam Chaudhary, Executive Chef, Pink Poppadom, Hyatt, Bangalaore, tells us why his restaurant stands out among other brands in serving the evolved Indian food.

Journey of becoming a Chef

I wanted to be an engineer but couldn’t get through. I was selected in many of the institutes; IIT was my dream. I thought to try for it next year but to save time; I joined Hotel Management as a career option. When I joined this industry, I loved the industry, the concept and the idea of experimenting various innovative stuffs that I ended up being a chef. My journey so far has really been marvellous – from Radisson Blu to travelling to US and finally returning to India.

Concept that went behind Pink Poppadom

Indian restaurants across the country are not doing very well. The fine-dining restaurants are generally dinner only; they are not open for lunch. People go for Chinese, Oriental, Multi-cuisine so the footfall in Fine dines Indian restaurant keeps falling. So the concept was to create more awareness among diners and of lightening the cuisine as people want tasty food without too much fat.

Bangalore has a very Cosmopolitan crowd and it is very upmarket place. It’s very easy to market a concept like this where people are well travelled and they are aware what is happening around the world. So, it was much easier for us to market, inform the guests and inform the clients.

We have three restaurants in total – one of them is the Pink Poppadom which serves progressive Indian food. The second is Lido which is an all-day dining serving European, Indian and oriental. The third is basically a bar and a lounge. The concept of Bar and Lounge is Singapore style food say small bite foods. I think, presently in India, only five restaurants, including Pink Poppadom is serving this food. We use high quality ingredients and since it is Hyatt we do not compromise on quality.

Involvement of senses at Pink Poppadom

Food is an art and to praise any art you need to have your five senses open – starting from the skin (to touch and feel) to eyes (see how food is presented) to tongue (taste) and finally to the nose (for relishing the delicious smell coming from the food). Today people eat food with a spoon, a knife and fork, but the truth is that one should feel the food.

Importance of a good menu

Menu is very important for a restaurant. It’s very important to have a menu that connects with your guest and such a menu is based on the market segmentation that you have done. Menu is also based on the clientele that you are getting or expecting at your restaurant. So, I think menu is a very important aspect because it drives your revenue.

For designing a menu for your restaurant, you need to understand the concept very well, i.e. the knowledge of the concept, the market segmentation (i.e. understand what the market wants), find out whether your plan is the requirement of market, analyse the competition (what your competitors are doing), unearth the information on which all restaurants are running this concept, how are they doing and their pitfalls, etc.

Pink Poppadom takes Indian food to the next level. This restaurant serves very progressive food in a very elite manner. In this restaurant we are trying to lower the calorie making it healthier because Indian food is considered to be very heavy. It has higher amounts of fat, cream, butter and cashew nuts which have been used traditionally in Indian food. So, we are trying to deviate by taking the cuisine to the next level.

Experience at Tanzore restaurant, Beverly Hills, USA

It has very different working culture. In India, manpower is very economical. So we utilise manpower to the best. While in European countries manpower is very expensive so most of the things we get is accessed from the market which comes to the hotel and restaurants in pre-processed format.

The best thing which I like about foreign countries is that the sales are very much incentivised. You have certain amount of salaries but the incentives generated from the revenue come along to you. See if you sell something for 1000 rupees you will get a certain percentage as incentive for the revenue you have generated for the restaurant. It’s a really good thing. That way each and every member is highly motivated. Even in the back kitchen, where one does not generate revenue, a certain amount of incentives are given for maintaining product quality for the restaurant.

Awards and Accolades

There are a number of awards bagged by Pink Poppadom. The best one came from BBC Good Food, which awarded us the best Indian cuisine restaurant in the country. There are number of awards that we got from media publications named Food Lovers in Bangalore. So, in terms of award and accolades, we have huge recognition.

Reason for low sales in Indian restaurants

The reason for low sales is that the Indian food is still not developed. If you talk about various other cuisines – French, Italian, Mexican, Oriental – they have evolved themselves, but Indian cuisine has not evolved itself. Indian cuisine needs to go under reformation and be presented like any other cuisine; they need to be a little lighter. India cuisine is still traditional with lots of oil and heavy gravy including nuts and pista korma, kaju-korma. The Awadhi-Korma also tends to be very heavy. People in older days used to easily digest that food because they tend to do lots of labour intensive work but today the situation has changed. So, I think there is a need for reformation in Indian foods to make it lighter.

Advice corner

One should know the basic concept behind opening a restaurant, understand what is on the offer and what other people are doing.

Valentine week is again around the corner and what’s better to set the mood than gobbling amazing food. Usually, people arrange romantic dinner, candles, wine, dresses and many other such things for their love ones. Restaurateurs decorate tables with flowers and lightening the candles to make customers feel warm and a musical atmosphere in the background.

“We are expecting a good number of people considering the fact that we are celebrating in upcoming Palate Mini. In this, couples can rejoice special bond of love in a romantic European style with an interesting and romantic European theme, decor and set up. Also, they can relish the best store for them by our talented chefs of La Vie”, commented Anirudh Gupta, Owner of La Vie.

