Changsha: One person had been killed and 13 others injured after a blast rocked a rice noodle restaurant in Changsha County of central China's Hunan province on Wednesday morning, according to the local publicity department.All the injured have been rushed to the hospital for treatment. The local fire, public security and emergency response departments have joined the rescue operation, Xinhua news agency reported.Investigation into the cause of the accident is under way.—IANS

One person had been killed and 13 others injured after a blast rocked a rice noodle restaurant in Changsha County of central China's Hunan province on Wednesday morning, according to the local publicity department.

1 dead, 13 injured after blast rocks restaurant in China

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday observed that restaurants should raise the salaries of the employees if they were concerned about their staff. The court said this while dealing with the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)'s plea in relation to the service charge issue of eateries. The division bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chander Sharma was hearing the appeal of the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) challenging the July 20 stay order on its new guidelines restraining restaurants from adding a service charge by default to food bills.
The bench also comprising Justice Subramonium Prasad, also asked whether consumers be forced to pay a service charge. The common man can feel the service charge as imposed by the government is like a tax, the bench remarked. The matter will be further heard on August 18. The stay of the fresh guidelines of the country's consumer watchdog on July 20 was following the challenging plea of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI).
In the last hearing, Justice Yashwant Varma remarked: "Don't pay. Don't enter the restaurant. It's a matter of choice." Granting the stay, the court has also directed that the information regarding the levy of Service Charge should be displayed on menu cards and also otherwise displayed so that customers are aware of this charge. Importantly, the court also clarified that the Service Charge cannot be levied on any takeaway orders. NRAI is very relieved with the passing of this order because it otherwise had a direct adverse impact on the human capital employed in the trade.
In its response to the verdict, the NRAI said it has always been steadfast in its assertion that there is nothing illegal in levying of Service Charge and it is a very transparent system. "The levying of service charge is a matter of contract and decision of the management. The levying of service charge is displayed at various places in the restaurant. The same is also displayed on the menu cards of the restaurants. Once the customer places the order after being made aware of the terms and conditions there comes into existence a binding contract. No authority can interfere with the binding nature of a valid contract until and unless it is shown and proved to be unconscionable or is an unfair trade practice," it stated.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), which comes under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, has issued guidelines for preventing unfair trade practices and violation of consumer rights with regard to the hotels and restaurants levying service charge, stating that the consumer may lodge a complaint with the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) against such practice. The CCPA said that the consumer may make a request to the concerned hotel or restaurant to remove service charge from the bill amount. The consumer may also file a complaint against unfair trade practices with the Consumer Commission. As per the appeal of the consumer watchdog, "The Guidelines have been issued for safeguarding the rights and interests of consumers and to protect the consumers from unfair trade practices and violation of consumer rights due to mandatory collection of service charge and adding such charge automatically or by default in the food bill without allowing consumers the choice or discretion to decide whether they want to pay such charge or not."
—IANS

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday observed that restaurants should raise the salaries of the employees if they were concerned about their staff. The court said this while dealing with the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)'s plea in relation to the service charge issue of eateries.

 'If eateries are worried about staff, raise salaries', Delhi HC on service charge plea

