India’s food services market is projected to surpass $125bn by 2030, with the organised segment growing at twice the rate of the unorganised sector, according to Swiggy’s 2025 How India Eats report, released with Kearney.
Cloud kitchens, quick-service restaurants (QSRs) and café chains are expected to account for more than 60% of the sector’s incremental growth and are on course to overtake the informal market.
Food services currently contribute 1.9% to India’s GDP, compared with 5% in China and 6% in Brazil.
The report links this trajectory to rising incomes, increasing digital usage and higher demand for convenience.
Consumers are widening their choices, with a 20% rise in unique cuisines ordered per customer and a 30% increase in the number of restaurants tried.
Late-night orders, placed after 11pm, are growing at around three times the rate of dinner, led by pizzas, cakes and soft drinks.
Health-focused consumption is rising alongside indulgence.
“Healthy and better-for-you meals” are growing at 2.3 times the pace of overall orders, driven by interest in higher protein, calorie tracking and lower added sugar.
The report flags two key growth frontiers: a renewed interest in Indian culinary traditions and the rapid adoption of global cuisines.
Hyper-regional styles such as Goan, Bihari and Pahari are expanding at two to eight times the rate of mainstream cuisines.
Local drinks such as buttermilk and sharbat are growing at more than four to six times overall beverages, prompting global QSR chains to introduce localised items such as Kala Khatta cold brew at Starbucks and a Chilli Guava drink at McDonald’s.
Tea is another standout, with orders growing at over three times the broader beverages category, and even roadside tea breaks increasingly enabled by digital platforms.
On the international side, Korean, Vietnamese and Mexican food are moving into the mainstream, with growth indices of 17 times, six times and 3.7 times respectively. Peruvian and Ethiopian cuisines have also begun to appear in orders.
Searches for boba tea and matcha tea have risen 11-fold and fourfold over the past five years, while, for urban, socially connected consumers, dishes such as sushi, tacos and Korean barbecue are described as “no longer niche and fast becoming weeknight staples.”
