Burgeoning Indian restaurant concepts are expected to perform well in the States, especially as the Indian population continues to grow. According to the Migration Policy Institute, Indians are now the second largest U.S. immigrant group after Mexicans. In addition, the U.S. Census Bureau revealed this year that Indian Americans are the highest earning ethnic group in the United States. Factoring in that the average American is continually seeking new adventurous experiences in the dining realm, it is inevitable that Indian restaurant expansion is now having its moment. Be on the lookout for Bawarchi Indian Cuisine, Honest Indian Street Food, Curry Up Now, Pizza Twist and Sankranti to all expand their restaurant concepts into new regions.
Bawarchi Indian Cuisine anticipates opening between 15 and 25 new units per year over the next two years. With a strong presence in the Northeast, all along the East Coast, the Midwest and the South, Bawarchi has been steadily expanding Westward and will be opening up to eight new units in California alone, in San Diego, Los Angeles, and throughout the Bay Area. Look for additional growth into Western states such as Washington, Oregon and Nevada, with Seattle, Bellevue, Portland and Las Vegas all expecting new restaurants by late 2023. Other new states the brand will be penetrating include Kentucky, Oklahoma, South Carolina and New York, the latter which will be getting five new units in Manhattan, Long Island, Queens, Staten Island and Niagara Falls.
Preferred spaces for Bawarchi are inline, end cap or standalone pads in the 2,500- to 3,500-s.f. range. Sites within strip malls, grocery-anchored centers and power centers in residential neighborhoods with a diverse ethnic population are sought after. Co-tenants should include other popular fast-casual restaurants, such as Moe’s Southwest Grill or Subway. A nearby Indian-themed grocer, such as Patel Brothers, is also advantageous. Depending on space availability, Bawarchi can provide both full-service restaurants, called Bawarchi Biryais, and fast-casual/express configurations, known as Bawarchi Express. Bawarchi Indian Cuisine serves popular dishes from all regions of India, as well as unique Chinese-Indian fusion plates.
Pizza Twist, an Indian fusion-themed pizza chain, expects to open between 15 and 20 new units per year over the next three years. Upcoming franchisees have been signed for growth into new markets within Florida, Texas, Georgia, Arizona, Illinois, New Jersey and New York. Although most of its units are in middle- to higher-income suburban communities with a large Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern population, the concept also works well in major metropolitan urban locations.
Ideally, Pizza Twist seeks inline or end cap spaces, generally between 1,500 and 2,500 s.f., in higher rent, high-traffic strip malls, retail street-front spaces, regional malls, grocery-anchored centers and power centers. Preferred co-tenants include nationally known restaurant brands, such as Chipotle. Pizza Twist, popular with those following strict halal dietary restrictions, is known for its pizza featuring Indian flavors, such as Chicken Tikka Masala or Tandoori Chicken. Some of its locations also serve wine and beer. The developers have also introduced a new Indian fusion restaurant brand, called Taco Twist, which transforms traditional Indian favorites into a Mexican street taco-inspired menu. Its three premiere locations are in Northern California.
The Honest Indian Street Food chain anticipates opening between five and 10 new units per year over the next two years. The brand will continue to open new restaurants in states where it already has a presence, including California, with a particular focus on San Diego and the Silicon Valley, as well as Virginia, North Carolina and within New York City.
Honest mainly targets heavily populated suburban areas with a large Indian population, or urban foot traffic districts near colleges. Ideal square footage requirements are second-generation restaurant spaces, inline or end cap, in the 2,200- to 3,000-s.f. range. Power centers, strip malls, retail street-front spaces and grocery-anchored units are all particularly attractive to Honest. Co-tenants can include other Indian brands, such as the Patel Brothers grocery chain, and other fast-casual food concepts, such as Firehouse Subs. Because Honest Indian already has a large presence in India, the brand is familiar to Indian immigrants who crave its authentic offerings. Honest Indian Street Food specializes in popular Southern Indian dishes, such as vegetables and curries, as well as street food snack items.
Curry Up Now will continue opening up to 10 new units per year over the next three years. The franchise, which is managed by Fransmart, is targeting the top 50 MSAs for its upcoming growth goals. Look for the new states of New York, Colorado, Massachusetts, Indiana, Florida and the Carolinas to be targeted, in addition to further growth goals into California, especially Los Angeles, as well as Texas, Utah, Georgia and New Jersey.
Ideal square footage requirements for Curry Up Now are end cap or inline spaces in the 1,200- to 1,500-s.f. range. College town locations are proving to be especially effective for the brand, including on-campus food court units. Areas with thriving live/work/play elements, as well as entertainment-oriented locations, are especially sought after. Spaces considered include strip malls, grocery-anchored neighborhood centers and retail street fronts, especially the ground floor of mixed-use multifamily buildings because Curry Up Now relies heavily on off-premises ordering. Co-tenants that work well with Curry Up Now include other fast-casual brands, such as Five Guys, Panera Bread and Chipotle. Curry Up Now is known for its street food spin on Indian favorites, such as its popular Chicken Tikka Masala Burrito. Curry Up Now is also experimenting with a sports lounge bar inside of its restaurants, called Mortar & Pestle, which offers multiple beers on tap, as well as craft cocktails.
Sankranti, which kicked off its fast-casual franchise expansion in 2022, is on track to open three new restaurants this year, followed by approximately five to seven new units per year in both 2024 and 2025. Areas targeted for growth include all regions in Georgia, especially throughout Atlanta, in addition to the metros of North Carolina and Tennessee.
Sankranti prefers units that are between 2,000 and 2,500 s.f., in all types of urban or suburban spaces, whether retail street front, the ground floor of a mixed-use building, inline or end cap of grocery-anchored power centers, strip malls and even regional mall units. Communities with a large millennial-aged Indian population will be targeted. Co-tenants should include other popular fast-casual restaurant brands, such as Jimmy John’s or The Halal Guys. Sankranti is known for serving traditional popular Indian food staples in a unique fast-casual manner, with a build-it-yourself meal available in a bowl or wrapped in a tortilla.
