Eating out with family for Diwali, Dussehra? Here’s why your restaurant bills may go up by 10-15% this festive season

Planning to eat out with your family during this festive season on Diwali and Dussehra? You may have to shell out more as restaurant menu prices are set to rise by around 10-15% at member establishments in Mumbai, according to the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR).

In a statement from AHAR President Vijay K Shetty, titled ‘Balancing the price on the menu with the cost behind the meal’, he credited the impending menu price rise to sustained increases in the cost of preparing and serving food.

The statement said that revised prices are expected to be introduced progressively over the coming weeks across dine-in, quick-service and delivery menus. “The revision follows several months during which restaurants absorbed higher expenses to limit the impact on customers,” the statement added.

Challenge extends beyond price of single commodity

According to Shetty, for restaurants in the financial capital, the challenge extends beyond the price of any single commodity. “Cooking fuel, everyday ingredients, commercial rents, employee wages and transportation have become more expensive. With these costs rising together, establishments face growing pressure on the margins that support daily operations,” he said.

The statement said recent reports illustrate the pressure on everyday kitchen essentials.

Cost of a meal includes people who prepare, serve it

According to AHAR said the proposed adjustment reflects the cumulative burden of higher procurement and operating expenses. “Even where individual ingredient prices stabilise or ease temporarily, restaurants continue to carry higher recurring costs. The cost of a meal includes the people who prepare and serve it, the premises in which it is served, and the hygiene, maintenance and utilities required to keep a kitchen functioning consistently,” it added.

The association emphasised that the revision is intended to recover a portion of the additional expenditure while maintaining food quality and service standards. Continuing to absorb the full increase, it said, has become increasingly difficult for operators.

According to the AHAR website, around 8,000 restaurants in the greater Mumbai area are part of the association.