Tehran: The Iranian security forces arrest a woman for eating at a restaurant in public without her hijab, according to her family.
Donya Rad was arrested after a photo of her and another woman eating at a Tehran restaurant without their headscarves was widely circulated online, reported CNN.
The photo emerged Wednesday showing the two women having breakfast at a cafe that, like most coffeehouses in Iran, is traditionally patronized by men.
According to Rad's sister, security agencies contacted Donya and summoned her to explain her actions.
"After visiting the designated place she was arrested, after a few hours of no news, Donya told me in a short call that she was transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison," her sister told CNN.
Tehran's Evin Prison is a notoriously brutal facility where the regime incarcerates political dissidents and is exclusively designated for prisoners managed by Iran's Intelligence Ministry.
In recent days, security forces have reportedly detained several influential Iranians, including writer and poet Mona Borzouei, Iranian football player Hossein Mahini, and the daughter of former Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Faezeh Rafsanjani, reported CNN. Iranian singer Shervin Hajipour was also arrested this week after releasing a poignant song based on tweets shared by Iranians expressing sentiments of why people are protesting, according to NGO Iran Human Rights.
Hajipour's song "For..." went viral online, receiving millions of views and is being shared widely among Iranians inside and outside the country.
The anti-government demonstrations started in the country over the death of a Kurdish woman named Mahsa Amini.
Mahsa, 22, died in police custody after her arrest for allegedly failing to comply with Iran's strict rules on women's dress by wearing an "improper hijab".
The government crackdown has continued after almost two weeks of protests, with dozens dying in clashes between security forces. Iran Human Rights estimates that at least 83 people including children, are confirmed to have been killed in protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, reported CNN. More than a thousand people connected to the protests have been detained as of last weekend. At least 28 journalists arrested were arrested as of Thursday, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Amnesty International on Thursday said they are "investigating the authorities carrying out mass arrests of protesters and bystanders, as well as journalists, political activists, lawyers, and human rights defenders, including women's rights activists and those belonging to oppressed ethnic minority groups." Despite the growing death toll and a fierce crackdown by authorities, videos circulating on social media show protestors calling for the fall of the clerical establishment in the cities of Qom, Rasht and Mashhad, reported CNN. —ANI

The Iranian security forces arrest a woman for eating at a restaurant in public without her hijab, according to her family.

Iran's Security Force Arrest Woman For Eating At Restaurant Without Hijab

Lahore: At least two children were admitted to a hospital after a restaurant in Lahore allegedly served acid bottles during birthday celebrations, Samaa TV reported Monday. According to the FIR registered at the Lari Adda Police Station, the complainant claimed that on September 27, the family went to a restaurant situated inside the Greater Iqbal Park to celebrate birthday.
The complainant said that after dinner, a guest used one of the water bottles served by the restaurant to wash the hands of his son. As soon as the water was poured over his hand, the child started screaming, Samaa TV reported. Around the same time, another child drank from one of the bottles and fell unconscious after throwing up. One of the relatives, who was attending to the child, also developed blisters on his hands when the child vomited on him. The victims’ family said both children were shifted to the hospital.
The police arrested the manager of the restaurant and started the investigation. —IANS

At least two children were admitted to a hospital after a restaurant in Lahore allegedly served acid bottles during birthday celebrations, Samaa TV reported Monday. 

Restaurant In Lahore Served Acid Bottles To Kids During B'day Celebrations

Bareilly: The nephew of Uttar Pradesh minister Arun Kumar Saxena has been booked for allegedly trying to mow down workers of a restaurant when they refused to serve him food after closure of the outlet.
According to the complaint filed with the police, Amit Kumar Saxena, the nephew of Arun Kumar Saxena, abused the staff for failing to serve his colleague as the restaurant had closed.
He allegedly tried to ram his car into a group of restaurant workers for refusing to serve him. The workers were standing outside the restaurant when the incident took place.
SP City Bareilly Rahul Bhati said that the staff had to flee to save their lives and the car ended up destroying a cot lying there.
Inspector Meher Singh, in-charge of the police station of Prem Nagar said that when the police reached the spot, the accused had fled.
A case has been registered on the complaint of the hotel owner Naresh Kashyap's son Sushant Kashyap under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Kashyap claims to be a BJP worker.
He claimed that after the incident, he reached the minister's house to complain but was told that the minister was sleeping. —IANS

The nephew of Uttar Pradesh minister Arun Kumar Saxena has been booked for allegedly trying to mow down workers of a restaurant when they refused to serve him food after closure of the outlet.

UP Minister's Nephew Booked For Assaulting Restaurant Staff

New Delhi: A man was arrested for cheating innocent people by projecting himself as a rich bachelor on a matrimonial site, and used expensive cars to impress his victims, a Delhi Police official said on Friday.

