Indians love fast food; we love sizzling hot food to reach our table, in the
shortest span of time. Food courts in malls & office spaces serve a variety of fast
food. Small stalls serving Dosas, or chaats have always been in around.
The fast-food industry in India has evolved with the changing lifestyles of the
urban population. Most of us order fast food online, from pizzas to samosas to
chaats & much more. Ever since the coming of food chains like Dominoes &
McDonald’s, a lot of delicacies have become a part of our food culture. Let’s
check out some of the popular food brands in India.
STARBUCKS
The American coffee company was founded in Seattle in 1971 & is present in more
than 70 countries. Starbucks opened its first Indian outlet in Mumbai in 2012. The
Tata group owns and controls the operations of Starbucks in India. They are
presently operating in all major cities of the country. Starbucks is known for its
dark coffee which is priced at a premium. They offer some items for the Indian
tongues apart from their regular menu. They are known to have a modern
industrial style with wooden furniture in most of their outlets.
DUNKIN’ DONUTS
The popular pizza chain Dominos & Dunkin’ Donuts are both operated in India by Jubilant
Foodworks which is an Indian company based in Noida. Jubilant Foodworks launched the first
Dunkin’ donuts outlet in New Delhi in 2012. Dunkin’ in India is primarily a coffee place and a
donut shop. I still remember my first visit to the Dunkin’ Donuts in Bangalore, their donuts are
fast, tasty and they hit the spot. Their coffee and donut combos cost less than 100 bucks and to
me that is a sweet deal.
PIZZA HUT
Many local pizza chains have opened up in all major cities, some of them claim to serve
authentic Italian pizzas. Most of us visit these places when we get bored of the usual dominos
or Pizza Hut. Dominoes & Pizza Hut are the two most popular chains which serve
American/Indianised pizzas to the market.
Pizza Hut was founded in 1958 and is the third American fast-food giant on this list. They
opened their first outlet in Bangalore in 1996. Pizza Hut is the most popular pizza chain in
India; they are priced a tad bit higher than Dominos but serve better pizzas with loads of
yummy cheese. Pizza Hut also offers a cashback when you order online through their website,
so your parties are covered.
KFC
Kentucky fried chicken was founded in 1952, more than 80 years ago. KFC is the number one
spot for chicken lovers. You and I or most people you know love their fried chicken. The first
Indian KFC outlet was opened in Bengaluru’s Brigade road in 1995. KFC outlets received
some backlash at first, in concern to the meat they served. However, after 2004 they expanded
to other cities and introduced more veggie items like rice meals & wraps. After a good 20
years, the brand has more than 350 outlets in the country with online delivery available as
well.
CAFÉ COFFEE DAY
India’s own café chain is one of the most visited places, to sit & chat and have some coffee
& food with friends. They offer pocket-friendly items on the menu with good interiors &
mellow lighting. It is super popular among college kids and attracts a lot of younger
people. They have more than 1000 outlets in the country in different metropolitan cities.
Their first outlet was opened in 1996 in Bengaluru and they have been around for more
than 20 years. Café coffee day has expanded beyond the country to places like Malaysia,
Austria & many other places.
MCDONALD’S
McDonald’s is the largest food chain in the world; they were founded in 1940 in California.
They sport one of the most instantly recognized logos, in the world. The ‘M’ logo was ranked
the 7th most popular logo for a brand.
They came to India in 1996 like most other major chains. They had an initial backlash from
the Indian communities about serving beef. The company then made changes to its menu with
mostly chicken and vegetarian items. McDonald’s is known to add items to its menu to cater
to local consumers’ palette.
Their McAloo Tikki, McEgg, Chicken McGrill & Coke Floats are popular and super
affordable. Over the years, they have become one of the top 100 trusted brands in India.