Lay offs and pay cuts among urban Indian professionals have catapulted Udipi joints and budget dabba services on to the elite eater's radar. Aastha Atray Banan explores the recent world of corporate bailout packages, the all-new rice plate rage and change of venue to the office canteen
Lay offs and pay cuts among urban Indian professionals have catapulted Udipi joints and budget dabba services on to the elite eater's radar. Aastha Atray Banan explores the recent world of corporate bailout packages, the all-new rice plate rage and change of venue to the office canteen
Overheard at a popular and packed-to-the-brim Lower Parel Konkani restaurant: "A week ago, I told my
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girlfriend about my 20% pay cut, and we shouldn't be lunching at expensive joints every day," said a formally attired entrepreneur to a bunch of friends.
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"So what's it going to be now? Idli-Sambhar?" they asked him. "No. We still eat at the same places. But now, she insists on footing the bill!" This might be a one-off anecdote considering most urban professionals have been hit by recession, and not all of us have loaded partners who can bail us out.
Pay cuts and layoffs have forced India's working class to rethink their daily expenditure chart, and take some tough decisions should a healthy-though-not-half-as-exciting dabba replace the daily order of Spaghetti Bolognese?
A Vada Pav will do
Mumbai-based Media Sales Officer Abhishek Salwan and his friends are keeping a track of their daily expenses. The frequent lunch outings to Copper Chimney at Worli or Spaghetti Kitchen at High Street Phoenix have been dropped. A Rs 5 Vada Pav at a roadside stall or a burger from a fast food chain is good enough.
"It was important that I took the decision because I used to spend about Rs 300 on lunch each day. Now, I manage within Rs 100," says the 25 year-old. Lifestyle writer Anamika Butalia agrees. She has discovered a cheap but stylish alternative to gorging on expensive Risotto. "My job keeps me on-the-go. So, I need a lunch that's inexpensive but filling.
Prithvi Cafu00e9 is my new haunt. Instead of the Rs 350 Risotto, I can order four Salami Sandwiches and three plates of Chaat, and still shell out just Rs 200. Besides, it's such a great place to hang out at," she says of the quaint wooden table and stone bench outdoor cafe that's part of Juhu's Prithvi theatre campus.
The Udipi is back
Abandoning hip but expensive launch joints has led to a rise in the popularity of Udupi joints. Known for their quick, fuss-free service and delicious fare, Udupis that have long been famous for the quintessential Rice Plate, are suddenly on the elite eater's radar. KS Narayanswamy, the man behind Mani's at Matunga, the legendary lunch home, vouches for the fact that their lunches are better than home-cooked meals. A special thali served on a plaintain leaf with unlimited rice, chapatis, curd, papadam, chaas, 3 vegetables, rasam, sambhar, and pickle costs Rs 60. "You can eat a Rice Plate for just Rs 30. If you cook at home, you will spend so much more."
Dabbawalas rule
Ankush Balshiram Medge, a team worker at the Mumbai Dabbawala Association, says he has noticed a steady rise in the number of dabbas they deliver every day. In the last few months, Mumbai's dabbawalas who ferry close to two-and-a-half lakh dabbas a day, have added more than 3,000 dabbas to their load.
"When the recession had just hit, dabbas decreased since people were losing their jobs but in the last two months, those who've never eaten out of a dabba, have ordered one," he says. Sandeep Mathur is one of them. The diet dabba he ordered six months ago costs him close to Rs 2,000 a month.
"It's healthy, so I lose weight and save money. What an idea!" laughs the 35 year-old banking executive. He says how most of his colleagues who used to head to China Gate at Worli or Atria Mall for lunch, now prefer cheaper options.
In the last few months, Mumbai's dabbawalas who ferry close to two-and-a-half lakh dabbas a day, have added more than 3,000 dabbas to their load. "When the recession had just hit, dabbas decreased since people were losing their jobs but in the last two months, those who've never eaten out of a dabba, have ordered one," says Ankush Balshiram Medge, team worker at the Mumbai Dabbawala Association.
Dr Rohit Sane of Bombay Meal, a healthy dabba service that delivered to your cubicle says they delivered around 50 dabbas a month ago, and that's moved up to 250 dabbas a day.
Ghar ka khana at the office canteen
But for many, or ordering a dabba can't compare to the tiffin mummy packs. Lakshmipriya Nair's mum wakes up at 6 am every day so that she has enough time to prepare her daughter's lunch dabba in time for her to leave the house at 8.15 am to catch a local from Dombivali station. Lakshmi, who works for an real estate magazine, says the logic is simple.
"When you order in, they send you quantities you can't stomach. My mother knows exactly what I want and how much I eat. So, my lunch is suited to my likes, and I send up saving Rs 3,000 a month," says the 23 year-old, who often shares her dabba with colleagues when they get tired of the office canteen menu.
