Restaurants offer cool treats to beat IPL heat

It’s IPL time of the year again, and everyone’s eyes are set on the screens of television. It is hard to keep your mind on work and even harder to try keeping your fingers away from the phone to check on the live score! IPL is not just a game but a season that is celebrated in India. At times like these, everyone looks out for places they can chill and meet like-minded people to enjoy the game with some hot smokey food and cool beverages to gulp down. Many restaurants and cafes have seen the opportunity and have introduced some season-friendly menus and have put up big screens that forecast live matches. “Sport seasons are celebrated like festivals in India. Growing popularity of domestic leagues like IPL always give us a great opportunity to bring something interesting for our patrons”, says Vikrant Batra, Owner, Cafe Delhi Heights.

What’s cooking?

Some restaurants have been hosting special events and discounts on food for the IPL fever for years now and this has become a tradition for them. “We have been doing it ever since we first opened the doors of Cafe Delhi Heights in 2011”, adds Batra. Watching a match with a group of friends or family members clubbed with a great meal just exhilarates the entire experience giving restaurants a footfall to enthral. Created as a festival IPL season gives the target audience just another chance to go out and enjoy. The menus are tweaked specifically for these days and for the groups of people coming in to watch the shows and big screens are put up to make the screening comfortable for the audience. “We have some interesting menus created for IPL season. We have a big television screen which works for IPL very well and forecasts live shows”, shares Raajiv Nathani, owner of Afra Tafri, Calcutta.

Earn Loyalty

“We don't do IPL promotions keeping the monetary aspect in our mind. It is more about the comfort and experience that we provide our patrons. It definitely increases the sales but it is more to do with how much people like to be a part of it”, concludes Vikrant. By hosting programmes like these you do not just gain footfall for the week but also build up brand value and add loyal customers to your bench. If a customer likes what you are serving, he will visit you even after all the events are gone. This is a good way and a good time to step up.

The sporty atmosphere coupled with exciting dishes sells itself. There is no need for promotional campaigns and only the efficient use of social media will do the trick. Fans are already on the lookout for best places to go at, coupled with affordable menus and tasty food. Just catering to the changing needs of people is what you should aim at.