In another case of a gig worker strike, food delivery service Swiggy is experiencing service disruption in Kochi. The startup’s delivery executives have been on strike in the city for over two weeks over a pay raise.
While an increase in base charges has long been a demand for delivery executives, the problem was exacerbated two months ago when Swiggy signed up with third-party app-based delivery agencies, according to The New Indian Express. The strike began with a demand that the basic pay be increased to INR 35 for every 2.5 kilometres travelled. “We have consistently spoken with delivery partners to help them understand their payouts better,” said a Swiggy spokesperson.
The Burger Company (TBC) has announced the official rollout of its newest format – TBC PICO, a compact yet full-flavor outlet model designed to bring the brand’s signature taste closer to a wider audience. The concept has already witnessed an overwhelming response, with more than 10,000 direct Expressions of Interest (EOIs) received to date. The highest traction for PICO has come from Delhi NCR (with over 1,000 EOIs), followed by Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and East UP – each recording 500+ EOIs. This city-wise demand reflects the strong enthusiasm for TBC’s expansion into newer, high-potential markets. By October 5, 2025, the first TBC PICO outlet will be operational. The month will further see 5–7 outlets opening their doors, with 25+ more already under fit-out and scheduled to launch in the following weeks. Staying true to its roots, every PICO outlet will feature the star attractions from the regular TBC menu, offering vegetarian burgers, chicken options, fries, munchies, sandwiches, momos, pies, and beverages. The curated menu ensures that customers experience the same beloved taste and variety of TBC in a compact, neighborhood-friendly format. “With PICO, we’re making TBC more accessible while retaining everything our customers love about us – great taste, variety, and quality,” said Neelam Singh, Founder and CEO at The Burger Company. “The incredible response proves the strength of the concept and marks an exciting new chapter in our growth journey.” The PICO format represents TBC’s commitment to innovation, scalability, and customer convenience, strengthening its position as a brand built on delivering exceptional food experiences across India.
Indian festive seasons usher in a wave of celebrations, parties, and naturally, eating out. For restaurants, it is a double-edged sword with gigantic business prospects but also creating operational hurdles. Fulfilling the demand spikes with the promise of consistent quality of service needs to be managed with more than conventional planning. Artificial intelligence (AI)-backed demand forecasting has now become a revolutionizing tool, helping restaurants effectively plan for festive surges. Historically, restaurateurs used experience, intuition, or past records to project festive demand. Though these gave an overall idea of customer flow, they were often inexact. Consumer actions in festivals are affected by several factors: cultural affinities, pay periods, weather patterns, current events, and even macroeconomic factors. AI forecasting systems can handle such multifaceted data inputs in unison. They take cues not only from historical sales but also from factors outside of them like social media patterns, holiday calendars, local events, and online ordering habits. The outcome is a more refined, more accurate demand forecasting. One of the major benefits of AI forecasting is in inventory management. With festive seasons, there is little room for error. Overstocking causes wastage of food, whereas understocking means lost revenues and disappointed customers. AI algorithms study historical buying patterns in addition to existing market conditions to recommend the exact amount of raw material needed. For example, if a city has high demand for traditional sweet dishes or local festival foods, restaurants can pre-order ingredients, arrange more favorable supplier terms, and avoid last-minute runs on inventory. Staffing is another aspect where AI-based insights are a godsend. The festive season necessitates flexible management of the workforce to manage greater foot traffic, order deliveries, and longer working hours. AI can forecast peak hours and days of a festival week and assist restaurants in dividing staff in the kitchen, service staff, and delivery staff according to the correct number for each shift. This avoids overstaffing that increases expenses unnecessarily and understaffing that affects the quality of service. In an industry where customer experience dictates loyalty, such precision is crucial. Tools driven by AI also assist in dynamic menu engineering and pricing plans. Festivals usually witness changes in consumer food habits; families might prefer big combos, corporate parties might require catering services, and young customers might prefer festive-themed products. AI models can monitor these changes in real time, leading restaurants to adjust menus, package bestsellers, or roll out limited-time seasonal specials. Moreover, AI can assist with price-based decision-making by monitoring competitor behavior, consumer expenditure habits, and willingness to pay during busy times. This enables restaurants to optimize profit without pushing away price-conscious consumers. The emergence of food delivery apps has further heightened the significance of AI forecasting. Orders surge sharply on festival days when traffic jams or social obligations discourage people from eating out. AI systems can be made to interact with delivery platforms in order to project spikes in certain neighborhoods or time slots. Restaurants can make their kitchen operations and delivery logistics accordingly to ensure quick order fulfillment, cut …
The Burger Company, one of India’s fastest-growing burger brands, announces its adoption of TBC PICO, the proven micro-QSR franchise format that has been transforming the food entrepreneurship landscape. With an all-inclusive investment of just ₹7.89 lakhs + taxes and a compact 80-100 sq ft operational footprint, PICO represents the most accessible entry point into India’s booming quick-service restaurant sector. PICO addresses a critical market gap by offering a complete franchise solution at 60-80% lower investment than traditional QSR models. The comprehensive package includes franchise fee, complete kitchen machinery, billing system and software, eye-catching branding and fit-outs, initial launch marketing, and Training & opening day stock that will enable franchisees to begin operations from day one with no hidden costs. Neelam Singh, Founder and CEO of The Burger Company, said, “We recognized the immense potential of the PICO format and how it addresses what’s been holding back food entrepreneurship in India, namely the massive capital barrier. By adopting this innovative micro-QSR model, we’re able to put the power of our established, profitable burger business into the hands of every ambitious Indian, whether they’re a techie in Bangalore dreaming of their own venture or a small-town entrepreneur ready to bring good quality burgers to their community.” Unlike conventional downsized outlets, PICO features a strategically optimized menu based on historical POS data analysis. The power-packed menu includes The Burger Company’s best-selling veg and chicken burgers, signature fries, loaded sandwiches, momos, and beverages; all engineered for a 4-5 minute average order fulfillment time. This SKU optimization reduces ingredient inventory by approximately 40% while increasing cross-utilization and maximizing revenue per square foot. With projected returns of 8-12 months and a projected monthly revenues of ₹3-4 lakhs, PICO is designed for diverse entrepreneur segments. The format particularly appeals to first-time entrepreneurs seeking low-risk entry into the food business, working professionals looking for sustainable side income, small space owners in high-footfall areas, and cloud kitchen or kiosk operators wanting established brand power. The adoption comes at an opportune time as India’s QSR market grows at approximately 20% CAGR, with micro-QSR formats expected to account for 25-30% of new QSR openings by 2030. Rising real estate costs and evolving consumer preferences for grab-and-go dining are driving demand for compact, efficient formats that leverage digital ordering and delivery platforms. The Burger Company ensures franchise sustainability through continuous support across four critical areas. The comprehensive support ecosystem includes ongoing operational assistance with regular quality audits and performance optimization, marketing support through digital and local campaign assistance, continuous training with staff development and best practices sharing, and robust supply chain management ensuring consistency in taste and cost control. The brand will also implement a controlled localization framework, allowing 10-15% menu adaptation based on regional preferences while maintaining 85-90% standardization for brand consistency and supply chain efficiency. The Burger Company has set an ambitious target of establishing 500 PICO outlets across India within the next three years, with franchise allocation following a strictly first-come, first-serve basis. The format is available pan-India, targeting …
