Diners turn to premium restaurants for home hosting as online delivery share seen rising to 20%

Ordering from a restaurant is no longer just a matter of convenience. For family functions at home or for entertaining friends, people are increasingly choosing food from premium restaurants, and the trend of ordering dishes from such restaurants is growing.

According to Redseer's report "State of India's Foodservices Market 2026", online delivery currently accounts for 11 per cent of the country's food service market. The report projects that this share will reach 20 per cent in the next five years. This is a projection, not an actual figure.

Given this changing trend, restaurants should see delivery not merely as a channel for sales but as an extension of their hospitality, said Prashant Issar, managing director of Belona Hospitality and founder of Ishara.

Speaking about the changing mindset of customers, Issar said that when someone orders several dishes for a dinner with family or friends, they are not just ordering food but playing host. For that evening, they have borrowed our kitchen. So, besides the food arriving on time, it is extremely important that the restaurant's core hospitality experience carries over into the home, he said.

Premium restaurants are now designing special delivery menus with the journey of the meal in mind. Changes are being made at several levels, such as keeping roti and naan crisp, handling dumplings safely or packing sauces separately. For such large orders, customers value food arriving at the promised time and in good condition more than extreme speed.

Issar added, "Earlier, we stood at the door of our restaurant and welcomed guests. Now that door could be someone's home at the other end of the city. Our aim is to ensure that what reaches there clearly shows our identity and quality. Whether a customer dines in at the restaurant or orders at home, giving them the same excellent experience in both places is the big opportunity before premium restaurants."