E-Paper
Happy hours: Delhi restaurateurs hail reopening of bars, extension in timings of eateries
Restaurateurs in the city could not be happier, for they feel extended timings and permission to serve alcohol will help revive the dining scene
The Delhi government, in a fresh order, permitted reopening of bars in the Capital, with 50% seating occupancy, from noon till 10pm. It also granted permission to restaurants to operate till 10pm instead of 8pm, giving them an additional two hours. And, restaurateurs in the city could not be happier, for they feel extended timings and permission to serve alcohol will help revive the dining scene.
“All table reservations were coming in late evening, as patrons were unaware of timings. Also, most customers asked for alcohol. Now, even if we won’t see large groups coming in, the average person cost is going to go up, adding to the revenue,” says Radhika Khandelwal, chef-owner of Fig & Maple.
Renowned bartender Yangdup Lama, and founder, Sidecar, says the extension in timings will greatly benefit bartenders, bar and restaurant owners. “At a bar, there are hardly any takeaway orders. An extension gives a window to operate for additional hours, and will help space out reservations,” he says.
Hoping to see an increase in patrons, Avantika Sinha Bahl, owner of Kampai and Mai Bao, says, “We were losing dinner service, with the 8pm restriction. Footfall seems to be promising in the coming days.”
Owners of eateries with multiple outlets are relieved, as they can now reopen branches that had to be shut. “I opened only one outlet out of three, as with limited serving hours and no liquor, the other two would see more losses than gains. I’m now happy, as well be able to open all three outlets and serve the complete experience,” says Kanishk Tuteja, founder of 1 Oak, Nukkad and We Qutub.
Moreover, restaurateur Priyank Sukhija wishes to get a further extension as he says, “Hopefully the numbers [of Covid-19 cases] decline further and the industry gets to open beyond 10pm soon.”
