Christmas-New Year week brings cheer as restaurants, pubs eye 30% uptick

Sold out for Christmas brunch, heavy footfall on New Year eve leads to 30% uptick in business for eateries

As Christmas bells ring and people venture out to make merry, restaurants and pubs across the country are gearing up for a busy week ahead.

 

BeeYoung Brewgarden, in New Delhi’s Malviya Nagar locality, is witnessing an uptick in occupancy during the Christmas-New Year period compared to regular weekends.

 

“Christmas Day is close to full capacity during peak hours, while New Year eve is already significantly pre booked. The increase reflects a broader shift towards experience-led venues, where curated environments, programming and food and beverage offerings influence consumer choice,” Abhinav Jindal, chief executive officer (CEO) and founder at the establishment told Business Standard.

 

He added that the period is “expected to deliver two to three times the revenue of a standard weekend.”

 

Massive restaurants owner Zorawar Kalra, which operates brands like Farzi Café and Bo Tai, is sold out for Christmas brunch in Delhi.

 

“We are experiencing really good growth over November and all our rooftop establishments are performing better than expected despite high pollution levels and the weather,” said Kalra.

 

Hyderabad and Bengaluru-based Ironhill Brewery expects around 85–90 per cent occupancy across key outlets driven by live DJ and festive programming, while New Year eve is projected to operate at near-full capacity.

 

“Christmas Day is expected to generate 25–30 per cent higher revenue compared to a regular weekend, while New Year eve remains the peak revenue driver, with 50–70 per cent more revenues than an average weekend,” said Teja Chekuri, founder of the establishment.

 

Bombastic, based in Kolkata, expects robust footfall across key dates, with over 400 guests per day and over 600 guests on December 31.

 

“Based on current trends, we anticipate a 20–25 per cent increase in revenue compared to regular weekends, driven by higher footfall and premium festive spending,” said Apu Pusti, unit head at the establishment.

 

Mumbai-based The Bluebop Cafe said it typically sees a 40-50 per cent increase in footfall during the Christmas-New Year period compared to an average December weekend.

 

“This is driven by festive dining, group celebrations, and live music experiences, especially in neighbourhood places that offer a warm, experiential vibe rather than just party-centric formats,” said founder Eesha Sukhi. Sukhi added that the period contributes to 45–55 per cent revenue growth.

 

Meanwhile, the recent fire at a Goa club has cautioned the industry. Owners of various establishments are doubling down on fire safety briefings to staff members.

 

“There is also a lot of pressure from authorities to maintain proper standards. We are checking and re-checking everything to be safe,” said an industry executive.

 

With inputs from Aneeka Chatterjee