LPG crisis: Delhi eateries trim menus; pause large bookings, corporate gatherings

New Delhi: Large corporate gatherings and group parties are now taking a backseat in restaurant calendars across the capital, as eateries scale back menus and bookings amid an LPG supply crunch, with concerns over shrinking cooking gas stocks growing after military escalations in West Asia.

Restaurant owners, particularly in Connaught Place, one of the city's busiest dining hubs, said that preparing food for large tables requires significant gas usage, prompting many establishments to temporarily halt big party bookings while focusing on regular diners.

Paramjeet Kaur, owner of Flavours of China, said the restaurant has scaled back certain offerings and limited group bookings in order to manage LPG consumption.

"We have had to make a few adjustments to manage the situation. For instance, we are currently not offering sizzlers as they require continuous and high flame usage. We have also trimmed our menu and are focusing only on basic dishes that can be prepared with limited gas consumption," she said.

Kaur added that the restaurant has also temporarily stopped hosting large gatherings to conserve fuel.

A manager at Amaltas, a restaurant in Greater Kailash, said the establishment has also been cautious about accepting large bookings in the current situation.

"With the uncertainty around LPG availability, we are being careful about taking big table reservations or corporate events. Preparing food for large groups requires continuous gas usage, so we are prioritising regular diners and smaller tables for now," the manager said.

Inder, owner of Minar restaurant in Connaught Place, said his establishment has also decided to avoid large-scale bookings until the LPG supply situation stabilises.

"At the moment, we are not taking corporate meetings or big events because managing such gatherings requires extensive cooking, and that means higher LPG consumption. Given the uncertainty around supply, it becomes difficult to plan for large bookings," he said.

The restaurant is offering 'tandoori roti', baked food and basic as the idea is to manage with the available resources and keep operations running smoothly, he said, adding that the hospitality industry is often among the first to feel the impact of disruptions.

Ankur, owner of 38 Barrack, said his restaurant is attempting to reduce dependency on LPG by using alternative cooking methods while also streamlining the menu.

"We are trying to manage the situation by using induction cooktops, electrical frying equipment and baking wherever possible. For certain dishes, we are also relying on charcoal-based tandoors, which helps reduce the pressure on LPG usage," he said.

While the restaurant is still hosting gatherings, Ankur said adjustments have been made in the kitchen.

Concerns over LPG availability have grown in several parts of the country in recent days after tensions and military escalations in West Asia raised fears of disruptions in global energy supply chains.