Restaurant Menu Price Hike : If you are planning to eat out with family or friends during Diwali and the festive season, your budget could take a hit. Restaurant operators in several major Indian cities are preparing to increase food prices by 10 to 15 per cent. The impact may not be limited to customers dining at restaurants; people ordering food online could also face higher bills. With operating costs rising, restaurant owners say increasing prices is increasingly becoming unavoidable.

Rising Costs Increase Pressure On Restaurants
Restaurant businesses have been facing लगातार pressure from rising operating costs. Higher prices of essential food products such as milk and curd have made preparing several dishes more expensive. In addition, rising commercial LPG prices have increased kitchen expenses. Food inflation and higher employee salaries have further added to the difficulties faced by restaurant operators.

Prices May Rise In Bengaluru Mumbai Pune
According to the report, restaurant owners in major cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai and Pune are considering increasing menu prices by 10 to 15 per cent. Organisations associated with the restaurant industry in Karnataka are also preparing to raise food prices. If the decision is implemented, customers may have to pay more for restaurant meals for the second time this year.

Eating Out During Festivals May Cost More
Dining at restaurants with family and friends becomes more common during Diwali. People also order food online for house parties and guests visiting their homes. In such circumstances, an increase in menu prices could directly affect festive budgets. Families that frequently prefer eating out during the festive season are likely to face higher expenses.

Online Food Orders May Also Become Costlier
An increase in restaurant food prices could also affect customers ordering through food delivery services. If restaurant operators raise their menu prices, customers may have to pay more even when ordering food from home. This means that both dining out and ordering food online could become more expensive during the festive season.

Restaurant Owners Left With Option Of Raising Prices
Restaurant operators say expenses have continued to rise across several areas, including milk, curd, gas, food ingredients and employee salaries. They say it is becoming difficult to absorb the entire increase in costs themselves. As a result, passing on some of the additional burden to customers is now one of the remaining options. However, the extent of the proposed increase and the date it will take effect will depend on individual restaurant decisions.