India’s restaurants, bars and quick-service chains are seeing a much-needed rebound after the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 19 kicked off on 28 March, with match screenings, group dining and delivery driving sales over the weekends.

After a soft start to March due to the LPG supply crunch caused by the West Asia war, the tournament has brought some respite to eateries. For hospitality businesses, the 84-match calendar overlaps with the summer months, offering a sustained consumption trigger, turning cricket fandom into higher footfall and bigger orders.

The industry expects 5-10%. growth on normal match days, and big spikes on high-profile game days and weekends.

“More than anything, the cricket extravaganza is about community and people coming together. In uncertain times, these shared experiences become more meaningful,” said Rahul Singh, founder of The Beer Café, owned by BTB Marketing Pvt. Ltd. The Beer Café, outlets have been converted into “mini stadiums” and the chain is using the tournament to drive group visits and higher average spends across its 50-plus locations.

Singh said the company did “blockbuster business” on the opening match weekend, without giving specific details. “April and May could bring in 25% more revenue at least,” he added.

Besides live screenings, several restaurants have made themed menus, beer deals and delivery offers. Executives at beer pubs said that summer is a natural draw for consumers, and the IPL helps create additional demand.

Mumbai-based Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality Private Ltd., which runs Social and Smoke House Deli among others has a similar 'Doosra Stadium' initiative at its Social bars. “We’ve seen a strong start, with a clear uptick in footfalls and group dining, especially over weekends. ‘Doosra Stadium’ has been instrumental in bringing fans together,” said Divya Aggarwal, chief growth officer, while not defining the exact growth expected.

The opening weekend of IPL season 19 had two high-scoring games, reaching over 515 million viewers across TV and digital, 26% higher than last season, according to media & entertainment company JioStar, which is airing the matches.

Both matches ended in dramatic chases, prompting fans to seek live-viewing experiences outside the home.

In Benglauru, Handcrafted Restaurants Pvt. Ltd, which runs top-end bars and restaurants like Helen’s Place and Roxie, said IPL screenings drove a 10-15% jump in footfall over the past 10 days. Managing director Pravesh Pandey said match days push customers toward resto-bars and outdoor venues. The company has added more projectors and speakers and is running promotions like free beer for wins, but overall revenue impact is at a modest 2-3%.

Craft beer business Geist Brewing Co., has also seen IPL screenings become a bigger draw. After last season’s turnout for Royal Challengers Bengaluru matches exceeded 600 people for the final, the company upgraded to large-format projectors.

Match days now deliver roughly a 10% sales uplift, helped by cricket-themed bundles. “Warmer weather, open-air formats and the beer-cricket connection should support stronger sales this season, especially if Bengaluru goes along in the tournament,” said co-founder Narayan Manepally.

Quick-service plays at home

For quick-service restaurants, the IPL is just as much about delivery as it is about dine-in. Wow! Momo launched the “Indian Momo League,” using city-based fandom and the tournament to drive more frequent orders and higher average bills.

“IPL should have a good impact on deliveries. March was not particularly strong, but it was not a washout either, helped by Eid, mall traffic and other triggers like Dhurandar 2,” said co-founder Sagar Daryani. The company operates 800+ stores and is using the season to push incremental demand across dine-in, takeaway and delivery.

Some brands are also exploring team partnerships and limited-edition products. Curefoods is running a 'Slice Maar' campaign with Rajasthan Royals, linking products to cricket rituals. “With the new Royal Pizza Slice, we're not just selling a product; we're serving an essential part of the cricket ritual,” said chief operating officer, Gokul Kandhi.

To be sure, Indians are eating out more often, with average dining-out frequency rising from 6.6 times a month in 2019 to 7.9 times in 2024, according to the National Restaurant Association of India.

The restaurant industry is expected to reach ₹7.76 trillion by FY28, growing at 8.1% CAGR. The IPL offers a ready-made, multi-week occasion that cuts across formats, cities and income groups. Bars can fill weekday seats, casual dining chains can package group experiences, and delivery-led brands can chase extra orders per household.

