The food industry in India is facing significant challenges following a nearly 50% increase in the price of 19-kg commercial LPG cylinders. Sandeep Goyale, president of the Delhi chapter of the National Restaurant Association of India, expressed concerns that this steep hike will heavily impact restaurants, forcing them to raise menu prices to remain viable. Many restaurant owners, like Manpreet Singh of Zen restaurant in Connaught Place, anticipate a cascading effect on costs, especially if fuel prices rise further, leading to increased transportation costs for raw materials. Some establishments are already operating on limited menus and have been compelled to procure cylinders at inflated prices from the black market. The impact is particularly severe on smaller restaurants, which lack financial buffers and may have to make difficult decisions, including job cuts. Radhika Khandelwal, owner-chef at Trouble Trouble in Greater Kailash 2, highlighted the unsustainable nature of absorbing costs or passing them onto consumers, which risks diminishing demand. The gradual transition to alternative fuels like piped natural gas is not yet sufficient to alleviate immediate pressures on the industry.