I recently did a trick not simply to save money but to test whether it works or not. I take a metro from Noida, change it from Rajiv Chowk, Delhi for Kashmiri Gate. I travel on weekends to my home town boarding a bus from Delhi to Patiala in the night. Now, in the Metro station of Kashmiri Gate, Delhi, there is a food outlet of famous brand Nirula’s.
I sat to eat something during one of the occasions. I ordered a small Pizza and a cold drink. It was a simple order and I sat for the delivery. When I had a casual look at the bill, I was bit taken aback by the charge the levied for 300 ml of cold drink. It was Rs. 37. A shocking piece of rate given that 300 ml of any cold drink is available for Rs. 12 anywhere in India.
Now, here comes the trick. I bought a bottle of 600 ml cold drink from outside the next time and sat to eat a pizza. I bought the 600 ml pack for Rs. 23. So, what these food outlet people are doing is charging around Rs. 25 per 300 ml of any cold drink available in their shop. What is the point? Why they levy so much charge when everything else seems to be fitting in the budget?
If people notice this and start taking beverage bottles available so easily outside, won’t their vending machines suffer lower customer foot-fall? Wouldn’t it be troublesome for them to sell their beverages if customers notice this monstrous difference in the price?
Come on food-chain-brands, time to do something refreshing about this!
Item | Price (INR) |
Garlic Toast | 30 |
Cheese & Garlic Toast | 40 |
Chatpata Aloo | 25 |
Cheese, Tomato, Onion Pizza | |
Regular (7″) | 65 |
Medium (10′) | 135 |
Large (12″) | 220 |
P.S.: It is not to blame Nirula’s but there are other food outlets that sell for the same price. I had an experience in one of the Malls in Gurgaon but I forgot the name of that brand.
True…we went to a Subway outlet in Patiala. We ate a foot-long but due to the over-priced strategy of cold-drinks, we could have it inside.
Guess what, we came outside and had Nimbooz…
I had a similar experience in one of Mumbai’s most popular malls – Inorbit. Only one stall in the food court there serves Thumbs Up.
Now here is what happens when u order the Thumbs Up:
The server takes out a 500 ml bottle,
Pours it into a glass and charges me a whopping 40 bucks.
When I ask him to simply hand over the bottle instead of the glass, he refuses. Obviously, margin issues plus he doesn’t want to get caught selling an MRP 22/- product @ 40/-
That’s why always get your burgers and pizza “to go” and buy ur drinks outside.