Letters: Home-made food

This refers to the report, "Now, book online for your railway food" (October 15). The sword of poor quality food also hangs over a passenger's head if he/she exercises the option of ordering food online. The railway's catering is considered poor but there is no guarantee that the other option will provide quality food. The passenger is eating the food ordered online for the first time, and he has no choice over the restaurant from where the online portal orders the food. The portal acts like a mobile waiter. It is always better to carry home-made food. There is the option of vendors who are permitted by the railways to sell food in the compartments and also on the platform. These online portals are just a novelty, and there is a lot of marketing hype. Reporters writing about this do not ask questions about the quality of the food that is ordered from restaurants, and how much time would it take for the food to be delivered in the compartment once the order has been placed. Another option is to rely on the pantry cars - that can easily provide quality food - since the catering service on some of our trains is good. A passenger will always have a lingering fear about the quality of food be it in pantry cars, online portals or stalls. The ideal option is to carry home-made food.

Deendayal M Lulla Mumbai

Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201
E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number