The accused identified as Vishal, a resident of Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, further duped the victims by offering iPhones at cheaper rates and got the money transferred.

According to police, the complainant, a 26-year-old woman, reported to the police that her parents made her profile on a matrimony site, and she came across Vishal's profile.

"He projected himself as a HR professional having an income of Rs 50-70 lakh per annum. He won over her trust and convinced her to purchase iPhones at cheaper rates for her relatives and friends. She transferred a total of Rs 3,05,799 in eight transactions," said Jitendra Kumar Meena, Deputy Commissioner of Police (north-west).

"After blocking her on social media platforms, he informed her that he met with an accident and was admitted to a hospital in Jaipur, and stopped attending her calls," said the DCP.

"After some days of incident, posing as a decoy a request on the same matrimonial site was sent to the alleged man. He accepted the request and started influencing her in a similar manner, by projecting himself as a HR professional and rich bachelor. The decoy female asked him for a meeting and when he came to meet her, he was nabbed," said the official.

During interrogation, Vishal confessed to his involvement in this cheating and disclosed that after completion of his studies of BCA and MBA from Delhi, he worked as a HR professional in a MNC in Gurugram in 2018.

"Vishal left his job in 2021 and started his business by opening a restaurant in Gurugram, which was not successful. He made a profile on a matrimonial site -- Jeevnasathi.com -- and projected himself as a rich bachelor," said the official.

In order to create an impression, he hired an expensive car for 15 days through an app and paid Rs 2500 per day. He showed some villas and farmhouses as his properties in Gurugram and also projected his well-off business of a food chain in Gurugram, in order to win over the trust of families looking for suitable matches.

"He offered iPhone-14 pro max at a cheaper rate and convinced the victim to buy it, in order to earn profit," said the official, adding that further efforts are being made to trace his possible involvement in other similar complaints also and his bank account details are further being scrutinised. IANS

A man was arrested for cheating innocent people by projecting himself as a rich bachelor on a matrimonial site, and used expensive cars to impress his victims, a Delhi Police official said on Friday.

Man posed as rich bachelor to cheat people on matrimonial site, held

New Jersey (US): Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ensuing state visit to the United States, a New Jersey-based restaurant has readied a special 'Modi Ji Thali' as the PM Modi will be arriving in the US. Prime Minister Modi will embark on his first state visit to the US at the invitation of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden in June. The US president and the First Lady will also host Modi at a state dinner on June 22. PM Narendra Modi will become the first Indian PM to address the Joint Meeting of the US Congress for the second time. PM Modi has a huge fanbase not only in India but overseas and there is an outpouring of love and adulation from the Indian diaspora wherever he goes. The 'Modi Ji Thali', curated by chef Shripad Kulkarni, comprises dishes as diverse as the Indian landscape. The dishes in the Thali range from Khichdi, Rasgulla, Sarso Da Saag, and Dum Aloo to Kashmiri, Idli, Dhokla, Chaach, and Papad. Recently, the United Nations declared 2023 as the "International Year of Millets" after a recommendation from the Indian Government in the year 2019. To celebrate this achievement and promote awareness of millets, the restaurant has consciously indulged in a lavish feast prepared using millets. The restaurant owner also plans to launch another Thali dedicated to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar soon. "We plan to launch this thali soon. I'm very positive that it's going to gain popularity. Once this does well I also plan to launch a Dr Jaishankar Thali, because he too has that rockstar appeal amongst the Indian American community," Malhotra said. Indian Americans are planning to welcome him with an 'India Unity Day' march in 20 major cities across America on June 18, organisers have announced. While a group of Indian Americans are planning to go to Andrews Air Force Base when the Prime Ministers Air India One lands on June 21 afternoon from New York, more than 600 community members are planning to gather at Freedom Plaza in front of the Willard Intercontinental in Washington located near the White House where the PM will be staying. At freedom plaza, the community will showcase the cultural fabric of India through cultural events representing India spanning from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and West to East. On June 22, more than seven thousand of Indian Americans are planning to be on the South Lawns of the White House when President Biden and the First Lady would welcome the Prime Minister amidst a 21-gun salute. The White House will be closing the registration shortly for those attending the welcome ceremony. In the US, PM Modi will also address the chairman and CEOs of top US companies at John F Kennedy Centre in Washington. Followed by an address to the Indian diaspora at Ronald Reagan Center in DC in the evening. On June 21, several top Indian-Americans are also excited to join Prime Minister Modi on the north lawns of the UN complex in New York, where he will lead the International Yoga Day event, soon after arriving in the country, thousands of Indian Americans are set to stand in support outside the UN. This is not the first time a restaurant has dedicated a Thali to PM Modi. Last year, ahead of PM Modi's birthday on September 17, a Delhi-based restaurant launched a Thali named 56inch Narendra Modi Thali. ARDOR 2.1, a restaurant located in Connaught Place, Delhi, presented the big-sized thali having 56 items, with the customer having the choice of opting for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. The owner of ARDOR 2.1 restaurant, Sumit Kalara, told ANI earlier, "I respect PM Modi-ji so much. He is the pride of our nation and we wanted to gift something unique on his birthday. So, we decided to launch this grand thali named '56inch Modi Ji' Thali. We want to gift him this thali and want him to come here and eat. But, due to security reasons, we can't do that, so this is for all of his fans who love him a lot. Please come and enjoy this thali." —ANI