Designing Special Menu

In all these romantic settings, what about the food? Many restaurants have created special menus for those looking to share this particular day with someone special. Food for Valentine’s Day must look swanky, behold, a feast of gastronomic fares to tickle non-desi and desi taste buds, according to Junglee Billee restaurant.

“Our expert chefs have prepared a special food and beverage keeping the occasion in mind.  All three chefs belonging to different kitchens (Indian, Chinese and Continental) will be presenting their specialties to diners for this occasion. Apart from that, we will be offering complimentary drinks to ladies”, shared Sameer Bhalla, Owner of Bellagio, Ashok Vihar.

Similarly, Raji Sandhar, Owner, En– The Japanese Restaurant states, “We are offering a special five course menu for couples. The menu is designed by Chef Muramatsu, who will certainly leave the couples asking for more. One can also savour Chef’s Valentine Special Japanese Brown Tea in dessert to conclude dining experience on a sweet note”.

Promotional Activities 

Restaurants are promoting Valentine’s Day with new and interesting offers to attract guests. Everyone is aggressively promoting on digital and social media like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; so that the target audiences are covered. .  Lanterns Kitchen & Bar, which is an Irish concept pub and restaurant serves Indian, Oriental, Mexican, European and fusion food to guests. But, the place is known for music lovers owing to live performances given by well-known artists. Therefore, this Valentine, “We are planning to celebrate this occasion with a Pre Valentine Bash. The Delhi-based pop, electro and pop-rock band Panic will be performing here at Lanterns Kitchen & Bar on 13th February. A special EDM and romantic acoustic set by them will surely set the mood of all the couples for Valentine’s Day”, pointed Jasneet Sahni, Owner of Lanterns Kitchen & Bar.

Even though, this Valentine is on Sunday many restaurants trying to handle things efficiently. It is like a challenge for owners and staff to work under such situations. “We have made special preparations for night considering the fact that Valentine is on Sunday”, added Bhalla.

Valentine‘s Day is the perfect chance for people to prove their love. And, restaurants and food are now making it easier. 

A well designed menu is said to be a good marketing tool for restaurants. Menu design gives representation and creates an impression of brand in the mind of customers. Earlier, altering the menu on a daily basis was a challenge, but gradually with planning and availability of resources, it became easy and possible. It is convenient and affordable for the customers and the diners get a chance to treat their taste buds with various food options. 

Menu is the first thing that customers ask for when visiting a restaurant or any eatery. These days, we see expanded menu to please the customers. Chefs try to create new innovative meals adding various seasonings to it. It is similar to catering for new food experiences through different product lines.

“Change of menu is a strategic decision for Innerchef. We do not make short term tactical and gimmicky decisions before preparing any item on our menu. Each item on our menu goes through lot of deliberation, consumer testing and release plan”, shared Rajesh Sawhney, Co- Founder at InnerChef & Founder of GSF Accelerator.

Benefits

From the time food tech start-ups caught eyeballs, competition level has also increased. As a result, changing menu is one of the factors, which can make a difference. Start-ups mainly include home chefs as they are specialized in doing multi tasking, like preparing recipes which are unheard off or not tried.

On the same note, Neha Puri- Founder, Cyberchef, says, “Because of this change in menu, many people inquire about the daily addition to the menu. Actually the number of eyeballs visiting website everyday is converted into sales”.

Boast Sales

Menu changing helps to boast sales, but it is the attractive, healthy and organic food items that mainly focus of this generation. Like, menu should include gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian in it. Therefore, chefs and restaurant owners experiment and add different flavours or ingredients to make menu interesting.

Food tech start-ups generate revenues from their apps. Apps can detect location automatically and then people select their preferred meal from the menu. In addition, it takes few seconds to place an order and within no time, the meal is delivered at the designated address. 

Rescheduling of menu is also significant, since it maintains a needed change and tries to cater for quality products. Currently, start-ups ensure hygienic, spices, quality of oil and other basic things required in menu. And also, creating new menu does not cost much to restaurateurs.

Consequently, as Sawhney states, “Every item in our menu is a star; we nurture each item not only as a standalone product, but also a key input into our product portfolio”. But consumer will always want variation, no matter how tasty and healthy food chefs prepare.

Today, eating at a fine dine restaurant is emerging with food taking a new height in the market for all food lovers. As food industry is expanding, number of fine dine restaurants have also witnessed a growth.

On the same note, Apurva Salarpuria, Executive Director, Salarpuria Group and Owner of Studio shares, “’Casual’ fine dining is what the world is moving towards. Increasingly fine dine restaurants are not only improving the quotient of food, but are also working on creating a casual ambience for patrons to enjoy”.

Characteristics

These   are next generation restaurants with uniqueness is the ambience and special service, which is thoroughly enjoyed by the customers. Many restaurateurs are now opening theme based fine dine restaurant to attract more people.

Restaurant owners have certain blue print in mind while designing the restaurant so that they create a different experience for customers. They use elements like warm, earthy and subtle colours as a theme.

“Everything in the industry is changing at such a brisk pace. But, use of technology and non traditional ways of marketing are the biggest changes that are having significant impact.” ” shared Sanchit Aneja's, Owner of IKKA.

