Latest trends show that more than 20 new eateries open in and around Calcutta every month, restaurateurs said at a meet on Thursday.

The number of eateries that shut down every month is around six to eight.

The closures are half the numbers in other Indian cities, which suggests that Calcutta is a safer destination for food business, restaurateurs said.

“You see almost 25 new restaurants opening in and around Calcutta in a month on an average. Closures would be six to eight. Almost half of what is happening elsewhere. If 30 open, 18 to 20 get shut. So, in terms of sustainability, profitability and continuity of business, Calcutta fares better than other cities,” said Sagar Daryani, CEO and co-founder, Wow! Momo Foods, and vice-president of the National Restaurant Association of India.

The association has recently launched its India Food Services Report 2024.

The Calcutta chapter of the association on Thursday launched a city-specific report that offered a peek into the dining trends of Calcuttans and the city’s food service market.

Some of the key findings:

• The organised food market in Calcutta is estimated at ₹8,055 crore. In terms of size, it is seventh among top 21 cities in India. Greater Mumbai and Delhi NCR occupy the top two slots.

• Calcuttans consume non-home cooked food 7.97 times per month on an average.This includes eating out and ordering in.
• Calcuttans eat out at a restaurant 3.39 times per month.
• The average frequency of ordering food in is 4.58 times a month. In 2017-2018, when food aggregators started operations in Calcutta, there were 9,000 restaurants available on the aggregator platforms. Now, the number is over 30,000.
• On an average, the per person expenditure in dining out is ₹960.
• At 52 per cent, Chinese is Calcutta’s most-preferred cuisine while dining out.
• The city has 61,305 restaurants — in the organised and unorganised sectors.
• Half of Calcutta diners are willing to come back to a restaurant if they like the food there.

In Calcutta, the report was launched by Nandini Chakravorty, Bengal’s home secretary.

“This report emphasises our city’s critical role in shaping India’s dynamic culinary landscape, as well as our commitment to cultivating a thriving food services
industry that reflects our vibrant community and enriches our cultural fabric,” said Chakravorty.

Abhimanyu Maheshwari, who heads the Calcutta chapter of the National Restaurant Association of India and is the managing director of Zing Restaurants, said: “This research not only celebrates our city’s culinary diversity but also highlights its critical role in developing India’s burgeoning food services industry.”

The city chapter has also sought some support from the government and the
civic body.

The introduction of a single-window licence system for all F&B outlets is among them. “It should be online, simple, transparent, time bound with deemed approvals for both new licences and renewals,” the report said.