The newly opened Khadak Singh Da Dhaba in Bengaluru has temporarily closed its doors due to lack of cooking gas and its owner has shared an emotional account of the difficult call online. The post struck a chord on social media, with many users expressing their support while highlighting the wider impact of the gas crisis on restaurants and the food industry.
Kawaljeet Singh announced the closure in a post on X, saying that the newly opened restaurant will remain closed until the situation improves.
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“We have to remain temporarily closed due to gas shortage in Bangalore. My heart is broken but the spirits are alive. We will come back stronger once the gas situation improves,” he wrote.
His post quickly gained attention online, with many users offering encouragement and sharing similar experiences in the food industry.
One user wrote that he hoped to visit the restaurant soon after returning to town. “Dude the place is only in HSR. I will definitely come to you once I come back to Bangalore (1-2 weeks) please stay strong sir. We are all in this together. Things will improve soon,” the comment read.
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Another restaurateur joined the conversation, stressing that many restaurants are already struggling with shortages. “We are operating with selected menu items for a few more days. Very bad scenario,” the user wrote.
Some users also suggested possible alternatives to deal with the intrusion. One commenter recommended exploring different cooking technologies, writing: “Don’t be put off. See if you can diversify your process to induction/infrared etc. The situation is unprecedented. ESMA favors households. See if you can innovate (Bangalore is where induction/infrared Tandoor design can be innovated).”
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The situation in Bengaluru is reflective of a wider problem facing India’s foodservice sector at the moment. According to a Bloomberg report, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has raised concerns about disruptions to cooking gas supplies, which in turn affects restaurants and food delivery platforms.
Uncertainty has already hit stock markets. Shares of Indian delivery firms fell as restaurants warned of disruptions. Eternal Ltd. fell as much as 4.8%, while Swiggy Ltd. fell by a similar margin to a record low. Shares of fast food restaurant operators, including Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd, also fell.
Analysts say the shortage could lead to slower growth in food delivery orders if restaurants are forced to curtail operations. Motilal Oswal analysts, including Abhishek Pathak, noted in a report that limited offerings, shorter cooking times or temporary kitchen closures could limit the availability of orders on delivery platforms, Bloomberg reported.
Gas shortages have also sparked panic buying in some parts of the country, benefiting companies that make electric cooking appliances. Shares of electric cooktop makers rose, TTK Prestige Ltd. it jumped as much as 15% on Thursday, extending its three-day gains to nearly 30%. Stove Kraft Ltd. also increased by up to 12%.
India recently raised the prices of its most widely used cooking gas cylinder for the first time in almost a year. The price of a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder used by most households has been increased by 7% to ₹913. Rates for commercial LPG cylinders, which are usually used by restaurants and hotels, were also increased for the second time in March.
For many small restaurants and eateries, rising costs and supply disruptions are proving to be a difficult combination. However, as Kawaljeet Singh’s post suggests, many business owners are still hopeful that operations will return to normal soon.