Now days, entrepreneurs are not afraid to try something new to attract customers’ attention as changes are appreciated by people. Earlier, it was restaurants but currently it is more of fine-dine restaurants that are doing the trick.  The basic difference between them is that prices are on the higher side, food perceived to be of excellent quality with use of organic food can be served. These restaurants also serve alcohol also served for guests.

Even though, many online food start-ups have recently risen in the metros, fine dine restaurants has not got affected by it. People will always be keen to try new cuisines, especially at restaurants. There was a time, when fine dine restaurants were  not popular enough, but it has eventually regained its position. It has happened because dinning out has become a fashion and people want quick food because of busy lifestyle. This is one of the key reasons for this trend to flourish.

People usually visit restaurants during occasions such as anniversaries, engagements, birthdays, meeting & conferences etc. It is a sense of adventurism with new innovative ideas. In menu, mostly everything is the same but, few items for instance seafood is not served everywhere, it is only present at particular restaurants only. 

Therefore, along with serving good food, maintaining an excellent ambience also adds value to a restaurant.

London Cafe, as the name suggest is quite subtle yet classy restaurant to spend good times with colleagues and friends. The concept of the restaurant is seven star lounges. The cafe has given more of lounge concept with sofas and low rise tables for its guests to relax and rejuvenate.

Environ of the cafe has continental touch.  The interiors are more of European and Turkish style, having beautiful chandeliers and centre pieces. It has been inspired from the artistic nature of London and blue art Panarsh of English culture.

There are ornate pillars at the bottom of the stairs leading to the cafe, which resembles the pillars out of a temple from down south.  The stairs have a bohemian vibe that surely adds glitters to the overall surrounding.

The atmosphere is very smoothing and guests can enjoy foot tapping music as they slip into light mood conversations with their friends.

London Cafe offers international flavours with fresh local ingredients. Continental and European cuisines are the main theme food of their restaurant. They added few cuisines like Lebanese, English, Italian and hint of Indian also. Vegetable delight wrap, Alla Verdura Pizza, Greek frappe and cappuccino are some of the items people love to have.

London Cafe mainly targets working professionals among others as its customers.

Afternoon timings are 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm and 8:00pm - 10.30pm.

On New Year, the cafe launched new menu with lots of new options mainly in continental food. As a further explanation, it is planning a bar by April-2016.

So next time you plan to let your hair down, do visit London Cafe to enjoy a perfect blend of food and music.

Nothing can be more befitting than Da Vinci’s for Mumbai’s newest Bar All Day- Yellow, in the hustling-bustling area at Khar, Mumbai.

Why Yellow, you ask? Celebrated Restaurateurs Timmy Narang and Nicky Bedi, M.D, Yellow Tree Hospitality reason it out saying “our day starts with yellow and ends with yellow, hence bar-all-day”.

“Sunrise has shades of yellow and so do sunsets" add the duo, which opened their doors on 18 Dec 2015. 

Yellow- Bar All Day isn’t one of those experimental concept bars but your everyday home-style cooking brought to you in their freshest form with organically sourced and specially handpicked ingredients, by renowned International Chef, Davide Cananzi.

Spread across 5000 sq.ft space that boasts chic urban indoor bar and dining complimented by an al-fresco experience reminiscent of summers celebrated in Italy. The restaurant offers exquisite spirits and a brilliant selection of global wines to magically enhance the food.

Yellow doesn’t thrive to be different, which makes it different altogether. The cuisine is dominated by European and Mediterranean influences presented in a way most authentic and simple. The breakfast bar brings you eggs cooked as per preference and served in a cast-iron pan. A variety of waffles and pancakes -- the ideal way to kick-start a day.

The salad bar ranges from Moroccan cous-cous salad to a light sea-food salad made with organic, handpicked rocket. Mains include handmade lasagna, ravioli and tortellini along with a selection of grilled meats for the fit aspirants. The smoked salmon and caper risotto is proof to authentic home-style piquant European cooking.

For red meat lovers the Crackling pork belly with green apple sauce is a delight, “sumptuous, flavourful and highly recommended” adds Chef Cananzi.

All 'white meat' depends on the fresh-catch-of-the-day with a wide selection of sea-food also with forced insistence from Mr.Bedi and Mr.Narang.Customized pizzas, although not available on the menu are part of the daily specials.

Desserts make up an integral part of European cuisine and chef Cananzi being an Italian by birth emphasized on the ‘Davide signature Tiramisu’ being his signature while all desserts are specially prepared butter-free.

The team at Yellow Bar All Day is well-read and immensely experienced, each having spent over a decade in the hospitality industry.Narang the conceptualizer in particular has entrusted in Bedi's vision to create magic , the magic required in mundane living. All of them having a common goal in mind of delivering a memorable and fulfilling time reminding one of ‘yesteryear simplicities’.

With global advent to India, dining out scene in the country has changed vigorously by not only experimenting with the food but adding a bigger theme to the restaurant.  And, as youth is the major crowd pullers today, pubs, bars and nightlife are the new trend in the industry. They are the main target group as they visit regularly to these places in large numbers. It has shown a remarkable growth rate in India especially in the metro cities- Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, Pune. A closer look to top places in five Indian cities.

