The restaurant industry in major cities saw a huge rise in business as the cricket craze reached a fever pitch with India and Pakistan’s match on Saturday.
As India began batting at around 6 pm, restaurant chains like Massive Restaurants, the owner of Farzi Cafe, and other well-known businesses like Cafe Delhi Heights reported business was 15–30% more than a regular weekend.
“Our Saturday lunch and pre-dinner sales were at an all-time high. Due to the customers’ joyful mood, even supper prices increased significantly across the board. This happened even at several of our foreign eateries that were broadcasting the game, according to Zorawar Kalra, founder and managing director of Massive Restaurants. Additionally, the business operates brands including Pa Pa Ya, Bo-Tai, and numerous others in roughly ten Indian cities.
Alcohol and meal sales at Cafe Delhi Heights, which has 20 locations in the National Capital Region (NCR), were about equal. Cricket fans also kept coming back to the shops following India’s victory.
“It was truly a fantastic boost for us, and the excitement surrounding such high-stakes matches undoubtedly played a significant role in a 16% revenue surge,” stated Udit Bagga, managing director of fine dining establishment Kakapo in Delhi.
Restaurants are experimenting by hosting a number of events during India match days. Swadeep Popli, restaurateur and creator of Flow microbrewery and The Chatter House bar in Delhi, said that the business will host a special event the next weekend when India plays New Zealand in a cricket match in Dharamshala. At its brewpub, there will be a paid celebration with cheerleaders, big screens, and seating for around 350 people.
Home deliveries increased as well. Orders increased by 100% week over week at Rebel Foods, the parent company of Behrouz Biryani, Faasos, Oven Story Pizza, and Wendy’s. Their “Born Blue” marketing, buy one, get one deals at several locations, and biryani combos resulted in a notable increase in orders and sales.
The company reported that its EatSure platform saw higher sales in tier-two cities like Agra, Aligarh, Faridabad, Jabalpur, and Rohtak.
