Summer 2025 footfall at Kol restos and bars beats pre-pandemic high
1
2
Kolkata: Footfall across Kolkata restaurants is the highest this summer since the pandemic, with most eateries across south and central Kolkata seeing a full house during lunch and dinner.
Online orders saw a major spike over the last fortnight. The rise in footfall was around 20% compared to last summer, according to Hotel and Restaurants' Association of Eastern India (HRAEI) president Sudesh Poddar.
While the summer vacation is on, the weather, though warm, was better than last summer when the city was gripped by a heatwave. These factors may have contributed to a footfall spurt, felt Poddar. "While footfall rise every summer, this year it was around 20% more compared to last May-June.
Unlike 2024, it rained more often this time, making it a comfortable to dine out. It also helped that the IPL playoffs were played till this week.
It always attracts the young who love to couple cricket with eating out," said Poddar.
Oudh 1590 and Chapter 2 have seen steady growth in footfall since the beginning of May. "It has been rising steadily, and it helped that we had our biryani festival on throughout last month. Summers are usually good for sales, but this year it was even better, possibly due to the improved weather.
Despite the occasional scorching period, people have been gorging on biryani and other north Indian fare. At Chapter 2, sales have been moderately higher than last summer's as well," said Shiladitya Chaudhury, co-founder and owner of Oudh and Chapter 2.
Park Street has seen a larger crowd during both lunch and dining hours since mid-May, said restaurateurs. Peter Hu has seen a waiting crowd every evening over the last month.
"This has been the best summer since the pandemic, and the footfall was 15% higher. We've had people waiting to get in even on weekdays. One reason could be the weather, which has been more bearable than the last two summers. Secondly, along with the younger generation, the elders, too, are now more into eating out.
Online orders, too, have increased," said Siddharth Kothari of Peter Hu.
At Mocambo and Peter Cat, waiting crowds have gotten progressively bigger over the last fortnight.
"We had full attendance throughout the day since the beginning of May. It has really been a good summer so far, easily the most crowded since the pandemic across all our outlets, including Peter Cat," said Mocambo and Peter Cat owner Nitin Kothari.
"We had a near-full attendance even during weekdays since last Sunday. Food sales have jumped appreciably. Liquor sales have dipped since we have more families coming in now. But that has been more than made up by the higher footfall and larger food orders," said Pratap Daryanani, owner of Oasis on Park Street. Footfall has been driven by a bigger family crowd, said Poddar, who owns Songhai, MS Bar & Lounge, and Manthan.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
Vijay Mallaya's iconic Kingfisher Villa, famous for its lavish parties, has been sold to THIS Bollywood couple, it is worth Rs…., new owners are
Remember Vijay Mallya, India's 'Good Time King'? As the face of United Breweries and Kingfisher, you must know that he ruled the liquor industry and expanded his empire into sports and airlines. Vijay Mallya's Royal Challengers In 2008, he brought cricketing excitement to Bangalore with the Royal Challengers franchise. Recently, when RCB finally clinched the IPL trophy, Mallya took to social media to congratulate the team, praise their dedication, and reignite the spotlight on himself. Take a look at Vijay Mallya's X post for RCB He wrote, 'When I founded RCB, it was my dream that the IPL trophy should come to Bengaluru. I had the privilege of picking the legendary King Kohli as a youngster and it is remarkable that he has stayed with RCB for 18 years. I also had the honour of picking Chris Gayle the Universe Boss, and Mr 360 AB DeVillers who remain an indelible part of RCB history. Finally, the IPL trophy arrives in Bengaluru. Congratulations and thanks again to all who made my dream come true. RCB fans are the very best and they deserve the IPL trophy. Ee Sala Cup Bengaluru baruthe!' When I founded RCB it was my dream that the IPL trophy should come to Bengaluru. I had the privilege of picking the legendary King Kohli as a youngster and it is remarkable that he has stayed with RCB for 18 years. I also had the honour of picking Chris Gayle the Universe Boss… — Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) June 3, 2025 Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher Villa in Goa was seized But Vijay Mallya's tale is not only one of commercial triumph; it also includes scandals, court cases, and, in the end, his downfall. When Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines failed, he was charged with not paying back the loans he had taken from multiple banks. Mallya left India and travelled to the UK in 2016 after steps were taken to recoup the loan of roughly Rs 900 crore that had been taken out from many banks, including IDBI Bank. Numerous his assets, including the well-known Kingfisher Villa in Goa, were seized by a syndicate of banks headed by the State Bank of India. Kingfisher Villa turned into King's Mansion In addition to being an opulent home, this villa served as a representation of party culture and affluent living. This house, which is spanned in 12350 square feet, was sold at auction in 2017, closing another chapter in Mallya's history, but this time, Bollywood gave the home a new way of life. Actor and businessman Sachin Joshi, along with his actress wife Urvashi Sharma, paid Rs 73.01 crore for this property, which they called the King's Mansion. His beer brand, Kings Beer, which is a part of Sachin's business empire, served as the inspiration for this moniker. Viking Ventures is owned by Sachin Joshi, while JMJ Group of Industries, which has a long history of operation in industries like real estate and liquor, is led by his father, Jagdish Joshi. About Sachin Joshi and Urvashi Sharma In 2011, Sachin Joshi debuted in Bollywood with the movie 'Aazaan.' Following this, he contributed to movies like 'Mumbai Mirror' and 'Jackpot,' as well as making an impression on Telugu cinema. 'Nee Jathaga Nenundali', the Telugu version of the popular movie 'Aashiqui 2', also featured him. He works in a variety of commercial domains in addition to acting. Urvashi Sharma, his wife, is also a well-known actress, having acted in movies such as 'Naqab,' 'Aakrosh,' 'Khatta Meetha,' and 'Chakradhar.' She also made it to the finals of the first season of 'Khatron Ke Khiladi,' and she is currently occupied with her family outside of the business. Both celebrities have lavish, opulent lives.