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ensuing state visit to the United States, a New Jersey-based restaurant 

Before US Visit, New Jersey Restaurant To Launch 'Modi Ji Thali'

Lucknow: A 24X7 dine-in rail coach restaurant has now opened at Charbagh railway station in Lucknow.  Spread over nearly 16,00 square feet, the restaurant has been placed right between the Charbagh metro and railway stations, so that people can just walk in, place order, have their food there or eat on the go later.  The eatery has a washroom and arrangements to eat out (open dining) with family and friends as well.
Refurbished with modern interior design, air-conditioning, picture frames that narrates brief history of Awadh and its culture, the restaurant attempts to provide a peaceful ambience like the Maharaja Express or Palace On wheels dining coaches.  “Be it 3 a.m. or 3 p.m., you will be served mouth-watering delicacies. Our cuisine enlists food from every corner of the country -- be it from Punjab, Kashmir, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. We have also included Chinese food, due to its nature of being served quickly,” said Santosh Kumar Dhanuk, the restaurant owner, who has spent over two decades in catering services for the Railways.  As part of non-fare revenue opportunity, Northern Railway, Lucknow Division, gave its scrapped train coaches on a lease for five years, where the contractor has liberty to refurbish that coach into an exotic-looking restaurant.  Currently in Uttar Pradesh, Indian Railways has opened rail coach restaurants in Varanasi, Agra and Izzatnagar (Bareilly).  They have also installed scrapped coaches at Gomti Nagar, Gorakhpur and Sidhauli to convert them into restaurants.
—IANS

A 24X7 dine-in rail coach restaurant has now opened at Charbagh railway station in Lucknow. Spread over nearly 16,00 square feet, the restaurant has been placed right between the Charbagh metro and railway stations, so that people can just walk in, place order, have their food there or eat on the go later.

Rail coach restaurant opens in Lucknow

Hyderabad: Hyderabad police on Monday arrested five employees of a hotel for allegedly beating a customer to death after an argument over extra curd for biryani.
Two policemen have also been suspended for negligence. The shocking incident occurred at Meridian restaurant at Panjagutta in the heart of the city on Sunday night.
Mohammed Liyaqat, 31, and his friends, who were having dinner at the restaurant, asked the waiter for extra curd (Raita) with biryani. This led to an argument. Soon other employees of the hotel came forward in support of the waiter. A fight broke between the two sides.
Police from Panjagutta Police Station also reached the hotel.
Liyaqat, a resident of Chandrayangutta in the old city and his friends, were taken to the police station, where he collapsed. The police shifted him to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead. The victim’s body was shifted to Gandhi Hospital for autopsy.
Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) MLC Mirza Rahmat Baig Quadri reached there and demanded justice for the victim’s family. Police registered a case on a complaint by Saleem Khan, a friend of Liyaqat. It booked hotel staff and also the owner.
Five hotel employees were arrested. They were identified as Krishna Surya Prakash, Malavath Pandu, Alamdar, Abdul Nazeer, and Moin. Meanwhile, two policemen have also been suspended for negligence in discharging their duties.
Panjagutta Inspector of Police suspended Sub-Inspector Shiva Shankar and constable Ramesh.
— IANS

