In the wake of the recently concluded Durga Puja celebration in Kolkata, the city’s inhabitants not only relished the beautifully adorned pandals, idols, and the overall festive ambiance but also gravitated toward dining venues to fulfill their gastronomic yearnings.
As per data from the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Eastern India (HRAEI), the high-end dining establishments within the city amassed an impressive sum of Rs 1,100 crore over a mere six-day span, peaking on Dashami, the ultimate day of the festival. This numerical insight denotes a substantial rise of more than 20 percent when juxtaposed with the earnings from the corresponding period in the previous year.
Second Unrestricted Durga Puja Celebration in Kolkata Sees Unwavering Enthusiasm and Record Restaurant Earnings
This year marked the second Durga Puja celebration after the removal of all pandemic-related restrictions, and the fervor and zeal persisted throughout the six-day festivity. Food enthusiasts were seen patronizing restaurants until the early hours of the morning, extending their merriment. Sudesh Poddar, the President of HRAEI and proprietor of a sophisticated restaurant and bar in Kolkata, approximated that the collective revenue generated by the city’s dining establishments exceeded Rs 1,100 crore during this interval.
Impressive Surge in Restaurant Sales and Enthusiasm During Durga Puja in Kolkata
A spokesperson for HRAEI highlighted a substantial increase in sales, ranging between 20 to 25 percent compared to the preceding year. Notably, some of the city’s renowned restaurants even surpassed their pre-COVID sales figures from 2019. This enduring enthusiasm comes two years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown, demonstrating the continued appetite for the joy of dining out and experiencing cinema in theaters. This trend was reported by Nitin Kothari, who owns three restaurants, including the iconic Mocambo and Peter Cat.
Even when unanticipated rain showers graced the afternoon of Navami, all three of Kothari’s establishments were brimming with patrons. Azra Asher Ather, the Sales Director of Aminia, a restaurant brand with a storied 95-year legacy, observed a surge in patron enthusiasm from all corners of the state during this year’s Durga Puja, resulting in a sales boost of 10-12 percent across their various outlets compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, Supratik Ghosh, owner of Ambrosia Bar and Restaurant, reported that during the four days spanning from Saptami to Dashami, their restaurant in the Salt Lake area accommodated an impressive total of 1,812 diners, averaging an astonishing 453 guests per day.
