18 January,2010 09:09 AM IST | | Alifiya Khan
Restaurants in city install weighing scales that not only fetch chhutta for owners, but are also bringing back patrons who have become increasingly weight conscious
Ever wondered about how many kilos you have put on after gorging down piles of food at your favourite restaurant? Chances are, your local restaurants in Pune will have an answer to that.
In an attempt to inspire healthy eating among the clientele, and earn some small change, restaurants in the city have taken to installing weighing machines at their entrances.
Girish Golap, the manager of Mona Foods in Camp, explained why the machine was a great idea. "Initially, we were not sure it would work, as very few people got themselves weighed. These days, we collect Rs 60 to Rs 70 a day in Re 1 coins. The coins help us tide the severe shortage of loose coins in the city," explained Golap.
Restaurant owners say the scales also make their patrons weight conscious.
Shekhar Shetty, who owns Hotel Yatrik at Raviwar Peth and Modern Cafu00e9 in Shivaji Nagar has also adopted the idea. "These days, people have taken to healthy eating as a fad. Such customers demand items like butter-free parathas and low-oil food. We thought, why not install weighing machines to tap this segment. We would get some change and it would help us project a health-conscious image," said Shetty.
Sudhakar Shetty, proprietor, Rangoli restaurant at Bhandarkar Road, said the novel idea has helped him build a loyal customer base.
"A couple of weeks after I installed it, I saw a funny thing happening. Some customers started checking their weight before and after meals. I noticed that these people started coming quite regularly. Some college students began placing bets over how much they weighed. It was a fun thing for them," said Sudhakar, who recently introduced a weighing machine at his other restaurant, Poona Cafu00e9, as well.
