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Fine dining restaurant industry in India
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Wednesday, 16 November, 2011, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Aji Nair
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Fine-dining, as the name suggests, offers patrons the finest in food, service and atmosphere. Fine dining restaurants allow the customers to experience the celebration of food that is aesthetically cooked to arouse their taste buds. A treatment so enticing and delicacies so indulging that will leave people to crave for more. The authentic cuisines of the world under one roof, cooked with utmost finesse to realise and enhance the flavour of each ingredient that is tossed into it. The aroma, flavour and texture of the food coupled with the ambience will transcend an epicurean delight.
Huge variety
Growth of restaurants in the country has put on the table not only diverse local flavours but a huge variety of international cuisines. Indian food choices are a gastronomical delight with each region offering its signature cuisine. At present, restaurants have taken over the task for social gatherings, offering novelty and convenience at the same time. Independent outlets therefore continue to dominate the industry in India. There are a total of 1.5 million eating outlets in India and the number is expected to grow very rapidly in the near future.
The Indian restaurant industry is growing at a rate of 5 to 6% per annum with revenues amounting to sizeable Rs 43,000 crore (organised and unorganised industry). The relatively new organised segment of the industry is estimated at between Rs 7,000 crore and Rs 8,500 crore. The tough economy of the past two years has altered the restaurant and hospitality landscape.
Dining culture
The dining culture has evolved over time with huge infrastructural growth and expanding middle-class in the cities owing to a strong economy. The fine-dining culture pays special attention to the quality of food served as well as the ambience. With market liberalisation policies undertaken by the government, India has also become a consumer market with a huge customer base. This has provided a fillip to the restaurant industry in the country. With the high standard of living and the change in the lifestyle of the people, more and more consumers are flocking various restaurants. The rate of growth of the restaurant industry in India is expected to be around 4.5% YoY on an average. A significant number of the workforce in the country is engaged in the restaurant industry. However, the main challenge is to enhance the market growth of the industry. Today, the Indian restaurant industry is mainly based in the urban areas and tourist destinations. Efforts need to be made to increase the market in the rural areas as well. There are restaurants in the rural areas but most of them fall under the unorganised sector.
Customer service
Customer service in fine dining restaurants is of supreme importance, especially in Indian traditional restaurants. Customer service in a fine dining restaurant is much more attentive than in casual dining establishments. Fine-dining service goes far beyond taking an order and delivering food. Today fine-dining can be in any type of setting and feature a wide variety of cuisine, from ethnic to organic, and local fare. The restaurants make an effort to train the staff. With international restaurant chain entering the Indian foyer and increasing the competitiveness, special attention is being paid to hygiene and cleanliness. Being assured healthy and wholesome food options and quality outlets is a significant crowd-puller. Restaurants are located near tourist attractions and offer wide variety of dining options ranging from fine-dining to value-for-money food. Quality plays a significant role in determining and influencing customer satisfaction. Service-based industries such as hotels and restaurants are spending tremendous effort to measure and improve the service quality of their businesses. Indian restaurants treat customers as equal to God. Service quality is an attitude or global judgment about the superiority of a service.
Foreign players
The entry of foreign players has impacted Indian food chains in a big way. Homegrown brands spruced up their menus and upgraded their standards in food, hygiene and service, besides refining the art of marketing eateries. This has given them the heft and confidence to embark on a global expansion. But every industry reaches a saturation point in the major metros, growth and expansion meant smaller towns, or going overseas. One of the fastest growing sectors of the economy of our time is the restaurant industry. The restaurant industry alone is a multi-billion dollar and growing enterprise. It is exciting, never boring and offers unlimited opportunities. The industry is diverse enough for people to work in different areas of interest and still be employed within it.
Rewarding experience
Staying in the restaurant industry may prove to be a very satisfying and rewarding experience. Meanwhile, mismanagement and incompetent analysis of the market may also lead to huge financial losses. Thus, every step taken in this competitive industry must be carefully weighed and properly implemented. It is important to first analyse the current situation of the business. Change is constant, and to ensure the long-term success of the restaurant industry, then changes in various areas of society have to be factored in present conditions and future forecasts. These are said to include the fluctuations in variables affecting the target market and in everything else that the business encompasses.
(The author is assistant vice-president, F&B division, Mirah Hospitality)
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