The Vault Cafe

One of the best pubs in Connaught Place, Delhi; the ambience and setting are very British Colonial, giving a Royal Vibe. It has the quirky elements in terms of F&B preparation and presentation. The interiors have been specially crafted in a particular style incorporating old heritage clocks and treasure boxes The USP of Vault lies in its name, there are separate Vault chambers constructed for a private and royal experience. It consists of five different Vaults, which can accommodate 8-22 people as the number of covers and is ideal for small gathering or private parties. This place is known for food and music.

Waters – Pub & Grill

It is situated in south Mumbai into the central suburbs; reflects the spirit of progressive suburbs. The defining character of the place is that it places a lot of emphasis on being chilled out. This seemingly simple idea encompassed a lot of social norms which need to be appreciated if one has to understand what constitutes chill behaviour. Waters Pub and Grill is a place for more than great food.

Toit Brewpub

This is a brew pub in Bangalore, brewing culture that promises some bodacious brews, fabulous foods and a supreme brew-pub experience. Toit is the place to tantalize your taste buds as well as to chill out the quality time with friends and family. It has spectacular views from the rooftop as you indulge in mouth watering snacks, sumptuous cuisines and exotic spirits.

The 1st Brewhouse

The 1st Brewhouse serves five styles of revitalizing flavours as soon you walk in, you will be taken by the aroma of freshly brewed fine quality Beer. It serves the customers with special beer freshly brewed and handcrafted under personal supervision of a German brew master. It has a range of more than 2000 varieties such as Ales and Lagers in the draught format, served in a relaxed ambience, to the tunes of lounge music. It also has wonderful atmospheric wooden interiors.

By Invite: DK Soni, Co Founder, Foodport

A question that all of us in the restaurant business often ask ourselves is – what’s the recipe of success?

Many obvious answers come to mind – good food, fast service, pleasant ambience, cordial staff, and variety. But are these enough to achieve and maintain success? No, there’s something else, which is more critical than all of these aspects and is essential to the success of a restaurant.

That’s consistency. Consistency in all aspects of the business – especially in taste and in quality– leads to success. This consistency can only be achieved through ‘standardization’. It helps deliver on customer expectations– if the first impression was good, and if not, then correct the shortcoming. Standardization helps build a loyal customer base.

It becomes even more critical when the restaurant has many branches spread across cities or countries. If not for standardization, the ‘goodwill’ or ‘brand equity’ earned at one branch can be easily lost at another.

Although, the benefits of standardization are many, these are critical reasons that I’ve shared with our young team at Foodport to encourage them to set a clear procedure – a standard for each and every activity that they do. And, since defining standards seems to have become a standard at Foodport, I am sure it will encourage you too. 

Brand image – It takes years to build a good brand image, which can be destroyed in a matter of minutes. A good brand image requires consistent quality output. This can only be achieved through a tried and tested standard procedure.

Consistency of product–This is the backbone of ‘brand image’ and includes all aspects of the restaurant business – taste, quality, presentation, ambiance, and service. If one fails to deliver even on one of the aspects, the brand image is damaged. To create a positive brand image one needs to deliver a quality product consistently and at all times and at all places.

A case in point is McDonald’s – a great mix of standardization and local adaption. The procedures and practices are global standards. The food is adapted to suit local tastes and then standardized. E.g. A McAlooTikki Burger will taste the same whether you order it in Delhi or in Mumbai.

Cost effective – Standardization helps pre-plan and forecast requirements. When we know beforehand what we will require and its quantity, we can benefit from economies of scale, esp. for non-perishables. On the other hand, a set standard procedure can help restaurant owners experiment with the concept of ‘Just in Time’ delivery for the supplies of perishable goods. A successful ‘Just in Time’ supply chain can help save on costs incurred on storage and preservation of raw material – esp. for perishables.

Saves time – A standard process helps complete regular tasks with ease, leaving no room for ambiguity and errors. The time saved can be utilized to try out new things and innovate. A set and written standard procedure helps cut down on the time put in to preparation for a dish as the "mise-en-place" is set and everyone is aware of it. It also helps avoid chaos, which is a recipe for disaster for any restaurant kitchen.

Makes training new staff easy – Standard procedures make it easy to train new staff and delegate tasks to junior staff without the need of constant supervision. Although standards or set procedures are needed in all departments of a restaurant, it is of special importance in the kitchen. One cannot afford to experiment with signature dishes that the restaurant is known for. Neither can one expect a newly appointed chef to prepare the dish the way the senior chefs do it. But, if there are written instructions then both delegation and training become easier. It also helps in keeping the ‘show running’ in case of huge staff turnover or absenteeism.

Uniform pricing – Again, when there are set standards for everything – where to source, how to make and how much to make, it becomes easier to manage costs and pricing of products across locations. If any, the difference will only arise due to a tax structure. A uniform price across different outlets of the same restaurant chain is also a part of a positive brand image.

Given the creative nature of the industry, standardization at an industry level for certain things may be difficult to achieve, as- recipe, cooking styles, serving practices, etc., all vary from restaurant to restaurant.  But, this should not deter you from setting one for your own restaurant – experiment – find out what works, create a procedure for it and follow it to. Remember, Food when prepared and served in the right way is not only nourishment for the body, but also for the soul.

