The menu gets bigger: After metros, top restaurants enter new markets

Despite having multiple brands, many restaurateurs are choosing to focus their expansion efforts around one marquee name

Lower rents, better margins, rising aspiration, and greater purchasing power are fuelling a new trend in India’s food and beverage (F&B) sector: The expansion of reputed restaurants to non-metros.

 

As diners in these cities demand high-quality, experiential offerings, major hospitality players are moving beyond metros -- such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Chennai -- to tap into fresh markets with smart strategies and renewed focus.

 

Earlier this year, Delhi-based Bright Hospitality launched its restaurant, IKK Panjab, in Chandigarh, marking not just an expansion but a cultural statement. The launch was accompanied by the announcement of its intellectual property