It’s time for the ‘year that was’ features, a useful annual ritual that allows us to introspect. For the restaurant industry, the last year of the decade has been a particularly challenging one.
Tough times: The fast changing dynamics of the market, especially the growing clout of the third party aggregators, the clampdowns by the civic authorities – particularly in Bangalore – and a sluggish economy all made their negative impact felt on the industry. A growing customer base clamouring for discounted, home-delivered food also struck a blow to the very concept of eating out.
#Logout: The worm turned. Restaurants held to ransom by Zomato and Swiggy and their discount schemes came together in a first ever show of unity and decided to log out of these ‘loyalty’ programmes. It demonstrated the strength of an entire industry and also focused attention on the methods adopted by large, funded corporations against restaurants, which are much smaller businesses.
Silence, please! In Bangalore long-established, popular venues like Monkey Bar, BFlat and Humming Tree felt the full force of the ban on live music, having eventually to down shutters. It was clear the authorities weren’t going to provide a solution or amend archaic laws. Most recently, Byg Brewsky in Sarjapur was sealed, a move spearheaded by the local MLA. If these businesses were not fully compliant how did they get licences to operate in the first place? It all comes down to the murky ways of the system and restaurants and bars become soft targets.
More brewpubs: Despite the challenging business environment more high investment brewpubs opened in Bangalore. Will there be a surfeit of these and how many will survive in the long run? Perhaps the new year will tell.
Mundane menus: Restaurants have been opening promising exciting dining experiences, but few delivered. Tried and tested staples, mindless aping and misguided attempts at modern Indian cuisine left diners with little or no enthusiasm for new restaurants. But it’s not all hopeless. There are efforts like Edible Archives in Goa, helmed by the prodigiously talented Chef Anumitra who gravitates against the mainstream, to look forward to. But more about that in another post.
Looking back and lessons from the year that wasHere’s wishing you all a very happy 2020.