Connaught place is flourishing with new Restaurants & Café’s, and adding more energy to CP's energetic life, Delhi saw the launch of Filmy Café & Bar by DEEZ on Wednesday night, 9th December in the heart of city Connaught Place.

The theme is so very filmy that it’s something every movie buff Indian will relate to and feel to be here.

Filmy Café & Bar is a fresh venture by Thakur Bhuvan Singh from the esteemed & pioneered DeeZ Biryani | Kebab | Curry.

Situated in the heart of Delhi, Connaught Place, just next to PVR Plaza Cinema, it surely catches the eye balls of the masses.

“Filmy Café & Bar is a place for all those who enjoy simpler elements of Life- Good Food and Great Music and believes in Be Filmy! Eat Filmy,” Says Thakur Bhuvan Singh, co-owner Filmy Café & Bar.

Spread over 1500 sq. ft, Filmy Café & Bar is surely the eye candy bar & cafe in Delhi. Filmy, Quirky, Lively, Innovative & Foodies Paradise are just the few words to describe its ambience.

“Since cooking is my passion and after helping my dad in Deez, I wanted to open something funky for all the Delhites. And what best other than opening a Bollywood & Hollywood themed café & bar in one of the oldest building in CP and next to massive cinema hall” added Singh.

Walls embedded with famous Bollywood & Hollywood movie posters with quirky dialogues and props like Amir Khans’s PK radio, war helmet from 300 etc. will surely catch your attention immediately. With simple seating arrangement, having cushions printed with bolly-holly movies scenes matches with the essence of the place.

“When it comes to Food, Delhi wants to have it best. Our place is A Bollywood - Hollywood Cuisine Cafe & Cocktail Bar where you can enjoy Delicious food along with mouth-watering mocktalis& Cocktails. The menu includes a diverse range from Pizzas to Burgers, Biryanis to chilli chicken and more so there is something for each palette”, said Daleep Singh, co-owner, Filmy Café & Bar.

Filmy Café & Bar is suitable for all age groups and people who are crazy about some filmy gupshup. It is a warm, cozy, comfortable café & lounge style restaurant where each meal is a treasured time to relax and share a bounty of wonderful food with family and friends. Every time you dine with them, you can relax & chitchat for hours.

As the biggest and brightest festival is fast approaching, gifting and fun is one of the top priorities on everybody’s mind. Diwali is one such festival which is celebrated with a huge passion and enthusiasm in India. But, gone are those days when it was said that Diwali is a festival of lights and crackers. Today, people love to enjoy festival by dining out with friends and family.

And, to colour the city in the festive nood, Restaurants in the city are all geared up to celebrate the festivity of lights, all designed in new attire to attract the customers’ with their best and lucrative offers. Many restaurants have added new variety of sweets like Beetroot Halwa on Saffron Toast, Khubani Ka Meetha, Anjeer Barfi, Banana Roast, Beetroot Halwa, Low fat Kalakand etc.

Restaurants showering great deals

Move over the boring mithai and dry fruit boxes and make your gifting innovative and memorable with customized Diwali hampers as Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon has come up with a delightful variety of three beautiful hampers and a customized Indian sweet box created by the hotel at INR 5500+ taxes, INR 3000+ taxes & INR 1500+ taxes, offer an exclusive selection of goodies and liquor from J.W. Black Label Whisky, Red House wine & sparkling waters to homemade diwali cookies & chocolates, prunes, marshmallows, cheese crackers & pasta.

All three hampers contain a pretty handmade diya to mark the occasion of Deepavali. The Indian sweet box priced at INR 750+ taxes can be customized as per the guest’s preference with an eclectic assortment of mouth-watering Indian sweets all made in-house using traditional recipes and organic ingredients.

“We have launched all new Progressive Indian Menu at Café Terminus 1. The interesting thing about the menu is the Indian essence presented the fusion way. The menu incorporates dishes like of various tastes from the “Tava Machhi marinated with South Indian coastal spices” to “Indian Railway cutlets”, the “Banjara Maas with Whole wheat Roti”, “Chicken Tikka Masala with Steamed rice”, “Chicken Tawa Masala”, “Stir fry Thai Chilly chicken”, the scrumptious “Apricot Ginger Crumble” and “Sambuca Flambe Gulab Jamun” to create a wholesome experience for the food connoisseurs of the city”, shared Vikrant Batra, Owner, Cafe Terminus1.

Cornitos, a Mexican snacks also offers gift packs containing nacho crisps with chunky salsa, cashews, almonds and coated green peas in this festive season. The Fusion Gift Pack contains nacho crisps with chunky salsa combinations, priced at Rs 370. Cashew and Almond Combo contains king-sized cashew and California almonds, priced Rs 600 and Coated Green Peas Gift Combo which has nutritional value.

While known for serving the finest beers in the city, The Beer Cafe has also gone colourful with the festive air blowing in the city. “To enhance the festivities at The Beer Cafe we have introduced a special Paan flavoured chocolate that we would give away to all the guests who come in to our outlets in Delhi NCR. We recently launched an all day dinner at Mumbai Airport's Terminal 2”. In terms of the decor, we already have a generous dose of colours that are perfect for this season and impart warmth to the ambience. For us the idea is more as a token of appreciation for our guests than revenue generation" pointed Priya Vasudeva, GM & Marketing, The Beer Cafe.

