Kolkata’s restaurant community comes together to discuss changing food delivery landscape | Events Movie News
Nearly 120 restaurant brands came together in Kolkata for an industry meet focused on the evolving food delivery ecosystem, with discussions around commission structures, pricing, transparency and the challenges faced by restaurants operating in the digital marketplace.Organised by the Kolkata Chapter of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) in association with a new food delivery platform, the partner meet was held at Ølterra on August 28. The evening brought restaurant owners and industry stakeholders together for discussions and networking around emerging models in food delivery.The event was led by Piyush Kankariya, Chapter Head, NRAI Kolkata, along with members of the chapter’s core committee. Representatives of the platform, including its VP-Supply Rizwan and VP-Restaurant Operations Amar Choudhary, were also present.A key focus of the discussion was the emergence of zero-commission models in food delivery. The platform, created by Rapido, allows restaurants to retain their food-sale revenue instead of paying the percentage-based commissions traditionally charged by aggregators. Its model also proposes online menu prices closer to dine-in rates, while customers are charged delivery fees based on distance.For the restaurant industry, however, the larger conversation remains centred on creating predictable and transparent terms for businesses. NRAI highlighted the importance of clear written structures around fees and pricing, stability in commercial arrangements and greater collaboration between platforms and restaurant associations.The Kolkata chapter’s engagement with the platform also comes amid continuing changes in the food delivery market, as restaurants look at alternative models that could give them greater control over their digital businesses. The association said it would continue to monitor outcomes, share relevant data with its members and encourage practices that could benefit smaller operators as well.Speaking at the meet, Piyush Kankariya said, “Kolkata has a vibrant and closely connected restaurant community, and it is encouraging to see our industry come together to explore new ideas and opportunities. We are pleased to partner for this engagement and create a platform for our members to understand emerging models and engage directly with the ecosystem.”The Kolkata meet was the third such partner engagement for the platform, following similar meetings in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. The evening concluded with further discussions between restaurant owners, industry stakeholders and representatives of the platform on the opportunities and challenges emerging in food delivery.
