Menus cut, restaurants shut, long queues for cylinders as LPG crisis deepens

A nationwide LPG shortage triggered by the Middle East conflict continues to hit hotels and restaurants primarily, forcing eateries to shut kitchens, cut menus or switch to alternative fuels.

A shortage of LPG cylinders, triggered by disruptions in global gas supplies amid the conflict in the Middle East, is continuing to ripple across several parts of India, forcing hotels, restaurants and public canteens to cut operations, switch to alternative fuels and, in some cases, shut temporarily.

Restaurants, especially in urban centres, appear to be among the worst affected, with many establishments reporting a severe shortage of commercial LPG cylinders used for cooking. Several eateries have been forced to trim menus, suspend certain dishes or shift to alternative cooking methods to stay operational.

In Delhi, Gagandeep Singh Sapra, an entrepreneur running a cloud kitchen in Vasant Kunj, said vendors had refused to supply LPG cylinders, severely affecting his business.

“There’s no LPG available in Vasant Kunj. Vendors have clearly told us they cannot supply cylinders,” Sapra said in a social media post, adding that nearly 80 per cent of the menu at his outlet, Tadka Rani, had gone offline because most items relied on tandoor-based cooking.

In Mumbai, restaurants are already cutting back on dishes that require high gas consumption. At the popular eatery Vasant Bhuvan, the live counters serving dosa and pav bhaji have been temporarily shut as kitchens shift to induction and coal-based cooking. Restaurant owners say the crisis could force them to halt operations entirely if supplies do not improve soon.

The shortage has also hit Chennai hard. Sources in gas distribution companies said the situation had turned critical after the supply of nearly five lakh commercial LPG cylinders was halted. Hotels and industries have been advised to look for alternative fuel sources, as the next batch of cylinders is expected only by March 28.