And the deal goes online too

Naturally Yours, India’s online organic brand has brought for its customers’ Diwali Super 15 per cent sale on 4, 5, 6 November on the entire gift product. The price range is from Rs 360-2400.  Even the online food ordering portals like Justeat.in brings super value Diwali offers in meals and special dishes from there partner restaurants in Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi. Likewise, Foodpanda is giving 50 per cent off on selected restaurants in online food order and 30 per cent off online paid orders.

"We are a search engine for everyone who is looking to go out for a good dining out experience and which is not just restricted to the festive season only. However, to add to that, we do have some fantastic offerings for our users at some of the top restaurants of the country. And, It’s not just Diwali, but the festive mood in itself, prompts people to dineout more," shared Vivek Kapoor, Co-Founder, Dineout.

Hence, gorge on some refreshing treats at your nearest restaurant or book your table with the best deals coming online on this special occasion as lots of restaurants have introduced new menus or has come up with some innovative dishes with some exciting offers for all the food lovers.

Only months after Delhi witnessed the launch of the illustrious food festival at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, with a footfall of around 1 Lakh food enthusiasts, 70 participating restaurants, an enormous line up of chefs and lots of other entertaining factors, The Grub Fest is back with yet another edition to please the palates of thousands across the capital.

The second edition will take place from 23rd to 25th October at a new and significant spot, right at the border of Delhi and Gurgaon - the Ambience Lawns.

The Grub Fest is the brainchild of young entrepreneurs - Aman Kumar, Arjun Jain, Chaitanya Mathur and Mani Singh Cheema. Earlier in April, The Grub Fest showcased the very best of India's food flavours and Delhiites got the opportunity to savour a variety of cuisines including Lebanese, Chinese, North Indian, Italian, Mughlai, Mexican, Coastal, Sushi, amongst others. Exhibitors included renowned names like Royal China, Fio, Townhall, Smokeys, Zizo, À Ta Maison & PCO, Khan Chacha, Punjab Grill, Zambar, Holy Smoke and many more, most of which are already on board for the upcoming edition.

Adding to that, new names like B Bar, Social, Indigo, Indigo Deli, Backyard, Urban Pind, Zerzura, Room Service, amongst others, are also excited to be a part of this foodie paradise. Apart from more food, music and entertainment,they are introducing some remarkable new concepts that will be a first in the country.

There will also be integrating the business fraternity of the F&B industry, whilst giving an opportunity to small businesses, start ups, blogs and tech savvy entrepreneurs in the food space to showcase their products. The festival will be travelling to Pune, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Chandigarh, and even internationally to Dubai and London.

The Highlights of Grub 2.0 Grub Explore - The Grub Team is bringing to you authentic chefs, cuisines & mother elements from different parts of our diverse & culturally rich country, like Bengal, Kerala, Nagaland, Kashmir, Goa and more.

Entertainment - Performing Artists to include an expansive list of acoustic, rock, indie, comedy and electronic music. Few artists that they are in talks with include, Parikrama, Astitva, Nikhil Chinapa, Hari & Sukhmani, Vir Das's Comedy Rock Band - Alien Chutney, and a surprise big headliner for the event. Final artist list to be announced closer to the event

A Celebrity Chef from India to host a Pop Up restaurant Cafe Epicuria is popping up at The Grub Fest, bringing along the renowned brands under its roof

Grub Mile - A courtyard curated by House of Sunrydge to include brands like Indigo, Indigo Deli, Qla & many more.

The Surprise Element, Grub Storey's - The first of its kind in India, a multi storied, travelling restaurant at a food festival. More details will be announced closer to event.

Early Bird Tickets - to go live 1 month before the event at Ambience Malls, Gurgaon & Vasant Kunj. The event has also introduced a special ticket for families, and express entries.  

By now technology has touched every aspect of our lives, with the coming out of mobile devices on the table, online reservations, social media and new payment methods; technology has infiltrated the food and restaurant industry like never before. These advances have made an impact everywhere, but one of the places we’re seeing more and more technology is in the food and restaurant industry.

Evolution in the process

The rapid evolution of software in the past decade has seen many tech innovations when it comes to dining out. Mobile technology is revolutionizing the way diners interact with restaurants. Although new apps are increasing, accelerating and reforming the dining experience, the ubiquity of smartphones can eclipse some of the very reasons we eat out.

“Technology is like “Duck’s Effect”. If you see a Duck in a pond, duck will look beautiful, calm. But inside she is paddling away like crazy to stay there. We have 19 technology partners and still going on. Technology is disruption, but it helps us to expand in many ways,” shares Rahul Singh, Founder& CEO, The Beer Café.

With the mobile technology you can search endless options, cross-referenced every which way. On the weekend evening, a typical fine-dining establishment might expect 25 percent or more of their reserved customers. But the online reservation services has more than 28,000 member restaurants and seats more than 12 million diners a month, sends hand-slapping emails to no-shows and deactivates users after four personal fouls in a year.

