Waiting for the toss

There was a time when bar managers working all over Delhi-NCR, or indeed any other metro/ state could measure their IPA (Indian Pale Ale) sales against the progression of the regional teams of the IPL (Indian Premier League).

The details may not be entirely accurate, given India’s largesse with Lager, but the point holds. For the F&B industry, the IPL usually means good business.

Priyank Sukhija, Restaurateur and Owner of more Delhi bars than you’d care to know about, says, “We understand how cricket has always unified Indians and got them together for common love. That’s why, we, at First Fiddle Restaurants, are offering combos that can be shared with you near and dear ones while you make the most of the intense IPL moments.” While, earlier, IPL matches meant cricket enthusiasts and its observers as well as daily dipsomaniacs, thronging to popular bars to raise their glasses or drown their sorrows in communal sessions of binge-watching, eating, and drinking, present circumstances call for less demonstrative enthusiasm and more space between people.

That’s why Café Delhi Heights has no IPL offers thus far, but has an offering. “Just come, enjoy eating a meal out. We have made every arrangement for you to watch the matches, if you happen to be eating out, while doing so. But please feel safe eating out, before coming out for a discount or special meal,” says Vikrant Batra, whose CDH restaurants are especially popular with family groups.

The young and the restless have options, as well. Dinesh Arora, Founder of  Unplugged Courtyard & La Roca says, “I am very optimistic that IPL will give one reason for people to step out and enjoy themselves. Cricket always brings people together, and while we at our restaurants will follow social distancing with our seating arrangements, we are also looking forward to cheerful hoots.

We will be introducing quirky offers like Shot on Shot, and special drinks to celebrate IPL.” Amit Bagga, of Daryaganj says, “People are fed up of sitting at home for so many months. IPL, even if it is abroad, marks the first time Indian players are getting together after a long hiatus and we are looking at this as an occasion for people to step out.

We at Daryaganj have launched a food special called IPL for IPL at Daryaganj, which is Indian Platter League for Indian Premier League.” It may be early days yet, though, even Bagga admits, for these kinds of campaigns to work. “To be honest, we used to see a growth in sales of special dishes and drinks after the first couple of weeks of the IPL, once the league was set and the dominant teams started coming out.

Our IPL LIIT menu has always been a huge seller, so even this time people were asking about the individual cocktails for each team,” says Mayank Bhatt, Brand Head, SOCIAL. While the IPL LIITs are still available in the brand’s outlets, there’s a lot more coming your way from DIY boxes to parties at your own pad. So, with people sticking to their screens at homes, hospitality brands have a lot more in store. Watch this space for more.