NRAI asks member restaurants to tweak menus, cut fuel use amid LPG supply disruption

• NRAI urges restaurants to reduce LPG use and adjust menus amid shortages
• Restaurants advised to switch to electric cooking methods
• LPG supply issues and price hikes affect Indian kitchens

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The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) has asked its member restaurants to cut cooking gas consumption, tweak menus and explore alternative cooking methods as disruptions in the supply of commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) begin to hit restaurant kitchens across India.

In an advisory issued on March 10, the industry body urged restaurants to adopt immediate fuel conservation measures — including prioritising dishes that use less gas, suspending fuel-intensive menu items and switching to electric or induction-based cooking equipment where feasible.

“The ongoing geopolitical developments have led to severe disruption in the supply chain of commercial LPG. If the situation escalates further and availability tightens significantly, the restaurant industry may face serious operational challenges,” NRAI said in the advisory to members.

Restaurants asked to ration gas

The advisory recommends several operational adjustments for restaurants to reduce LPG consumption. These include rationalising menus by prioritising dishes that require lower gas usage or shorter cooking cycles and temporarily scaling back items that involve long simmering, deep frying or multiple burners.

Other suggested measures include batch cooking where possible, switching to pressure cooking to reduce cooking time, consolidating preparation schedules during non-peak hours and turning off pilot flames when gas ranges are not in use.

Restaurants have also been encouraged to explore alternative equipment such as induction cooktops, electric griddles, convection ovens and electric steamers to reduce dependence on LPG.

The industry body has further suggested introducing limited “crisis menus” focused on faster-cooking dishes and adjusting operating hours to conserve fuel during off-peak periods.

Supply disruption begins to hit kitchens

The advisory comes as restaurant kitchens across several Indian cities begin to grapple with tightening LPG supplies.

Moneycontrol reported earlier that restaurants in cities such as Bengaluru and Mumbai had started receiving only a fraction of their usual commercial LPG deliveries from March 9, forcing kitchens to scramble for refills and rethink operations.

Restaurant operators have warned that kitchens rely on frequent LPG deliveries and cannot stockpile cylinders due to safety regulations, leaving them particularly vulnerable to sudden supply disruptions.

Industry estimates suggest there are roughly 40,000 restaurants operating in Bengaluru alone, underscoring the potential scale of disruption if shortages persist.

LPG prices begin to climb

Alongside supply disruptions, the cost of commercial LPG cylinders has also begun to rise.

Industry sources say the price of 19-kg commercial cylinders has climbed to around Rs 2,100–Rs 2,300, compared with roughly Rs 1,650 a month ago.

Industry participants have also warned of broader ripple effects across the food ecosystem if the shortage persists, with disruptions to LPG availability potentially affecting thousands of workers and delivery partners who depend on restaurant and cloud kitchen operations.

Industry seeks government intervention

Restaurant industry bodies have stepped up engagement with the government to address the supply crunch.

Moneycontrol was the first to report that NRAI had written to Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri seeking continued supply of commercial LPG cylinders to restaurants.

Similarly, the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India has urged the government to exempt the hospitality sector from LPG supply restrictions and ensure uninterrupted fuel supply.

The federation estimates that the hospitality and food service sector includes 7–8 million establishments employing more than 70 million workers, warning that prolonged supply disruptions could lead to operational shutdowns and job losses.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has said domestic LPG supply is being prioritised amid the disruption, while oil marketing companies have been asked to ramp up production.

Earlier, Indian Oil Corporation informed industrial and commercial customers that it was constrained to temporarily halt supply to commercial users due to supply constraints.

With most restaurants operating on tight fuel cycles and limited storage capacity, even short disruptions in LPG availability can quickly ripple through kitchen operations — forcing eateries to trim menus, alter cooking methods or temporarily suspend certain dishes.