The digital tablets at tables allow one to order food and drinks without so much as consulting the waiter. The time saving technology is being adopted primarily by both casual and chain restaurants, where diners seldom need servers to expound on the laminated menu.

Moreover replacing menus, tablets have the potential to help hosts deal with incoming customers who may have reservations. This can be accomplished through connecting the restaurant’s website to some form of online reservation system using a service like apps or a website and then simply using the tablet as a means of checking out who is scheduled when.

Currently, pick a restaurant, make a booking, order or pay your bill is not a problem. For ex: restaurant reservation platforms, like Dineout can offer more nuanced guidance for the discerning diner. These apps help you in booking the restaurants of your choice avoiding the long queues at the restaurant. " The most important thing in today’s time is to keep the customer happy and loyal and the solution is the technology integration to create the ecosystem enable to go beyond,” says Vivek Kapoor, Co-Founder, Dineout.

Another app, Happy hour apps like DrinkOwl (free, iOS and Android) and Happy Hour Finder (free, iOS and Android) can steer you to the most happening bars and most alluring drink specials around the country.

Adding to the same line, Sharad Sachdeva, Chief Executive Officer, Lite Bite Food, Pvt Ltd points, “As technology plays an important role after certain point of time you cannot imagine your growth on manual system so definitely technology is required. So, we adopted the system and also implemented it”.  

Technology is only getting better day by day. It allows customers to find restaurants, rate them, and decide where they want to spend their hard-earned money when they go out to eat. It also allows restaurant owners to be more efficient and effective in the areas they feel can be streamlined by hardware and software.

Eatlo, the Bengaluru based lunch delivery app recently raised second round of funding from Zishann Hayath of Powai Lake Ventures, Abhishek Goyal of Tracxn Labs amongst others.

Founded in December 2014, the food-tech app is looking to invest the raised funds in technology and scaling its presence and operations across Bengaluru.

“We aim to place food on your table by just a click. The way we work is very simple and efficient; we handpicked food from various chefs and dispatch it from various centers. All the customer has to do is choose the location, place an order in two clicks and enjoy great food in just 20 minutes,” said Sai Priya, Co-Founder, Eatlo.

Founded by two people who are true foodies and wanted to bring technology and food together to revolutionise the way we order food, Eatlo has an extensive menu which changes daily.

“Although, we’ve tied up with professional chefs, each dish is pre-sampled and sampled again on the day of it being served. We take taste, health and hygiene seriously and each dish is served only after it meets our quality standards,” shared Rahul Harkisanka, Co-Founder, Eatlo.

The company is also planning to strengthen its presence by building it team to 100 which is presently about 100, spreading across Bengaluru by increasing its fulfilment centres which today delivers food across seven locations in the city with 10 fulfillment centers, getting over 1000 orders a day.

“We are also looking to raise $7-$8 million in Series A funding and are in talks with venture capitalists for the same,” added Harkisanka.

With life going faster and busier we often don’t get time to show our feelings and love to our family and friends. Often we forget some of the most important dates and events related to them but this time one will probably repent if they forget this father’s day as there are plenty of attractive and mouth watering offers by some big restaurant and hotels which one can’t resist.

A Father is a Friend, hero, Pillar, Playmate and Role model & Fathers’ Day is more than remembering all that he has done for you, and it is also about creating new memories. On this auspicious occasion of father’s day make your father feels loved by taking them to a place where plenty of offers are waiting to make your day the way you want. The restaurants and hotels like, Zamozza, MoMo Café, 7 Degrees Brauhaus and Golden Dragon or Encounters at Taj Krishna have modified their services and offerings to give you an all amazing experience.

The exciting deals The World Kitchen & Bar ZAMOZZA is offering 25 per cent discount on all prior reservations and adding to make this day more special with full day live music to make the ambience more lovely and celebrating.

While MoMo Cafe at Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon will have a live pasta counter in the supervision of the Chef wherein the father-son duo will get a chance to make the pasta. The duo can also refresh themselves with summery mock tails at the bar which will then be served to the family.

The 7 Degrees Brauhaus is offering fabulous father’s day Brunch with lavish 5 star buffets and live JAZZ Music by BENNY & The Jazz Collective at Rs 1499 for unlimited food and beverages. The lavish buffet spread will include soups, salads, appetizers, Deserts, main course along with live counters including Indian, German and Continental delicacies with fresh German Brews & white spirit cocktails. There will also be a special gift for all the fathers.

With an effort to put a smile on his father’s face and create a cherished memory forever for him the Golden Dragon and Encounters at Taj Krishna are offering specially crafted lavish Brunch at both of these restaurants, along with a rare photo opportunity alongside a Harley Davidson Fatboy. At Encounters the cost will be Rs 1550 plus taxes per person and at Golden Dragon it will be Rs 3000 plus taxes per person.

Meanwhile, Mad Over Donuts, the Singaporean donut chain is also offering a Pre-ordered box of Donuts with a personalized message just for Dad. The Box of Happiness comes with 24 square donuts filled with delicious dark chocolate ganache and dipped in white chocolate.

