Food and beverages (F&B) outlets cover about 20% space in malls, up from about 10% three years ago.
“Customers are looking for unique ambiences, cuisines and experiential dining options. As a result, the earlier 12% space dedicated to F&B has now increased to anywhere between 18% and 20% depending on the size of the mall. F&B offerings also give a strong boost to customer footfall and revenue,” said Sameep Pathak, CEO, malls, Oberoi Realty Limited.
For its upcoming mall in Borivali, Mumbai, the company said it will probably maintain a similar proportion of space for F&B.
Muhammad Ali, CEO, Forum Malls of Bengaluru-based Prestige group, said the company has doubled the space given to eateries and even built a small mall having only restaurants and cinema.
“Eating out and travel has emerged as the biggest trend post-Covid and mall operators have realised the importance of dining spaces. At all our upcoming malls, we are dedicating 20% of the space for F&B outlets ,” said Ali. The Prestige group is constructing malls in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi. “Malls have always been a go-to destination for all age groups. Hence, we understand the importance of collaborating with mall management to meet the changing demands of customers,” said Pawan Shahri, co-founder of Chrome Asia Hospitality, which co-owns and operates multiple F&B outlets. “By partnering with malls, we can create dining concepts that contribute to the overall growth and success of these properties.”
