It’s football season and matches go on till late in the night. So what do you do when you crave something fried and spicy at 1 a.m.? Or even if you’re not a football fan but merely coming home after a night shift, a late movie or staying up studying for an exam?
Help is at hand, with a growing number of services delivering food through the night, across the city.
A few years ago, city residents who regularly had hunger pangs post 10 p.m. knew to call ‘Twilight’ or ‘Dawn and Dusk’ in Nungambakkam — both services delivered from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Those who felt like driving out would go to ‘Midnight Express’, ‘Mathsya’, ‘Buhari’ or a few other restaurants that stay open past 1 a.m. and are known for their food.
Now, however, there are dozens of restaurants that deliver food 24x7, even in areas such as Velachery, Thiruvanmiyur, Vadapalani, T. Nagar and Choolaimedu. Catering to students and working professionals, these restaurants/services deliver everything from a dosa or burger to French fries and biriyani.
Alagunambi Welkin, who runs a start-up, orders regularly from ‘Moonlight Takeaway and Delivery’, a service in T. Nagar. “We generally finish work after 2 a.m. and order food for the whole team — eight of us. We get fried rice, tandoori items and sometimes, biriyani,” he said.
A burgeoning crowd of IT professionals, who work late in the night, seems to have led to a growth in these services. A representative of ‘Dawn and Dusk’ said their main customers are students and IT professionals.
The new breed of cab companies, fitted with GPS and those that can be hired through mobile apps, has become the most sought-after form of late-night transport for party revellers. This is because of two reasons, mainly: the cabs offer real-time satellite data of the vehicle’s position and also the driver’s personal details, and more importantly, hassle-free payment options.
“GPS cabs are becoming popular for the simple reason that the driver is traceable and there is emphasis on transparency and efficiency. This has resulted in more women travelling alone,” said Anand Subramanian, head of corporate communications, Ola Cabs. There are a number of advantages. One can call for a cab through the company’s mobile app, track the vehicle throughout the journey and alight without paying money, because it is charged to the credit card/account of the customer’s choice.
In order to make their guests feel safe, the companies also train their drivers on etiquette. They are advised to be tolerant and trained to deal with young party-goers.
Thanks to these new-age cabs, one can now enjoy a great night at the pub and not worry about getting home safe.