Customers can create their own unique message up to 18 characters that will beautifully grace these donuts. Write I LOVE YOU DAD or YOU’RE THE BEST or THANK YOU DAD & much more to convey your appreciation towards Dad.

Thus, we can see that this Father’s day there is lot more offers to be given to your dad taking him to an unforgettable food walk.

India being rich in culture and festivals has given restaurants a reason to celebrate each and every occasion. With festivals like Baisakhi and Poila Baisakh on the way, restaurants have come up with exciting delicacies in both Punjabi and Bengali offerings.

Restaurant like The Mix by The BrewMaster in Delhi is celebrating Baisakhi by organising Baisakhi Food Festival starting from April 13 and going on till April 25. The customers can celebrate the festival of harvesting in famed Punjabi spirit by treating themselves at rich Punjabi fare.

The twelve-day food festival will serve both vegetarian and non vegetarian delicacies during dinner (7:30pm to 11:30pm) with the meal for two costing around Rs 1,200/- plus taxes.

The festive offerings include soups like Palak Cheese aur Tamatar Shorba ((Palak cheese and tamatar broth with pepper and exotic Indian spices) and Tandoori Murgh aur Pudine ka Shorba (Light chicken broth with cilantro and exotic spices) and the list goes on.

“Baisakhi marks the harvesting season in India, and what better way to celebrate the festival than with a special food festival. I am sure it shall be a hit with food connoisseurs and our regular guests alike,” said Santosh, Sous Chef, The BrewMaster.

On the other hand, global Pizza chain, Domino’s is giving Rs 100 off on Domino’s Baisakhi Offer, where a customer can avail this on a minimum bill of Rs 400 on online ordering at any nearest outlet.

Not only this, Baluchi, the pan-Indian restaurant at The Lalit, Chandigarh, is offering a special Baisakhi menu designed by its  Sous Chef, Chef Rajeev Kumar,  who has come up with Baisakhi Special Thalis in both Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Punjabi delicacies.

The restaurant has been designed to showcase a spectacular view of forests and the Shivalik Mountain Range, along with live music and live kitchen.

The sumptuous indulgence starts with Meethi and Namkeen Lassi followed By Lambi Katti Gajjar Te Muli, Kale Cholley Di Tikki, Panner Butter Masala, Amritsari Kulcha in Veg. and enjoy Tari Wala Meat, Butter Chicken in non-veg Thali. To end the lipsmacking affair, the chef has crafted Punjabi sweets like Kadhya hoya Dudh and Jalebi te Rabri.

On the other hand, Bengali joints in the country have come up with a wide variety of traditional Bengali cuisine. Restaurants in and around Kolkata have crafted their menu to welcome the New Year. The Buddha Bites Restaurant is offering an array of Chinese platters to celebrate the Poila Baisakh Day. The food fest which started from 10th April will go on till April 30th.

The special menu includes dishes such as Duck with chilly plum, Duck with pineapple, Chilly butter Garlic Squid, BBQ Pork Sausage in Sizzler plates, to name a few.

Thus, Indian festivals which are considered a foodie affair, always give a reason for celebration among the food lovers.

On food trend

As we all see that the India is moving ahead, many changes are happening in the country.  And this is making the food and the cuisine evolved because the mindset of people is changing, the ingredients and raw materials are changing.

Today, the thought process in people have changed, when they buy food they want to know where it is cooked, is it cooked in the right method. And as the knowledge of food has increased the cuisine has also progressed.

Creating an overall experience

Earlier the menus were primarily the names of dishes but now we restaurants have started doing a lot of efforts from the time the guest enters.  The surrounding, the atmosphere everything is worked upon so that the look and feel, the smell of a live kitchen whether the food you are smelling or kitchen aroma from the flowers or perfumes can be experienced.

Meanwhile, the mental mappings of the things have become more critical. The flower that is used in Asian restaurant is different from an open restaurant. The colour, decor, the crockery and cutlery everything is arranged to bring connection.  Food is become more than just ‘feeding your stomach’.

On his own restaurant

I try to make my restaurants a fun because a customer always enjoys good food but he do not always enjoy sitting at serious stiff surrounding and eat food. The customer also wants energy and laughter and good food is about experience, who you are eating with, are you enjoying, laughing, having conversation. And the same food eaten alone probably may not seems that exciting if it’s not with friends and family. So, I try to keep my restaurant great fun, interesting, casual, full of energy and laughter and try to incorporate things which can make the place more lively. I try to recreate the warmth in my restaurant.

On drop in sales in restaurants

I think there is overall depression in the Indian economy because of the political and the financial scenario that is making the sales drop in Indian restaurants.  We have a restaurant in Goa and it was noticed that there were no tourists and there were many questions thrown that why the tourist didn’t come up but in result there were no tourist and we did no business. We have suffered majorly and is still suffering and in fact many hotels and restaurants in Goa is shutting down this year and they won’t come up next year as they don’t have the money to survive and our condition is also very bad. So, there is some kind of feeling about spending money and that may be a reason that sales gave gone down or is slower during last two to three years.

Advice to young chefs

Work harder, cook with ingredient that is easier to find, cheaper to find, use local ingredients, local sourcing with farmers, buy things yourselves, try to create interesting dishes and you’ll rock the kitchen.