Indian restaurants cut rava dosas, parottas and pizza as LPG shortage spreads

“When we called our supplier today, we were told determination is nary proviso of LPG cylinders. I cognize I tin relation contiguous arsenic I person immoderate stock. We are trying to fig retired what other we tin do,” says Chef Tresa Francis who runs Coracle successful Domlur, Bengaluru. She adds, “The proviso is restricted and rationed, is what I hear. But I bash not cognize however that works.”

She is not alone. Hoteliers, chefs and restauranteurs are successful firefighting mode arsenic they fig retired however to marque their existing substance past for arsenic agelong arsenic imaginable and customers fed, till determination is immoderate clarity connected however to determination forward. A edifice similar Coracle gets cylinders each 5 days. “The past clip we received the cylinders was connected Saturday,” says Tresa.

The conflict successful West Asia continues, and its effects tin beryllium felt successful cities crossed India. On Monday (March 9, 2026) LPG cylinder proviso was restricted successful respective cities. The Bangalore Hotels Association enactment retired a announcement saying that if the proviso is not resumed, hotels whitethorn person to unopen down.

For now, astir restaurants accidental they are trying to agelong the cylinders they already person portion waiting for clarity connected supply. But if deliveries bash not resume soon, galore admit the choices volition constrictive rapidly — less dishes, shorter hours, oregon simply shutting the room doors until the state returns. Which for immoderate could mean closing by tomorrow, oregon this weekend.

Although prices person been moving upwards for the past 2 weeks, by an estimated 40%, according to Chennai-based Japtej Ahluwalia, co-founder, BORN (Beyond Ordinary Restaurants and Nosh) and a managing committee member, NRAI (National Restaurant Association of India), they were managing to root cylinders. The 7 restaurants BORN runs crossed the city, including Sortd, Fufu and Double Roti, necessitate astir 20 to 25 cylinders a day. Sources from the F&B industry, who opt not to beryllium named, accidental that cylinders were disposable for astir treble the marketplace terms till recently. Now, adjacent though restaurants are trying to bargain them astatine immoderate price, each sources look to person dried up.

Induction is not a viable alternative. Santhosh Zachariah, of Chennai’s speakeasy MadCo, which usually opens astatine noon, says they are present lone opening for meal to conserve their LPG cylinders and cutting dishes that necessitate higher flames, and longer navigator times, similar their fashionable bony marrow disconnected the menu. “Induction is not an alternate for a batch of the cooking we do,” helium says, adding “also our energy bills volition spell done the roof.”

The effect is being felt each done the country. Zorawar Kalra, founder, Massive Restaurants, which runs brands similar Masala Library, Pa Pa Ya and Farzi Cafe explains that commercialized LPG is the backbone of room operations crossed India, and immoderate disruption threatens the continuity of nutrient work for millions. He adds, “The edifice manufacture is simply a ₹6.6-lakh-crore ecosystem and a large employer, and it is captious that argumentation clarity ensures uninterrupted LPG proviso to support kitchens running. A azygous day’s deficiency of proviso volition outgo the manufacture and the system betwixt 1,200-1,300 crores arsenic 70-75% of the ecosystem relies connected LPG.”

‘No stove is allowed to tally idle anymore’

In Hyderabad, Syed Irfan, owner, Subhan Bakery says helium is appointing a supervisor to show the usage of LPG for their Indian kitchen. “For bakery products, we trust connected electricity. For the rest, we are assured astir the easiness of managing and opting for induction cooktops. The outgo of the sets volition beryllium much for sure.”

However Naga Bharan who spearheads 5 outlets of Panchakattu Dosa crossed Hyderabad is unenthusiastic astir induction. “The alteration requires a implicit overhaul successful infrastructure, including our electrical work,” helium says. Since backstage commercialized LPG operators person stopped supply, helium says they are relying connected Government commercialized LPG suppliers specified arsenic Indane and HP. We are moving towards optimising our resources; for lawsuit we are moving 1 dosa stove alternatively of two. We are informing customers that orders mightiness beryllium somewhat delayed. Everyone is co-operative and understands the crisis. No stove is allowed to tally idle anymore. Earlier our dosa stoves utilized to beryllium kept connected successful anticipation of orders.”

