Heatwave hits Irani chai sales across Hyderabad; demand drops sharply

Hyderabad’s heatwave has sharply impacted Irani chai sales, with demand dropping by up to 40 per cent. Customers are shifting to cold beverages, while rising LPG costs and supply shortages add further financial pressure on small hotel businesses across the city.

Hyderabad: The heat wave conditions have started showing its impact on the sales of the ‘Irani chai’ restaurants located across the city.

Several restaurant owners in the city complain of a drop in the sales of chai in the last few days. “As against 1800 cups of chai a day, we are selling between 1000 and 1200 cups of tea a day. People are preferring lassi or cool drinks instead of chai,” pointed out Mohd Amair, manager at Al-Saba Hotel, Vijayanagar Colony.

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Mohd Rasheed, who runs Azam Hotel at Misrigunj pointed out that due to the prevailing heat conditions people are not even visiting the hotel during the day. “Only after sunset do we find customers at the hotel. The sales have come down by around 40 per cent since 10 days,” Rasheed complained.

The situation is the same in the commercial areas of the city such as Ameerpet, Borabanda, Punjagutta, Abid Road, Dilsukhnagar, Attapur, Tolichowki and Mehdipatnam. “We are stocking more water bottles and introducing cool refreshing drinks after noticing the drop in the sales of chai. Otherwise, managing the hotel expenses becomes challenging,” said Shaik Ehtesham, owner of a hotel at Mehdipatnam.

A cup of chai is served in 80 ml and 90 ml cups while at restaurants that have dining facilities, the beverage is served in a 110 ml cup.

The restaurant owners are already bearing the financial losses following shortage of commercial LPG cylinders due to the conflict between Iran – Israel and the United States. The short supply of LPG has pushed the prices of cylinders in the grey market to triple the actual cost.

“Unlike Biryani or Mandi, chai is not something you can prepare on firewood. Chai is something you cannot rush with as it involves preparing the brew at slow flame,” said Mohammed Sami, a master at a hotel in Mallepally.

The hotels are spending between Rs. 4000 and Rs. 5000 for an LPG cylinder as against the price of Rs. 1600 earlier. “After much difficulty we are getting LPG cylinders and with the dip in chai sales, we are landing in a financial crisis,” said a hotel owner.

If around 1500 to 2000 cups of chai are sold a day for Rs. 30 each, the hotel owners saves a handsome amount. “If the sales dip, the overall turnover for the day drops, posing a challenge in paying wages of waiters, managers and meeting other expenses,” he said.