Is Eating Out, In?

Eating-out frequently has led to the boom of the restaurant industry in recent years. But, when you stop to think, how willing are we to give up the home-cooked food we so love? We bring to you some points of view…

ZHANG HONG SHENG

Head Chef

TCK by The China Kitchen

With the wide variety of cuisines available in Tier-I cities, diners have started experimenting a lot more. They no longer need a reason or a special occasion to eat out because a restaurant is more than just a place to eat - it is also a place to socialise and unwind. However, at the same time, millennials are mindful of what they eat and select their places after thorough consideration. Also, due to ultraurbanisation and the introduction of western food chains in India, we now have countless options for food. There is also a growing niche of restaurants that are slowly coming around to using niche, regional ingredients such as the black rice of Manipur which is being incorporated into restaurants and hotel menus.

Indians have been taught that fresh food made at home is better and healthier, since time immemorial. They tend to go out mostly on special occasions with their friends or family members. According to a report, dining out with the family accounts for 25 per cent of all meals outside home, wherein families spend anywhere between 5,000 and 6,000 a month on eating out. Among cities, Delhi and Mumbai spend the most on eating out, a reflection of their large population and high per capita income. However, while denizens of Delhi-NCR love eating out more elaborately in stand-alone restaurants, their counterparts in Bengaluru and Mumbai prefer on-the-go meals due to the longer commutes. Yet, urban Indians do not eat out as much as their peers in other countries. Nonetheless, the market is expected to grow, and it is estimated that restaurants will benefit over the next decade as millennials spend more.

AKSHAY NAYYAR

Culinary Consultant

Novele