India’s restaurants, bars and quick-service chains are seeing a much-needed rebound after the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 19 kicked off on 28 March, with match screenings, group dining and delivery driving sales over the weekends.

After a soft start to March due to the LPG supply crunch caused by the West Asia war, the tournament has brought some respite to eateries. For hospitality businesses, the 84-match calendar overlaps with the summer months, offering a sustained consumption trigger, turning cricket fandom into higher footfall and bigger orders.

The industry expects 5-10%. growth on normal match days, and big spikes on high-profile game days and weekends.

“More than anything, the cricket extravaganza is about community and people coming together. In uncertain times, these shared experiences become more meaningful,” said Rahul Singh, founder of The Beer Café, owned by BTB Marketing Pvt. Ltd. The Beer Café, outlets have been converted into “mini stadiums” and the chain is using the tournament to drive group visits and higher average spends across its 50-plus locations.

Singh said the company did “blockbuster business” on the opening match weekend, without giving specific details. “April and May could bring in 25% more revenue at least,” he added.

Besides live screenings, several restaurants have made themed menus, beer deals and delivery offers. Executives at beer pubs said that summer is a natural draw for consumers, and the IPL helps create additional demand.

Mumbai-based Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality Private Ltd., which runs Social and Smoke House Deli among others has a similar 'Doosra Stadium' initiative at its Social bars. “We’ve seen a strong start, with a clear uptick in footfalls and group dining, especially over weekends. ‘Doosra Stadium’ has been instrumental in bringing fans together,” said Divya Aggarwal, chief growth officer, while not defining the exact growth expected.

The opening weekend of IPL season 19 had two high-scoring games, reaching over 515 million viewers across TV and digital, 26% higher than last season, according to media & entertainment company JioStar, which is airing the matches.

Both matches ended in dramatic chases, prompting fans to seek live-viewing experiences outside the home.

In Benglauru, Handcrafted Restaurants Pvt. Ltd, which runs top-end bars and restaurants like Helen’s Place and Roxie, said IPL screenings drove a 10-15% jump in footfall over the past 10 days. Managing director Pravesh Pandey said match days push customers toward resto-bars and outdoor venues. The company has added more projectors and speakers and is running promotions like free beer for wins, but overall revenue impact is at a modest 2-3%.

Craft beer business Geist Brewing Co., has also seen IPL screenings become a bigger draw. After last season’s turnout for Royal Challengers Bengaluru matches exceeded 600 people for the final, the company upgraded to large-format projectors.

Match days now deliver roughly a 10% sales uplift, helped by cricket-themed bundles. “Warmer weather, open-air formats and the beer-cricket connection should support stronger sales this season, especially if Bengaluru goes along in the tournament,” said co-founder Narayan Manepally.

Quick-service plays at home

For quick-service restaurants, the IPL is just as much about delivery as it is about dine-in. Wow! Momo launched the “Indian Momo League,” using city-based fandom and the tournament to drive more frequent orders and higher average bills.

“IPL should have a good impact on deliveries. March was not particularly strong, but it was not a washout either, helped by Eid, mall traffic and other triggers like Dhurandar 2,” said co-founder Sagar Daryani. The company operates 800+ stores and is using the season to push incremental demand across dine-in, takeaway and delivery.

Some brands are also exploring team partnerships and limited-edition products. Curefoods is running a 'Slice Maar' campaign with Rajasthan Royals, linking products to cricket rituals. “With the new Royal Pizza Slice, we're not just selling a product; we're serving an essential part of the cricket ritual,” said chief operating officer, Gokul Kandhi.

To be sure, Indians are eating out more often, with average dining-out frequency rising from 6.6 times a month in 2019 to 7.9 times in 2024, according to the National Restaurant Association of India.

The restaurant industry is expected to reach ₹7.76 trillion by FY28, growing at 8.1% CAGR. The IPL offers a ready-made, multi-week occasion that cuts across formats, cities and income groups. Bars can fill weekday seats, casual dining chains can package group experiences, and delivery-led brands can chase extra orders per household.