India’s restaurant and hospitality industry is weighing the potential impact of the revised UPI fee framework which will charge 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) proposed on transactions above Rs. 2000/-. Although, it is deferred until Diwali, this would significantly impact the industry as it works on thin margins. For an industry that has consistently encouraged customers to adopt digital payments for their convenience, the challenge is to maintain that experience without compromising profitability. Read more: tinyurl.com/yvw57wst #RestaurantIndustry #RestaurantBusiness #DigitalPayments #RestaurantManagement #ProfitMargins

Chrome Hospitality has expanded its Late Checkout brand with a second outlet in Bandra, following its debut in Lower Parel. Spread across 6,000 sq. ft., the new bar occupies the former Monkey Bar space and marks the group’s ninth venture in Mumbai. Founded by Pawan Shahri and Nikita Shahri, Chrome Hospitality operates brands including Gigi, Lyla, EVE!, Shy and Donna Deli. Read more: tinyurl.com/muv2tvac #RestaurantIndustry #HospitalityIndustry #RestaurantExpansion #MumbaiRestaurants #FoodAndBeverage

Westlife Foodworld Ltd., which operates @McDonalds restaurants across West and South India, has opened its 500th outlet in GIFT City, Gujarat, marking 30 years of McDonald’s in India. The opening also takes the McDonald’s Asia Business Unit’s network to 4,000 restaurants. Spread across 3,200 sq. ft., the new outlet offers dine-in and delivery services. The launch takes McDonald’s presence in Gujarat to 72 restaurants, including 31 drive-thrus. Read more: tinyurl.com/2s62cp2x #McDonalds #QuickServiceRestaurant #RestaurantExpansion #FoodServiceIndustry #RestaurantBusiness

Harajuku Tokyo Cafe has opened its largest outlet at Sky City Mall in Borivali, marking its second location in Mumbai. The brand has also introduced Harajuku Bakehouse at the mall, bringing its Japanese-inspired food, drinks and desserts to the western suburbs. Following its flagship outlet at Jio World Drive in BKC, the brand continues to expand its Fun Dine concept. Read more: tinyurl.com/5n8epe8u #JapaneseCuisine #CafeCulture #RestaurantExpansion #MumbaiRestaurants

Malgudi, the South Indian resto-café co-founded by singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan and entrepreneur K. S. Ramakrishnan, has opened its second outlet in the Delhi-NCR region in Gurugram. The brand plans to expand further across key locations in Delhi and the NCR. The café brings together traditional South Indian recipes and contemporary dining. Its menu features regional dishes, vegetarian and Jain-friendly options, along with signature filter coffee. Read more: tinyurl.com/4yzacyfj #RestaurantExpansion #SouthIndianCuisine #RestaurantIndustry #GurugramRestaurants

Bountyful has opened its doors in Indiranagar, Bengaluru, introducing a dining destination dedicated to India’s lesser-known regional cuisines and the everyday food traditions that rarely find a place on restaurant menus. The concept brings together thoughtfully curated vegetarian dishes, traditional beverages and Indian desserts in a warm, contemporary setting designed to evoke the comfort and familiarity of home-cooked food. Read more: tinyurl.com/ysebyb7t #RegionalIndianCuisine #IndianFood #VegetarianRestaurants #RestaurantLaunch #BengaluruFoodScene

The festive season, spanning Halloween, Diwali, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year, is a busy period for India’s restaurant and hospitality industry. From festive menus and bulk orders to private parties, weddings and holiday stays, businesses are preparing to capitalise on increased consumer spending and celebrations. According to reports, some restaurant chains are expecting 3–7% growth in the December quarter. Read more: tinyurl.com/36b35x2k #FestiveSeason #RestaurantTrends #FoodDelivery #MenuInnovation #ExperientialDining

Chifa, a restaurant inspired by Chinese-Peruvian cuisine, has opened in Marathahalli, Bengaluru. The restaurant brings together Chinese cooking techniques and Peruvian flavours, offering diners a different take on global cuisine. The concept takes inspiration from Chifa cuisine, which developed in Peru after Chinese immigrants brought their food traditions to the country in the 19th century. Over time, Chinese cooking methods blended with local Peruvian ingredients to create a distinct style of food. Read more: tinyurl.com/yc7r43ns #RestaurantNews #BengaluruRestaurants #ChinesePeruvianCuisine #RestaurantLaunch #FoodAndBeverage

Drāvida, the East Village restaurant by Mumbai-born Chef Aarthi Sampath, continues its exploration of Indian and South Asian diaspora flavours with Jam & Jaggery, an intimate speakeasy. Tucked away on the restaurant’s lower level, it is designed as a cosy, tavern-like space. Read more: tinyurl.com/3u6amx8f #SouthAsianCuisine #RestaurantLaunch #BarAndRestaurant #FoodAndBeverage

Krispy Kreme has opened two stores in Mysuru at Nexus Centre City Mall and Mall of Mysore, bringing its doughnuts to the city for the first time. Customers can also order online through Swiggy and Zomato. The Mysuru launch comes after the brand’s recent entry into Coimbatore, marking its second expansion into a new South Indian market this month. The move highlights the growing interest of food brands in expanding to cities beyond major metros. Read more: tinyurl.com/ys553cjf #KrispyKreme #RestaurantExpansion #QSR #FoodRetail #FoodAndBeverage

