What if the real secret behind Mumbai’s most iconic restaurants wasn’t just the food, but actually smaller details like the washroom??🤯
In this episode, we sit down with Nikita Harisinghani, the vision behind Late Checkout, Gigi, Eve, Blah, Donna Deli to understand the restaurant business in India
We start with the story behind Late Checkout, how Nikita spotted a gap others ignored, and the little details that transformed it into a larger-than-life experience. She then pulls back the curtain on the numbers from operational costs to profit margins, and why so many restaurants struggle to remain in business.
We also dive into the shift in India’s dine-in vs. delivery culture, the rise of QSRs, and what the future of eating out looks like. To close, Nikita shares her advice for anyone dreaming of opening their own place.
Hope you enjoy this conversation! Subscribe and turn on your notifications so you don't miss out on the next episode☺️
Nikita Harisinghani is the co-founder and creative force behind Chrome Hospitality, the group behind iconic restaurants like Late Checkout, Gigi, Eve and more. In just three years, she has built one of India’s most exciting hospitality portfolios, while also making her mark as a self-taught designer whose work on Gigi won the ET Award for Best Design.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:53 The concept behind Late Checkout
05:07 What makes restaurants successful?
07:29 Washrooms at Eve (details)
09:53 What made Gigi so popular?
13:35 Gathering consumer insights
17:35 What are the operational expenses for a restaurant?
20:42 How much working capital should a restaurant have?
22:26 Funniest customer review
24:32 Festivals' Impact
25:59 Zomato/Swiggy v/s Dine-in
29:28 Unique Restaurant Experiences
32:06 What do you need to open a restaurant?
34:50 Untapped opportunity in hospitality
35:19 What's next for Chrome Hospitality?
36:24 Conclusion
About the show:
Bringing women founders, leaders and experts together to share their experience and business journeys.
https://www.instagram.com/thefoundherspodcast_/
https://startinc.in/podcast/
Hinal Mehta, Host
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hinalmehta15/
StartInc
https://www.instagram.com/startinc.in/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/startinc/posts/?feedView=all
Nikita Harisinghani, Guest
https://www.instagram.com/nikitaharisinghani/
https://www.instagram.com/chromehospitality/