Forget dinner rush; India is experiencing a surge in late-night food and essentials deliveries, creating a lucrative new "prime time" for businesses. The trend, driven by busy schedules and a desire for convenience, is transforming the landscape of quick commerce and restaurants alike.
Sahiba Singh, a 37-year-old New Delhi resident, exemplifies this shift. Her late-night orders of desserts, momos, and burgers highlight the growing availability and appeal of after-10 pm options.
Restaurants are adapting to this burgeoning demand. Wow! Momo is extending store hours beyond midnight in several locations to cater to the increased late-night cravings.
"Late-night orders have become bigger for us than even lunch," says Sagar Daryani, Wow! Momo's CEO. "This was especially seen during the IPL."
Other chains are showing similar trends, but the growth isn't uniform across all cities. Rebel Foods, for instance, sees strong post-11 pm demand in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, largely attributed to late-working populations and local preferences. However, they acknowledge challenges in smaller cities due to differing sleeping habits and operational restrictions.
Challenges Remain: Not all businesses are experiencing equal success. Some, like Lenexis Foodworks, report that late-night order volumes remain relatively flat, citing operational overhead challenges. Logistical hurdles, such as local regulations and housing society restrictions, also hinder consistent late-night delivery services.
The late-night food delivery boom presents both a lucrative opportunity and significant operational challenges for businesses. As consumer habits continue to evolve, the battle for dominance in this new "prime time" is only just beginning.
