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Valentine’s Day or Saint Valentine’s Day is considered one of the most romantic days of the year. Couples plan dates, celebrate the entire week, shower their partners with roses, teddy bears, and chocolates, and go out of their way to profess their affection. With the popularity of American and European films and television series in India, the entire week gives business owners an opportunity to drive sales and earn profits.
From F.R.I.E.N.D.S and How I Met Your Mother to Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory, the sitcoms have sold the idea of celebrating Valentine’s Day and how? Many couples now feel the pressure of doing something special, especially reserving a seat at a fine-dining restaurant to enjoy a scrumptious meal with their partner. This is often complemented by discounts that many food joints offer around this week and launch menus catering to the theme.
Despite being a non-holiday in India, Valentine’s Day (or rather the week) has been setting trends and driving businesses for quite a few decades. Slurrp spoke to Indian restaurateurs to bring you a detailed analysis of how love is shaping the food industry.
Valentine’s Day Year-On-Year Sale
Pass by any fine-dining restaurant this time of the year, and you will witness red and white heart-shaped balloons adorning the glass panels running from the ceiling to the floors. Sitting behind are the couples enjoying their date night with a luscious spread. This contributes to a rise in sales.
Pranav Rungta, Co-founder and Director of Nksha restaurant and Vice President of NRAI Mumbai, says, “It is very difficult to estimate the YoY growth of a particular day, but there is a 40-50% increase in business on Valentine's Day over a normal day. Generally, the tables are smaller groups 2 or 4.”
Shivram Verma, Assistant Manager - Food and Beverage, The Orchid Hotel, Mumbai, adds, “Valentine’s week significantly boosts restaurant revenues, often seeing a 25-40% increase in footfall and sales compared to a regular week in February. While it's not a national holiday, it has become a cultural event, particularly in metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru. High-end fine dining restaurants, cafes, and bars experience a surge in bookings, often requiring pre-reservations.”
If you haven’t reserved a table, you should do it now and confirm with the restaurant if they are accepting bookings or if it will be first come, first serve. It certainly won’t make a good impression on your date if they have to wait in a queue.
Valentine’s Day Driving Businesses And Setting Trends
In Valentine's Week, many foodies witness a huge discount on meals and online orders. If this marketing strategy was not exponentially elevating the sales bar, business owners would not be promoting it.
Priyanka Jain, Co-founder of Snow World Entertainment - The Game Palacio Noida (Verde & Kamikaze), says, “Discounts play a role in increasing footfall, but they are most effective when structured around exclusive events or curated experiences rather than across the board. Special promotions help in attracting larger groups and bringing in a diverse crowd.”
Shivram Verma adds that early bird discounts and complimentary cocktails or desserts help many restaurateurs fill the seats quickly as they create urgency among diners.
Valentine’s Day Dining Trends And Profit Margins
Valentine’s Day celebrations do not end with just reserving a seat at a restaurant. There is a shift in what couples order. Pranav Rungta has witnessed that more and more couples place orders for desserts and alcohol.
Shivram Verma adds, “A 30-50% rise in wine orders is observed, with rosé and sparkling wines being favourites. Chocolate-based desserts, especially molten lava cakes, cheesecakes, and red velvet variations, are highly popular. Many brands also introduce limited-time Valentine’s desserts.”
He has also noticed that many couples go for exclusive meals spanning over courses. He says that it makes the dining more experiential. You have to agree that it definitely helps a person score a few extra brownie points when they are trying to impress their partner.
Speaking about the ordering trends, Priyanka Jain added, “Guests are inclined towards anything special on the menu that complements the occasion, whether it's a signature cocktail, a decadent dessert, or a curated dining experience. While the core menu remains unchanged, themed offerings often see increased demand during this period.”
While Valentine’s Day does drive a huge footfall of customers to restaurants, it does not make a drastic dent in the profit margins. According to Pranav Rungta, food joints have a limited capacity, but nightclubs and bars might witness a significant upsurge in the number of reservations. However, he is hopeful this year because it’s a Friday on February 14, which means celebrations will spill over on the weekend.
But Priyanka Jain has an interesting insight into this trend. She says, “Younger audiences, particularly Gen Z, are moving away from the idea of celebrating love on a single day, viewing it as something to be celebrated year-round. While there is an uptick in spending on themed offerings, it doesn’t translate into a major revenue spike across the week.”
Are you planning to dine out this Valentine’s or cook an elaborate meal for your partner?
