Food apps make Sehri, Iftar stress-free
With several restaurants in the city now open for most parts of the night, several people order food for their pre-dawn meal via online food delivery apps
Online food delivery services are changing the way people experience Roza Iftar and Sehri during the ongoing Ramzan. With several restaurants in the city now open for most parts of the night, several people order food for the pre-dawn meal via online food delivery apps.
This shift from preparing food late in the night for Sehri has been a game-changer for residents like Javed Khan, who previously struggled to cook during the early morning hours. “It’s a lifesaver for people like me who don’t have family around. I now order my Sehri and Iftar meals through food delivery apps. It’s easier for me to observe my fast, ensuring I don’t miss out on the essential meals,” said Javed, who works in Lucknow.
The service is also proving to be invaluable for homemakers like Sumbul Siddiqui, a 56-year-old from the Hussainabad area, who is dealing with joint pains. “I can’t cook for my family due to my illness. So, ordering food from such apps is the perfect solution for Iftar and Sehri,” Sumbul said. For Sumbul, the convenience of having food delivered straight to her door during Ramzan’s late-night hours has become an indispensable part of her fasting routine.
Restaurants in Lucknow have been quick to capitalize on the demand for late-night and early-morning meals. Establishments have curated special Sehri and Iftar menus, featuring local favorites such as kulcha-nihari, kebab, biryani and shahi tukda.
Abhishek Arora, a strategic account manager at Swiggy, said the demand for Sehri and Iftar meals has seen a significant spike, particularly in the Old City area. “We are seeing a 40% increase in orders from 5 pm to 3:30 am during Ramzan, with most of the late-night orders coming from the old city areas,” said Arora. To meet this growing demand, Swiggy has extended its delivery hours, allowing customers to order meals as late as 3:30 am. Popular eateries such Raheem, Tunday, and New Mubeen are among those offering exclusive Iftar and Sehri options through the platform.
Bilal Arshad, the owner of OnlineKaka, a local food delivery service in Lucknow, highlighted that the busiest time during Ramzan was from dusk to dawn. “We deliver everything from Shikanji and Kashmiri tea to biryani, kebab, and nihari. During Sehri hours, the demand is mostly driven by people who prefer not to cook at home or can’t venture out to restaurants during the early hours,” said Bilal.
A Zomato official said, “Late-night food deliveries are transforming Iftar and Sehri into a hassle-free experience for residents. We’ve seen a 30% increase in orders during the night hours during Ramzan.”
Restaurants like Tunday Kababi are also reporting a surge in late-night orders. Mohammad Faizan,Of Tunday Kababi, said, “Orders start pouring in after 4:30 pm, and they continue till 3:30 am. After that, things slow down significantly. We’re glad that we can cater to our customers through these apps.”
Shoeb Rizwan Qureshi from New Mubeen added, “We’ve been receiving orders non-stop from Iftar to Sehri. Interestingly, not only Muslim but also Hindu and Sikh families are ordering food from us during these hours, which shows the appeal of these dishes across communities.”
