Is the rise in food delivery services changing the way Indians dine out?

According to a report by the National Restaurant Association of India, the average Indian consumer orders food 4.2 times a month but only dines out 3.7 times.

Consequently, while the average monthly expenditure on food delivery is Rs 1300, dining out costs less than Rs 1000.

“This trend doesn’t imply that dining in is replacing eating out. It simply indicates that people are cooking at home less frequently and opting for food delivery more often,” explained Nitin Saluja, founder of the restaurant chain Chayod.

At the report’s launch, the association suggested several measures to the government, including 24-hour restaurant operations in major cities with active nightlife, enabling input tax credit for GST in the sector, recognizing the food service industry as an official industry, and creating a dedicated food services ministry.

The report states that India’s food services market is currently valued at Rs 5.7 lakh crore and is growing at a CAGR of 8.1%.

Kabir Suri, President of NRAI and Co-Founder & Director of Azure Hospitality, noted, “Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian Food Service

Industry is rapidly expanding. The sector directly employs 85.5 lakh individuals and contributes Rs 33,809 crore to the Indian economy. The post-COVID recovery underscores the industry’s resilience, emphasizing the need for government action to maximize the sector’s potential.”