Roti, dosa & pooris disappear from menus across India as LPG shortage hits eateries
A shortage of commercial LPG cylinders linked to the ongoing conflict in West Asia is beginning to hit consumers across India, with restaurants shutting operations, popular dishes disappearing from menus, and eateries rationing food and beverages in several cities.
According to a report by The Times of India, the disruption has already forced restaurants, hostels and canteens in cities such as Pune, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad to scale back operations as supplies of commercial cooking gas run short.
You can follow our live coverage of the West Asia war here
In Pune, several restaurants shut their doors for a second consecutive day on Wednesday as LPG stocks ran out. The well-known Modern Cafe in Shivajinagar remained closed after exhausting its supply, and its Kharadi branch was also expected to remain shut on Thursday due to lack of cylinders.
Industry representatives said Maharashtra Natural Gas Ltd has offered assistance to restaurants willing to switch to piped gas connections in order to ease the crisis.
Menus shrink as kitchens run short of gas
The shortage has already begun reshaping restaurant menus and meal options for consumers.
At the Delhi High Court lawyers’ canteen, main-course dishes were briefly removed from the menu on Wednesday due to lack of cooking gas. Canteen authorities informed advocates and staff that only light items such as sandwiches, salads and fruit chaat would be available.
Services resumed later in the day after LPG supplies were secured temporarily, but the management warned that uncertainty over future availability remains.
In southern cities including Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, eateries have started dropping gas-intensive dishes such as dosa and poori from menus. Some restaurants and catering services have also begun rationing tea and coffee.
Also read: Pumps, pipes & pantries: The West Asia war is knocking on Indians' doors
Hostels and PG kitchens also affected
The impact is being felt beyond restaurants, with hostels and paying guest accommodations also adjusting their cooking practices.
Along Hyderabad’s IT corridor, several hostels and PG accommodations have stopped preparing certain curries such as rajma and chickpea-based dishes due to the higher gas usage involved. According to the ToI report, this has caused inconvenience for many residents, particularly those from northern India who rely on such staples.
As the shortage deepens, restaurants and catering businesses are experimenting with alternative cooking fuels.
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has instructed catering units at railway stations to switch to microwave ovens and induction cooktops where possible.
Meanwhile, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has temporarily rolled back a January ban on the use of coal and firewood by roadside eateries and hotels, offering relief to businesses struggling with the LPG shortage.
Some restaurants are also exploring biogas. In Bengaluru’s Koramangala area, a few outlets — including the Empire restaurant chain — have continued operations using fuel from a biomethanation plant.
Shakir Haq, CEO of the Hotel Empire chain, said the crisis has highlighted the risks of depending on a single fuel source and that the group is considering a dual-fuel system for the future.
Also read: LPG shortage shuts Mumbai restaurants as 20% kitchens run out of cooking gas
Bakeries, hostels and small businesses feel the squeeze
Elsewhere, bakeries in Mumbai said their traditional firewood ovens could help them maintain production if authorities permit their use, despite earlier instructions from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to shift to LPG.
In eastern India, small businesses are also improvising. In Patna, a PG accommodation operator with about 45 residents said his kitchen staff have switched to electric cooking arrangements.
Oil marketing companies in Uttar Pradesh are reportedly evaluating whether kerosene — largely phased out in recent years — could be used as an emergency substitute fuel.
The shortage is also raising concerns in tourism-dependent states such as Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Goa, where the hospitality sector fears disruptions during the peak travel season.
Hoteliers in popular destinations such as Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Kasauli and Kasol say uncertainty over cooking gas supply is already affecting their operations.
Ashwani Bamba, president of the Dharamshala Hotels and Restaurant Association, told the Times of India that some hoteliers are hesitant to accept advance bookings as weekend tourist rush approaches.
(With inputs from ToI)
According to a report by The Times of India, the disruption has already forced restaurants, hostels and canteens in cities such as Pune, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad to scale back operations as supplies of commercial cooking gas run short.
You can follow our live coverage of the West Asia war here
In Pune, several restaurants shut their doors for a second consecutive day on Wednesday as LPG stocks ran out. The well-known Modern Cafe in Shivajinagar remained closed after exhausting its supply, and its Kharadi branch was also expected to remain shut on Thursday due to lack of cylinders.
Industry representatives said Maharashtra Natural Gas Ltd has offered assistance to restaurants willing to switch to piped gas connections in order to ease the crisis.
Menus shrink as kitchens run short of gas
The shortage has already begun reshaping restaurant menus and meal options for consumers.
At the Delhi High Court lawyers’ canteen, main-course dishes were briefly removed from the menu on Wednesday due to lack of cooking gas. Canteen authorities informed advocates and staff that only light items such as sandwiches, salads and fruit chaat would be available.
Services resumed later in the day after LPG supplies were secured temporarily, but the management warned that uncertainty over future availability remains.
In southern cities including Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, eateries have started dropping gas-intensive dishes such as dosa and poori from menus. Some restaurants and catering services have also begun rationing tea and coffee.
Also read: Pumps, pipes & pantries: The West Asia war is knocking on Indians' doors
Hostels and PG kitchens also affected
The impact is being felt beyond restaurants, with hostels and paying guest accommodations also adjusting their cooking practices.
Along Hyderabad’s IT corridor, several hostels and PG accommodations have stopped preparing certain curries such as rajma and chickpea-based dishes due to the higher gas usage involved. According to the ToI report, this has caused inconvenience for many residents, particularly those from northern India who rely on such staples.
As the shortage deepens, restaurants and catering businesses are experimenting with alternative cooking fuels.
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has instructed catering units at railway stations to switch to microwave ovens and induction cooktops where possible.
Meanwhile, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has temporarily rolled back a January ban on the use of coal and firewood by roadside eateries and hotels, offering relief to businesses struggling with the LPG shortage.
Some restaurants are also exploring biogas. In Bengaluru’s Koramangala area, a few outlets — including the Empire restaurant chain — have continued operations using fuel from a biomethanation plant.
Shakir Haq, CEO of the Hotel Empire chain, said the crisis has highlighted the risks of depending on a single fuel source and that the group is considering a dual-fuel system for the future.
Also read: LPG shortage shuts Mumbai restaurants as 20% kitchens run out of cooking gas
Bakeries, hostels and small businesses feel the squeeze
Elsewhere, bakeries in Mumbai said their traditional firewood ovens could help them maintain production if authorities permit their use, despite earlier instructions from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to shift to LPG.
In eastern India, small businesses are also improvising. In Patna, a PG accommodation operator with about 45 residents said his kitchen staff have switched to electric cooking arrangements.
Oil marketing companies in Uttar Pradesh are reportedly evaluating whether kerosene — largely phased out in recent years — could be used as an emergency substitute fuel.
The shortage is also raising concerns in tourism-dependent states such as Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Goa, where the hospitality sector fears disruptions during the peak travel season.
Hoteliers in popular destinations such as Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Kasauli and Kasol say uncertainty over cooking gas supply is already affecting their operations.
Ashwani Bamba, president of the Dharamshala Hotels and Restaurant Association, told the Times of India that some hoteliers are hesitant to accept advance bookings as weekend tourist rush approaches.
(With inputs from ToI)
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