24 stories
Faasos, owned by Rebel Foods, has launched a Paratha Burger that replaces the bun with layered lachha paratha. The range has six vegetarian and non-vegetarian options in Teriyaki, Chipotle and Hot Garlic flavours. It follows a pilot in Mumbai and NCR and will reach 20 Indian cities by 12 November 2026.
KFC India has launched a Korean Dunked range, coating chicken in a gochujang sauce with toasted sesame and umami notes. The flavour is available across more than 1,400 restaurants nationwide. Five existing favourites get the treatment: the Zinger Burger, boneless strips, wings, leg pieces and Hot & Crispy Chicken. It expands the chain's flavoured Dunked lineup.
Atelier House Hospitality has unveiled The Bareekk Experience at the InterContinental on Mumbai's Marine Drive, a reworked version of Kebab Korner, known as KK. Founded in 1971, it keeps the dishes of Old Delhi, Amritsar and Lahore. The revamp adds a refreshed dining hall, a small bar and a terrace facing the Arabian Sea. Head chef Mayank Kannauji runs the kitchen.
Tata Starbucks has launched a Diwali campaign, 'Special Diwali ki Special Jagah', built around its coffeehouses as spaces for personal milestones. The film shows a young couple returning to their regular outlet, this time with the man's family, to mark a new stage. Product and marketing director Mitali Maheshwari says the brand sees higher footfall and more appetite for new flavours during the festive season.
Native Bombay is reopening at its Ballard Estate address with a refreshed menu, developed with the catering arm of The Indian Hotels Company, Soulinaire. Chef Darius Madon has shifted the focus to small plates, sharing and a wider range of Bombay-inspired dishes. Promoter Amrita Malik says the new chapter adds a more contemporary dining experience while keeping the restaurant's character.
Swiggy temporarily renamed itself 'Sweety' ahead of Diwali, with Instamart and Noice taking on sibling roles. The campaign reached delivery executives' T-shirts and bags, app listings showing delivery partners as 'Sweety', outdoor hoardings and a Hindustan Times advertisement. The brand says the idea reflects India's love for mithai and festive celebrations. Its brand head, Mayur Hola, also adopted a playful new title.
Burger King India has launched a limited Avengers: Doomsday Collection on November 3, with black buns and green sauces inspired by Doctor Doom. The star item is the Doomsday Whopper, with a glazed black bun and a spicy green garlic sauce. The range includes ten food and drink items. Individual items start at ₹99 and burgers from ₹199.
Wendy's India has launched The Great Burger Scam, five globally inspired burgers priced from ₹59 to ₹99. Flavours include Chipotle, Chimichurri, Korean, Teriyaki and an Indian-style Makhani, across vegetarian and chicken options. Unveiled in Mumbai on 4 November 2026, the campaign aims to appeal to Gen Z and Millennials seeking variety at accessible prices.
Wendy's India has launched The Great Burger Scam, a campaign with five globally inspired burgers at prices from Rs 59 to Rs 99. The flavours are Chipotle, Chimichurri, Korean, Teriyaki and Makhani, in both vegetarian and chicken versions. The range is sold at dine-in restaurants and through online delivery platforms. It arrived in November 2026.
Burger King India has rolled out a limited-edition menu nationwide, themed on Marvel Studios' Avengers: Doomsday. The centrepiece is the Doomsday Whopper, with black glazed buns coloured using plant-derived dyes. Orders arrive in themed packaging, and a tumbler is the first collectible. Customers can pre-book a bundled meal on the Burger King app, backed by a 360-degree campaign.
Drifters Brewing Company has entered Goa with Belgian White and Mexican Crisp, two 4.6 percent ABV beers. Distribution will reach select bars, hotels, cafés, pubs and wine shops across the state. Belgian White is a hazy wheat beer with orange peel and coriander, while Mexican Crisp is a fruity, floral lager. Both are pasteurised, shelf-stable and preservative-free.
TBWA Lintas, a unit of Omnicom Advertising India, has won Starbucks India's creative account after a multi-agency pitch. The integrated mandate covers mainline campaigns, social media, digital activations and consumer participation. The timing coincides with rapid growth in India's café market, forecast to be worth about $1.1 billion by 2034.
PizzaExpress has launched a new Sourdough Pizza range across its Indian outlets for the festive season. The eight options cater to vegetarian and non-vegetarian diners, including Truffle Fungi, Burrata and Pesto, and Harissa Chicken. The dough uses a starter culture developed in the brand's test kitchen and is slow-fermented for a light centre and charred edges.
Zomato has launched a Diwali campaign, Have a WOW Diwali, starring actor Saif Ali Khan, to promote food-based gifting hampers from restaurants and food businesses. The digital-first film contrasts conventional household gifts, which draw a flat WOW from Khan, with a food hamper delivered by a delivery partner, which earns an enthusiastic one.
At ET FoodXP 2026, panellists argued that food brands can no longer rely on promotions, viral trends or one-off influencer deals. Authentic storytelling and long-term relationships with creators are becoming central to brand trust. Speakers included food creator Kuljyoti Dhingra and Dillifoodies co-founder Priyanka Kapoor. Brands were urged to show how people actually cook and buy.
Baskin Robbins has entered the waffle category with New York Loaded Waffles, sandwich-style waffles built from two layers. Flavours include blueberry and white chocolate, brownie and Nutella choco chip, cheesecake and Lotus Biscoff crumble, and chocolate overload. Customers can eat them alone or pair them with ice cream. The range targets new consumption occasions beyond ice cream.
Banaraswala, the Banarasi cuisine brand, has launched a special Navratri menu across its outlets and online platforms for the duration of the festival. It features a vrat thali and a mini thali with fasting-friendly dishes like vrat puris and aloo sabzi, plus malai lassi, dry fruit thandai and traditional Banarasi sweets.
Aspect Hospitality has opened Fitour, an experiential dining concept in Bandra West with just 14 seats. It presents Indian cuisine as a multi-course journey, with reinterpreted dishes, curated drink pairings and soundscapes, fragrances and lighting woven through the meal. The interiors include a Nostalgia Wall of photographs, handwritten recipes and childhood memories.
McDonald's India (West & South), run by Westlife Foodworld, has launched a Spicy Patakha range for the festive season. It includes a Paneer Burger with a spiced paneer patty and a Chicken Burger built on a spicy chicken patty, both topped with a smoky sauce. An integrated campaign focuses on the build-up to festivals, from decorating homes to shopping.
