Pune: The ongoing commercial LPG shortage has begun to significantly impact the city’s dining ecosystem, with restaurateurs saying footfalls have dropped by nearly 50% for many. Service delays are becoming commonplace as well, with eateries struggling to adapt to alternative cooking methods.
Saili Jahagirdar, chapter head of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), Pune, said the crisis is tightening its grip on the sector, with operations becoming increasingly difficult after more than a week of disruption.
“Induction and coal-based cooking may look like options, but they are not sustainable in the long run.”
Capacity is limited, and it directly affects how much food can be prepared at a time,” she said, adding that footfalls across several establishments have seen a steep dip, in some cases close to 50%.
Restaurants across the city have either curtailed menus or switched to induction cooktops and traditional wood- and charcoal-fired bhattis to cope with the fuel shortage. However, these alternatives are proving inefficient for high-volume kitchens.
Rahul Ramnath, managing partner at Cafe CO2, said the situation has altered both customer behaviour and kitchen operations within days. “We have seen about a 30–35% drop in footfalls compared to last month. Customers are calling ahead to check if the full menu is available and whether there are any additional charges due to the gas issue,” he said.
The shift in cooking methods has also led to longer preparation times, affecting both dine-in service and food deliveries. “What we earlier served in 15–20 minutes is now taking around 30 minutes. Cooking on charcoal and wood-fired bhattis takes more time, so we are informing customers in advance,” Ramnath said.
Jahagirdar said that delays are being felt across the board. “Both dine-in guests and delivery customers are facing delays because cooking processes are slower. A dish that took 5–7 minutes earlier can now take 10–15 minutes. When multiple orders come in, the delay multiplies,” she said.
Gaurav Bhattacharya, general manager of Pride Premier, Pune, said, “We had to cut LPG consumption by almost half and bring in induction, charcoal and traditional chulhas. Cooking takes much longer now. A dish that took about 20 minutes earlier can take 40–45 minutes, but we have modified the menu to offset this delay. With everyone using heavy induction equipment, meter load issues are also possible in many kitchens.”