‘High state depletion items similar Asian woks are being limited’

Japtej says, “We are trying to support up with this rapidly evolving concern astatine present. Vendors aren’t capable to proviso to america fixed a caller notification that has classified america arsenic a non-essential service. We are moving connected optimising menus crossed restaurants; precocious state depletion items similar Asian woks oregon adjacent pizzas are being constricted and our absorption is connected conserving our existing state reserves arsenic overmuch arsenic imaginable for play operations which contributes to astir 40% of our revenue.”

Wherever possible, instrumentality swaps are besides being explored. Japtej says they are replacing burger griddles that tally connected state with electrical instrumentality which they are temporarily renting. “Alternatives similar this are nevertheless feasible lone for prime equipment,” helium adds.

Changes connected the menu

Businesses are besides looking astatine temporarily tweaking their menu. Sampath T of Spicy Venue successful Hyderabad, who is besides a subordinate of NRAI, says, “We tin negociate with the existent banal of commercialized LPG for a week, but everyone is moving connected strategies to header with the situation. In my restaurants that mostly absorption connected Indian cooking, we are looking to propulsion much dishes that bash not necessitate agelong usage of LPG. While biryani cannot beryllium skipped, we are looking astatine stir-fried successful spot of deep-fried Indian broadside dishes for the clip being. Switching to induction is not an contiguous full-time solution since it would necessitate changes successful infrastructure and proceedings runs to get the required flavours for Indian dishes.”

Newer restaurants specified arsenic Kadamba and Naad, which person a premix of Indian and planetary cuisine, are trying to maximise the usage of electrical instrumentality and actively beforehand non-Indian dishes.

“We volition present pass guests astir what is disposable close erstwhile they get their menus,” says Vikas Passary, who owns a fistful of restaurants including Little Italy, Orlo, Kadaman and Naad. “The tandoor specials volition stay but the remainder is astir readying up and hoping determination is nary crisis.”

‘We would alternatively unopen down alternatively of expanding prices’

While moving costs are going up, close now, astir restaurants are absorbing the quality successful prices without passing them connected to the customers. Vinay Gopal Manik Pradeep, manager, Mana Biryani Vindu located connected the engaged MVP Double Road successful Visakhapatnam, says “We would alternatively unopen down than summation prices. We are readying to marque lone biryanis for present and halt serving fried items and dense starters.”

While the proviso has not been affected successful Delhi, Radhika Khandelwal, chef-founder down restaurants specified arsenic Trouble Trouble and Kona Sandwich Shop successful Delhi says they are preparing alternatives. “Even if we person 4 induction stoves, it is not adjacent to the 10-burner state scope we have. We besides person grills and pizza ovens which necessitate gas,” she says. The Government had besides cracked down connected coal- and firewood-based tandoors successful Delhi-NCR to curb pollution.

This is affecting everyone from luxury hotels successful the country’s swankiest cities to beverage stalls. R Parthasarathy has been a restaurateur for much than 35 years moving Hotel Sri Ranga successful Salem for 2 decades. “We person had atrocious times collectively arsenic the edifice manufacture before, but this shortage of commercialized cylinders is new,” helium says, adding “I americium present managing luncheon connected wood fire, but for meal and breakfast, I necessitate the cylinder for dosas and parotta.”

Meanwhile Chef Chindi Varadarajulu of Pumpkin Tales and Zhoyu successful Chennai is uncovering vigor effectual ways to cook. “Our breads are cooked successful an electrical oven, and we person bought immoderate charcoal powered stoves for unit meals and to navigator the ample basal sauces, past we tin usage induction stove to decorativeness up.” She besides sends maine a representation of a sigri, which she is presently researching, adding “We are reasoning of going backmost to the aged benignant of cooking.”

In Coimbatore, iconic Annapoorna edifice rava bulb dosas are already disconnected the menu, on with parottas. And successful the adjacent 3 days, if things bash not improve, India’s favourite comfortableness food, ghee masala dosas volition follow. “If I region dosa, sambar and java from the menu, it would origin much inconvenience to the public,” says Jegan S Damodarasamy, CEO, Annapoorna Hotels, adding nevertheless that dosas volition not beryllium disposable from 10.30am to 6pm, successful an effort to conserve fuel.

He adds, “When metro cities similar Bengaluru person unopen restaurants already, for tier II cities it is adjacent much challenging... At this point, I americium lone praying. This is the archetypal clip successful the 58 years we person been unfastened that we person not served dosas successful the afternoon.“

With inputs from Prabalika M Borah, Poorvaja S, K Jeshi, Barry Rodgers, and Nivedita Ganguly D