Haldiram Railway Coach
Haldiram’s, a popular Indian sweets and snacks brand, has launched a new restaurant-style concept built inside a railway coach in Nagpur. This unique dining experience combines the nostalgia of train travel with the comfort and convenience of a restaurant.
The railway coach restaurant features a modern interior design with comfortable seating and air conditioning. The menu offers a wide range of vegetarian dishes, including traditional Indian cuisine, fast food, and desserts. Customers can enjoy their meals while sitting inside the coach or outside on the platform.
The concept of transforming old railway coaches into dining spaces is not new in India, but Haldiram’s has taken it to a new level by creating a restaurant-style experience with modern amenities. This initiative has been widely praised by customers and food bloggers alike for its creativity and innovation.
If you happen to be in Nagpur, you can visit Haldiram’s Railway Coach restaurant, located near Nagpur railway station, and experience this unique dining experience for yourself.
We approached Amol Bhagat, Deputy Manager Retail NSO and Railway Coach Restaurant BD (Business Development) at Haldiram, Nagpur, with a lot of interest to learn more about this remarkable, unique, and extra-ordinary environment of the restaurant and to get a peek inside the wonder-bogie.
We began by asking what motivated the firm to convert the train cars into restaurants.
To this, Amol gave a nostalgic reply. “The Indian Railway has a very extensive network that virtually covers the whole surface of our nation. Most Indians still travel by express trains, and while travelling, they love to dine in the carriages.
This is certainly a memorable experience. Hence, offering the same vibes, the legacy of Haldiram’s food served in the railway coach restaurant in a new style is an experience in itself. We, at Haldiram’s, have always believed in innovation and exceeding our consumers’ expectations. We were eyeing an opportunity to have an eatery in a railway coach and found out the requirement from Indian railways to setup a truly distinctive and visually appealing dine-in experience. The concept was inspired by the iconic and luxurious train called the Maharaja Express, which showcases the cultural heritage of India. Once the concept was created, the team had a real task to execute.
Amol Bhagat was truly instrumental in grasping the idea on the ground, and finally, under the guidance of honourable director Neeraj Agrawal, the team created history by not only opening a beautiful railway dine-in coach but also giving a very happy customer experience from the day it set off.
Haldiram’s has garnered the attention and appreciation of its consumers by providing a unique and unforgettable eating experience and has helped create a new benchmark for Indian cuisine. Haldiram’s railway coach restaurants have also been a major marketing success, helping to gain the excitement of customers and attract new customers for this innovative concept.
The sensation of dining in a railway carriage is one of the innovative concepts that distinguish Haldiram’s railway coach restaurants. The attention to detail that has gone into the design of the carriages adds to the uniqueness of the experience. The interior is explicitly designed, with great ambience, innovative seating capacity, traditional artwork, cutting-edge lighting, and the legacy of Haldiram’s. The windows have also been upgraded.
Finally, once the first Bogie restaurant became operational, Haldiram’s started to look for ways to extend the concept in other cities. Haldiram’s chose famous tourist locations and metro towns in India and began planning the expansion of more Haldiram’s railway coach eateries. Several train carriage restaurants are currently running effectively in various regions of India, but the company has big plans to grow further, with more Haldiram’s railway coach restaurants set to open in Vijayawada, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, and many other locations.
What were the challenges faced by the interior designers while fashioning the bogie?
The interior designers faced multiple challenges during the conversion of the railway bogies into a restaurant. They had to transform the bogies into aesthetically appealing and authentic restaurant regions that were both functional and cosy. One of the most challenging obstacles they faced was the limited space in the bogies. They had to be incredibly creative in their use of space to squeeze all of the necessary restaurant features and amenities, such as the kitchen, seating places, and storage, into the little working area. They employed custom fittings and modular furniture that was compact and multipurpose to avoid cramping the space.
Another significant problem was maintaining the realism of the railway carriages while embracing current design aspects. The designers achieved this balance by combining vivid colours, wall art, and traditional themes, as well as a blend of traditional and modern components. They had to be careful not to overuse the design components while maintaining the overall appeal.
Because railway carriages are essentially confined containers, ventilation and air conditioning were key considerations. To maintain a comfortable and healthy dining atmosphere, the designers had to add effective mechanisms. To address the presence of heat, dust, and smoke, which can be harmful to diners’ health, they developed specialized ventilation systems and filtration units that could handle the specific space limits.
Because railway carriages have smaller windows than traditional restaurants and are enclosed places with no natural light, the interior designers had to accommodate the special lighting requirements. They resolved this difficulty by implementing novel lighting systems that used LED lights, imaginative light fixtures, and strategically positioned mirrors to enhance the entire eating experience.
Ensuring that safety and hygiene precautions were taken, the use of fire and smoke appropriately offered another hurdle for the designers, including the use of fire and smoke detectors, pest control, and appropriate cleanliness. Because the carriages were frequently placed outside and in distant regions, special security procedures had to be implemented.
Despite these obstacles, the interior designers were able to create really distinctive and unforgettable restaurant rooms that kept the authenticity of the railway carriages while combining modern design features and maintaining the spaces’ practical functionality and safety. The fact is, the Bogie restaurants have become a hallmark of Haldiram’s brand.
How does the catering staff manage the throngs of guests with only 40 seats in a single car?
Amol voiced that the catering staff faced a huge difficulty while opening the restaurants for the public, as they are open 24 hours a day. The kitchen and catering staff members at Haldiram confront a huge challenge in managing the enormous crowd with restricted seat capacity.
With only 40 seats in a single car, the staff must be smart and efficient in order to manage the guests, and the catering staff works in three shifts rotationally. In total, 70 catering staff are engaged in serving the customers.
As there is always a huge rush to dine in the railway coach, we have a queue management system to handle the customer table turn in an efficient manner. This helps to disperse the throng and avoid rushing during peak hours. The crew also carefully organizes the seating arrangements to maximize space utilization and accommodate as many clients as possible while ensuring adequate space between tables for comfort.
The catering team is efficient and well-trained when it comes to receiving orders and serving food on time. They also collaborate closely with the kitchen staff to ensure that the orders are delivered on time. Catering staff prepares a limited menu, such as chaat, samosas, and other food items.
They are also concerned with cleanliness and safety standards, ensuring that the food is prepared in a hygienic way. Upon receiving feedback from customers, we try to improve the experience of our guests, which is our prime motto. The trained staff is extremely congenial and pleasant with customers, creating a warm and welcoming environment.
What are the expansion plans of Railway Coach restaurent business in Haldiram state-wise in India?
Haldiram’s railway coach concept, which was manufactured after refurbishing into a brand-new restaurant, has gained a lot of popularity among foodies and railway passengers, especially in Nagpur city, and the business since then has been absolutely phenomenal.
We have tremendous expansion plans for Mumbai (Borivali, Andheri, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus), Pune, and Vijayawada in Haldiram’s endeavour of converting refurbished railway bogies into restaurants, which has been gaining a lot of popularity, especially in urban cities. As a result, the organization plans to broaden its business activities across various cities.
This will allow the company to reach a larger consumer base and offer its distinctive dining experience to its happy and satisfied diners.
To accomplish its expansion targets, this organization is currently starting the process of vendor and supplier selection and recruitment, concluded Amol.
Our expansion plan is in process under the guidence of Honourable Director Neeraj Agrawal & Amol Bhagat, and Team Ajay Sonawane & Abhishek Bramhankar are more focused towards our Haldirams Express Target