The editorial editorial team at a national daily,u00a0 that used to gorge on pizzas that cost no less than Rsu00a0 250 for an 12-inch, now prefer eating Indianised pizza their office canteen has decided to whip up. "We'd spend half a grand on two pizzas. Now, we can order four for Rs 100, and share them," says a reporter.
In Bangalore
The office canteen is the newu00a0favourite hangout for colleagues
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Jeena Akoijam enjoys a meal with colleagues at Rice Bowl |
Jeena Akoijam, a physiotherapist at Contour International, a fitness centre in Jayamahal, isn't whining about having to carry packed lunch but the wistfulness in her voice is hard to miss when she says, "I used to drop in at KFC and Pizza Hut regularly, but for the past few months, I've been eating out of my lunch box. It's consolation that I'm saving cash. I used to spend Rs 4,000 on eating out every month. My lunch bill is now just Rs 1,500. But the annoying bit is that I have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen! "
Zafar Iqbal, process leader at TESCO, is happy to report that the recession hasn't affected his waistline. He has been eating at the office canteen, where, he says, he gets a substantial meal for between Rs 30 and Rs 50. It's either Fried Rice, a plate of noodles or rolls. "I save Rs 100 every day," he says. And when it comes to lunch dates, the mantra is to keep it simple. "Don't break the bank just so you can impress," suggests Vinay Raj, a techie who says that he and girlfriend go dutch.
Restaurateurs says young professionals continue to eat out but they are careful about how much they spend. Vinod KP, manager at Bean There Done That on MG Road, says they've done their bit to lure customers. The lunch buffet is still priced at Rs 234, but they've added dishes. We have more non-veg food on offer now," he says.
Last month, Mainland China at Indiranagar launched the "5 people eat, 4 pay" offer on their lunch buffet priced at Rs 275 plus taxes. And that's increased footfall during lunch hour admits manager Llyod Rosario. Those who run up a bill of more than Rs 2,500, get a gift voucher worth Rs 250.
Others like Suman Aich, manager at The Grand Magrath Hotel near Garuda Mall, are shotting off SMSes to customers, thanking them for patronising the lunch buffet priced at Rs 199 per person. Good business practice? Maybe, but also a sign of difficult times.
In Delhi
Delhi lures professionals with bailout packages
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IT pros Shruti and Shivani at Mandarin Trail, Noida |
According to Ankur Sachdev, chairman and MD of Bonsai, a hip eating joint in Connaught Place, the count of corporate lunches has gone down. "We used to be packed with corporates dropping in for lunch with their clients. The numbers have dropped suddenly. Those who dined on official entertainment allowance have cut down on restaurant meals. But there is no change on the private dining front. Working couples keep dropping in as usual," he says.
Ironically, the recession has done nothing to stop new eateries from cropping up. Menus are being revamped, interiors are reworked to lend them a new feel. Roger Narula, CEO of Wadhawan Hospitality, a chain that's behind recently-opened The Tasty Tangles, says, "Footfall hasn't decreased. It's just that customers have become more prudent about spending. People are not going to stop eating out."
The Future Group that's behind The Sports Bar, has introduced an interesting campaign that they call Corporate Bailout Package. Here, all domestic liquor brands are priced at Rs 99. "We started operating in January, when the recession was at its worst. The slump was killing the fun side of the urban professional, so we decided to roll out the campaign. The response has been encouraging," says Ranjith Rajasekharan, marketing head.
In Pune
Call centre crowd abandons food courts for dabbas
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Customers order lunch at Sampan Food Court at Camp. PIC/ANIL NAIK |
Corporates have cut costs by putting off team parties. Navtej Sawhney, partner at One Lounge, a restobar at Koregaon Park, says that prices on the menu have not been cut. But the the total cost of office parties has been cut down by 15% to 20%. With entrepreneurs looking for alternative lunch options, dabba services have seen an increase in demand. "Since mid-January, the demand has shot up. We serve both, vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals for Rs 1, 200 a month," Sunita Naiknavare of Annapurna Mess Services. Of the many opting for the lunch dabba is M. Sreenubabu, Insurance Executive at Capita. "Ordering a dabba is better than ordering lunch at a restaurant where a single bill could amount to Rs 700," he says. Atique Habib Ansari, partner at Sampan Food Court admits that the crowd has thinned out by 40%, most of them being call-centre executives.
Recession will improve urban professional's health, says nutritionist
When you carry home-cooked food or order a healthy dabba, you get to eat fruits, vegetables and salad. These are items you'll rarely order at a restaurant. So, in effect, people are shunning junk food for the good-old dal and roti.u00a0
- Khushboo Sahijwani
aastha.atray@mid-day.com
With Inputs from Kumar Saurav, Kavitha K, Aanchal Kurmi and Omi Gurung
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