A family destination called food courts

MUMBAI: Malls and food courts are redefining the idea of the family outing as a more streamlined, one-stop-shop-and-eat experience. Offering more seating space, cheap food as well as entertainment, food courts have become an all-rounded family experience.

Delhi, Pune and Mumbai already have around a dozen such places, and want to double it soon.

Straddling the fine line between 'fast-food' and restaurant dinning, Eatopia, Delhi's first American concept food court opened at the Habitat Centre in 2001. Weekday footfalls are more than 2,000 daily, with 1,000 more on weekends.

Pramuch Goel, corporate manager, marketing at Habitat says, "The unique selling point for food courts like Eatopia is that they are family destinations; we don't serve any alcohol and even celebrate up to three birthdays a day!" It offers not just an array of cuisine, but children's entertainment areas -TeenzOwn and KidzOwn - giving parents privacy without having to be too far away.

The food court at Mariplex Mall, Pune,sees close to 5,000 daily footfalls and up to 12,000 on weekends. Somnath Waghmare manager, administration & marketing says, "With 14 international chains, families come to the foodcourt on weekends without even using the other mall facilities."

As part of the family friendly strategy, Waghmare adds that they are changing the food court facade into an arcade for children.

How do these food courts offer better options to retailers? At Mariplex, shop owners have a 33-month contract, and are able to break even after just 10-12 months. Rents hover around Rs 100 per sq foot which though expensive, comes with the promise of constant customers. Add to that no marketing costs, and one sees food courts doing steady business.

At Inorbit Mall in Mumbai, a variety of outlets are looking to break even in another six months. Shamiana and Santinos which serve Indian and Italian cuisine respectively, opened last year with average family spends of Rs 300-400 daily and Rs 550-600 on weekends.

Sanskriti restaurant owner Sapna Chaturvedi makes an average of Rs 70-Rs 80 per bill. Does she break even? She claims she is doing steady business.

Inorbit has the largest food court in India - nearly one lakh sq feet. Flagging off with two outlets in early 2004, it now includes seven restaurants, twelve kiosks, arcade rooms, a multiplex, and a seating area of around 30,000 sq ft.

Anupam Tripasuri, unit head at Inorbit, believes that offerings like the kid's meals, gaming entertainment as well as being the only wire free Internet space are a major draw.

Footfalls for the mall have gone up from 5,000-20,000 last year to 35,000-65,000 in 2005. Consumers find food courts a welcome break from a weary day of shopping.

But people like food consultant and stylist Saba Gaziyani believes, the boom in business will be short lived. "There are only this amount of people going to this amount of malls, and the food quality not as good, food courts are bound to reach a stagnation point," she says.

On the menu

Food courts receive roughly 50-60% of the overall footfalls

Food court culture is only going to grow, with 39 launches in 2005 and 54 to be launched by 2006

But analysts say food courts could reach a stagnation point soon, if quality concerns are not met