Dining Out To Get Costlier? Restaurants Add ‘LPG Surcharge’ On Food Bills

The ongoing conflict in West Asia has significantly impacted the supply of LPG in India. This shortage has affected restaurants across the country, with many opting for temporary jugaads or temporarily shutting down operations. Some restaurants have now started adding an ‘LPG surcharge’ to bills, which can make a casual lunch or dinner outing costlier for guests.

Why Are Restaurants Adding LPG Surcharge To Bills?

Restaurants in India have now started adding temporary ‘LPG surcharge’ fees or ‘gas fees’ to customer bills amid the LPG cylinder crisis in the country. This is apparently a new way for restaurants to tackle the ongoing problem and the rising cost of commercial LPG cylinders. A post on X by @IndianTechGuide is going viral, showing ‘Geeraas Restaurant’ in Chennai adding a gas fee of ₹9.52 to the final bill of a customer. This has made many netizens question whether this is even right.

According to a report by Moneycontrol, many eateries have also started adding separate line items such as ‘LPG Revision’ or ‘Gas Supply Issue’ charges on food orders. All this means that eating out can soon become costlier for diners until the issue is resolved in India.

Also Read: LPG Shortage In India: Restaurants Turn To Jugaad Like Short Menus, Firewood Cooking & More

Why Are Eateries Increasing Prices Or Cutting Menus?

According to Moneycontrol, many restaurants are charging customers for cooking gas. But some restaurants have apparently found another way to deal with rising costs. Instead of charging diners directly for LPG, they have temporarily increased the prices of items on the menu. For instance, Bengaluru’s Krishna Vaibhava restaurant has increased prices by around ₹5 to ₹10 across several items.

These price adjustments come as restaurants in India grapple with disruptions caused by the LPG cylinder shortage. The conflict in West Asia has significantly affected LPG shipments from the Middle East, which is a key source of India’s cooking gas imports. Apart from this, restaurants have also started cutting their menus and temporarily shutting operations. Some eateries have even resorted to induction-based cooking or using hot plates.

Also Read: LPG Shortage? No Problem! 10 Wood-Fired Restaurants In India Operating As Usual!

What do you think of the LPG surcharge in restaurants? Do you think this is justified?

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/ FG Trade Latin  and @IndianTechGuide/X