India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
'We need a 12-16-week IPL window': Punjab Kings co-owner makes unique request to BCCI
Shreyas Iyer (L) Mohit Burman (C) and Virat Kohli (R). New Delhi: Punjab Kings co-owner, Mohit Burman suggests extending the season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to 12-16 weeks so that its brand value rises and it can go head to head with top global leagues like the NFL and NBA. Though each IPL match accounts for the second highest worldwide value, the league's brand awareness is not as well established as that of older leagues. Burman believes more games will develop stronger team rivalries, create more interesting stories, and boost the fans' interest, which are key to the sport's progress. He also pointed out that having one organized international calendar is important for top players to take part regularly. 'We're already second in the world when it comes to per-match value, just behind the NFL. But overall brand value? That's a different game. I think we need a 12-16-week window to get there,' said PBKS co-woner and Dabur India chairman Burman to PTI. 'That gives us space to tell better stories, build rivalries, and create more value for everyone – fans, sponsors, broadcasters. But it's not just about length. It's about what we do in that time – the kind of content we push out, how we engage fans year-round, how we build the league beyond the season. IPL has the scale. Now it's about consistency and depth,' he added. The good results in the IPL should motivate everyone to stay vigilant. It is necessary to create new opportunities for fans, produce better content, and attract attention from people in several countries. Still, improving the presence of the IPL inside India is considered more essential than quickly trying to enter other countries. 'The IPL is already the biggest cricket product in the world, but staying there means not taking anything for granted. Player availability is crucial. We need a clean window where the best in the world can play without restrictions,' he added. He supports the increasing investment by Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise owners in international leagues like the CPL, ILT20, and The Hundred. He believes that maintaining a unified brand identity across various leagues and locations fosters brand growth and long-term viability. Punjab Kings' strong performance this season, culminating in a finals appearance after a long absence, has significantly boosted their revenue. The franchise reported a 25% increase in annual revenue, demonstrating the positive correlation between on-field success and increased fan and sponsor engagement.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Summer 2025 footfall at Kol restos and bars beats pre-pandemic high
1 2 Kolkata: Footfall across Kolkata restaurants is the highest this summer since the pandemic, with most eateries across south and central Kolkata seeing a full house during lunch and dinner. Online orders saw a major spike over the last fortnight. The rise in footfall was around 20% compared to last summer, according to Hotel and Restaurants' Association of Eastern India (HRAEI) president Sudesh Poddar. While the summer vacation is on, the weather, though warm, was better than last summer when the city was gripped by a heatwave. These factors may have contributed to a footfall spurt, felt Poddar. "While footfall rise every summer, this year it was around 20% more compared to last May-June. Unlike 2024, it rained more often this time, making it a comfortable to dine out. It also helped that the IPL playoffs were played till this week. It always attracts the young who love to couple cricket with eating out," said Poddar. Oudh 1590 and Chapter 2 have seen steady growth in footfall since the beginning of May. "It has been rising steadily, and it helped that we had our biryani festival on throughout last month. Summers are usually good for sales, but this year it was even better, possibly due to the improved weather. Despite the occasional scorching period, people have been gorging on biryani and other north Indian fare. At Chapter 2, sales have been moderately higher than last summer's as well," said Shiladitya Chaudhury, co-founder and owner of Oudh and Chapter 2. Park Street has seen a larger crowd during both lunch and dining hours since mid-May, said restaurateurs. Peter Hu has seen a waiting crowd every evening over the last month. "This has been the best summer since the pandemic, and the footfall was 15% higher. We've had people waiting to get in even on weekdays. One reason could be the weather, which has been more bearable than the last two summers. Secondly, along with the younger generation, the elders, too, are now more into eating out. Online orders, too, have increased," said Siddharth Kothari of Peter Hu. At Mocambo and Peter Cat, waiting crowds have gotten progressively bigger over the last fortnight. "We had full attendance throughout the day since the beginning of May. It has really been a good summer so far, easily the most crowded since the pandemic across all our outlets, including Peter Cat," said Mocambo and Peter Cat owner Nitin Kothari. "We had a near-full attendance even during weekdays since last Sunday. Food sales have jumped appreciably. Liquor sales have dipped since we have more families coming in now. But that has been more than made up by the higher footfall and larger food orders," said Pratap Daryanani, owner of Oasis on Park Street. Footfall has been driven by a bigger family crowd, said Poddar, who owns Songhai, MS Bar & Lounge, and Manthan.