Santosham, a South Indian vegetarian restaurant specialising in Satvik, temple-style food, has opened a 60-seater outlet in Malad, marking its entry into Mumbai’s western suburbs. The restaurant brings its traditional family recipes and banana-leaf meals to the neighbourhood. Founded by mother-son duo Bhagyalakshmi Gohokar and Chittaranjan Gohokar, Santosham follows the philosophy of prasadam, focusing on traditional cooking and hospitality. Read more: tinyurl.com/ej27srsz #RestaurantLaunch #SouthIndianCuisine #RestaurantExpansion #MumbaiRestaurants

With a legacy dating back to 1912, Luxmi has built its identity around the craft of tea growing. As consumer preferences evolve, the group is finding new ways to connect with a generation exploring new flavours, wellness-led beverages and alternative drinking experiences. From herbal infusions, functional blends and matcha to Zero Proof by Makaibari, Luxmi is expanding tea’s possibilities while staying rooted in its heritage. Read more: tinyurl.com/5ahne9w8 #IndianTea #TeaIndustry #TeaExport #TeaBrands #SpecialtyTea

True Palate Hospitality, which operates One8 Commune, Neuma and Pincode, plans to expand to 50 outlets and generate revenue of ₹900–1,000 crore by 2030. The company currently has around 20–22 outlets across India and international markets. The company has signed projects for One8 Commune in Guwahati, Dehradun and Raipur. The Guwahati outlet will mark its entry into Northeast India. Read more: tinyurl.com/3neyfhtc #RestaurantExpansion #HospitalityIndustry #RestaurantBusiness #FranchiseBusiness #FoodServiceIndustry

Organic Creamery by @icebergindia has opened Craft House, its flagship store in Khajaguda, Hyderabad. Spread across 5,000 sq. ft., the outlet is located at Arka Rochish on Khajaguda–Nanakramguda Road. The store marks the brand’s 12th outlet and features seating for around 100 guests. A key feature of Craft House is a 21-foot cocoa tree at the entrance, which reflects the brand’s focus on nature and ingredients. Read more: tinyurl.com/3pmswh8f #OrganicIceCream #IceCreamIndustry #DessertTrends #FoodAndBeverage #RestaurantBusiness

Renowned celebrity chef Dr. K. Damodharan, popularly known as Chef Damu, has passed away at the age of 72. His daughter, Akshaya, confirmed the news in a message shared on social media, requesting privacy for the family as they mourn their loss. His last rites will be held today at 3 PM. Read more: tinyurl.com/3zyzzujb #ChefDamu #IndianCuisine #CelebrityChef #CulinaryHeritage #GuinnessWorldRecords #IndianChefs #IndianFood #CulinaryArts

India’s tea and coffee industry is entering a new phase of growth, driven by digital-first brands, evolving consumer preferences, premiumisation and changing consumption habits. While tea remains deeply embedded in Indian households, coffee is gaining ground among younger consumers, supported by the expansion of café culture and a growing willingness to pay for quality beverages. Read more: tinyurl.com/5jkmn69m #TeaBrands #CoffeeBrands #D2CBrands #BeverageIndustry #CafeBusiness

Westlife Foodworld Limited, which operates @McDonalds' restaurants across West and South India through its wholly owned subsidiary Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt. Ltd., reported a strong performance for the second quarter of FY27, with revenue from operations rising 16% year-on-year to ₹747 crore. Same-store sales growth (SSSG) stood at 10.1%, driven by double-digit growth in guest counts. Operating EBITDA increased 29% year-on-year to ₹98.1 crore, with margins expanding to 13.1%. Cash profit after tax (PAT) stood at ₹52.6 crore, translating into a margin of 7%. Read more: tinyurl.com/ycxp3enn #WestlifeFoodworld #QuickServiceRestaurants #RestaurantIndustry #FoodServiceIndustry #RestaurantBusiness

Sapphire Foods India Limited, which operates @kfc and @pizzahut restaurants in India and Sri Lanka, reported a 19.6% year-on-year increase in revenue from operations to ₹888 crore in Q2 FY27, compared with ₹742.4 crore in the corresponding quarter last year. The company’s consolidated net loss narrowed to approximately ₹1.5 crore from ₹12.8 crore a year earlier, supported by stronger sales across its restaurant businesses. Read more: tinyurl.com/ystfhbph #SapphireFoods #QuickServiceRestaurants #RestaurantIndustry #FoodServiceIndustry #QSRIndustry

For decades, India and other Asian markets have supplied tea, coffee and other commodities to the world, while much of the value created through branding, consumer relationships and global distribution has been captured elsewhere. The question now is whether Indian businesses can move beyond being reliable producers to becoming brands that consumers across the world recognise, trust and actively choose. Read more: tinyurl.com/52dp3m98 @Jivraj9Tea #IndianBeverageIndustry #TeaIndustry #BeverageMarket #IndianTea #BeverageBusiness

Harajuku Tokyo Café, the Japanese food and beverage business operating Harajuku Tokyo Café and Harajuku Bakehouse, has raised US$3 million in a Pre-Series A funding round led by Zero W. Existing seed investors Indian Angel Network and Samved VC have participated in the round with follow-on investments. Read more: tinyurl.com/599ddd8a @ianetwork #RestaurantFunding #RestaurantExpansion #JapaneseCuisine #FoodServiceIndustry