Concept Driven Dining: An Emerging Business Trend

Aparupa Bhattacharjee 25BAVB10 Department of Professional Management Studies Kristu Jayanti (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru

Do we crave the flavour on our plate or the dining experience, ambience and the visual settings that come with it? Recently, it has been observed that themed cafes and restaurants have set a new standard in the food industry.

From Kolkata’s Kaidi Kitchen, which is themed as a prison with bars, cell-styled eating and staff in uniform, is a pure vegetarian restaurant, to Platform Nine & Three-Quarters, the Harry Potter-themed cafes in Pune, Bengaluru, etc. These cafes have Hogwarts décor, props and wizard-style menu items. These cafes not only give you tastes of various foods but also an experience. It lets you into a world of fantasy and fiction. It lets you live the experience that you once wished. Some other such themed cafes include Gufha in Bengaluru, a cave-themed cafe with rock-like interiors and waterfall features, followed by Burma Burma, a cafe that celebrates Burmese cuisine with themed décor. Another such is Cafe Mondegar in Mumbai, an iconic Mario Miranda mural-decorated cafe that gives both heritage and art-driven experience. These are a few out of the hundreds of themed cafes in India. If we start counting the world’s themed cafes, the list will be never-ending.

These cafes in India are a new, growing business that has attracted a lot of customers using various tactics and strategies. The theme cafes have Instagram-first designs, making every nook and corner of the cafe perfect for taking pictures. They include murals, decorations, neon lights and many more, which turn these customers into promoters of their brand for free. The menus of these theme-based global fandom cafes are named after the characters, places or foods of the series or movie. These cafes are not just places to dine, but they also host book clubs, cosplay nights and so on, which attract customers. They act as hubs for socialising. They don’t just end there. These cafes have separate light set-ups, music and sound effects to match the theme and complement each other. The exclusivity of the limited edition of the menu makes customers eager to try it out. These are a few strategies that these growing businesses use in order to attract and serve.

But are these themed cafes in India worth the hype? Like every coin with two different sides. However, opinions on these theme cafes vary with respect to the field of reference. Themed cafes are never just about the food. They give you a story and a moment to live. For those who are into taking a lot of photographs, enjoy making memories and love celebrations and different aesthetics, theme cafes are a picture-perfect spot. Along with food comes décor and fiction turned into reality and experimental dining. On flipping the coin, themed cafes are very highly priced, and there is a neglect of good taste. The hype after a couple of visits wears off and becomes ordinary. The premium charge on food is often justified with the aesthetics, ambience and interior décor. With low-quality taste, a lot of these cafes in India have shut down as well. A themed café that cannot balance its ambience along with good quality food at the right pricing often becomes a one-time attraction.

These themed cafes were started initially in Japan in the 1980s, and India joined in the late 2000s. The initial ones included Bollywood cafes and cave restaurants in metros. However, at present, it is a growing business, and it is experimental along with various formats as it grows. Coffee shops show steady growth. Cafes and the food service market are large and expanding, creating room for premium and niche concepts in India. It also projects high single-digit to low double-digit growth. Over time, their strategies have changed a lot. Some of those include paid influencers. They visit and other shoots of user-generated content. There are schemes of cross-marketing with lifestyle brands that add freshness and keep them in the public eye, laser-focused niches like gamers, K-drama fans, wellness seekers, eco-conscious diners and many more. Food is the secondary concept; curiosity serves the first.

It is now a maturing business. After various successful outlets and experiments, these cafes are now expected to provide both the vibe and the taste. Macro factors forced global players to slow down the expansion rate and made consumers choosier. Menu authenticity, along with good props and themes, could sustain the business.

While winding up, it is essential to mention that these cafes should have a good strategy and marketing plan to sustain businesses like these, which have a very competitive market. The use of different themes, attracting a niche audience, along with maintaining the desire to have the experience over and over again, is very crucial. For businesses, the payoff is footfall, premium pricing and free social media buzz as customers post their experiences online.

Not every cafe survives the hype. Without good food and unforgettable service, many fade off the market. In India, only those themed cafes and restaurants stand a chance that balance the cuisines with the aesthetics and give you an experience WORTH THE HYPE — because these cafes don’t just sell food, THEY SERVE FANTASY ON A PLATTER.