Hyderabad police on Monday arrested five employees of a hotel for allegedly beating a customer to death after an argument 

Five held for death of a man at Hyderabad hotel over extra curd

Lucknow: Lucknow has got its first ‘Robot restaurant’ that has two Artificial Intelligence-based robot-servers -- affectionately known as 'Ruby' and 'Diva’. Ruby and Diva, both donning a vibrant shade of yellow, are the pioneering waitstaff at Lucknow’s inaugural robotic dining establishment, aptly named 'The Robot Restaurant - The Yellow House' in Aliganj. The other UP-based branch of this restaurant is operational in Noida. Aniket Srivastava, the visionary behind this high-tech dining venture, explains, “The robots operate on an Artificial Intelligence-based system meticulously crafted by our engineers. After a mere 2-3 hours of charging, they can effortlessly serve patrons for over 12 hours. Utilising a sophisticated remote sensor technique, we assign table numbers to the robots through a discreet tablet-like interface situated at the rear of these mechanical maestros. The robots then navigate seamlessly towards the designated table, relying on Google’s cutting-edge navigation technology. If any obstacle obstructs their path, these robots exhibit remarkable grace by halting instantly.” What sets these robo-servers apart is their ability to communicate with diners. When encountering an obstruction, they politely utter “Please excuse me". After successfully delivering the order to the table, they announce with precision, “Your order has arrived". And, as patrons take their food, a simple press of the exit button on the left side prompts a gracious departure with the parting words, “Have a nice meal". These robots even return to their designated positions, as meticulously programmed. Ankit added, “The response from our customers has exceeded our expectations, with patrons often queuing for tables during peak hours. Our prediction that this unique technological concept would captivate diners has been validated, especially among our younger clientele, who relish capturing selfies with our robot servers.” The restaurant has already become a sensation. 'The Robot Restaurant' franchise has seen the addition of Ruby and Diva as invaluable members of its team, significantly reducing the need for human manpower. While this may be the first of its kind in Lucknow, the concept of robotic dining has been making waves in India. In 2017, Chennai witnessed the country’s inaugural robotic restaurant, 'Robot', inspired by similar Japanese and Chinese eateries. Subsequently, in 2022, Noida and Jaipur followed suit with their own robotic dining establishments. —IANS

Lucknow has got its first ‘Robot restaurant’ that has two Artificial Intelligence-based robot-servers -- affectionately known as 'Ruby' and 'Diva’

Lucknow Gets Its First Robot Restaurant

New Delhi [India]: A Sikh restaurant owner based in London, Harman Singh Kapoor who has been receiving continuous threats and suffered attacks by Khalistani extremists, said on Saturday that as India is growing now, some foreign countries are manipulating Sikhs to turn against India. "Some people do not like the fact that India has been growing. Foreign countries are manipulating Sikhs to turn against India so that India diverts its attention towards these issues and doesn't prosper. It is foreign countries' conspiracy...," he said.
Last week, Harman's car was allegedly vandalised by the extremists in West London. A video posted on X by Insightuk2, which describes itself as a social movement of British Hindus and Indians, claimed that some unidentified assailants allegedly opened fire at the car of Harman Singh Kapoor. He emphasised that he has been living in the UK for 26 years and "Khalistan movement has been active in the UK in the last 1.5 years." Harman posted a video on this issue which went viral. "For over 9 months, I have been getting threats and there have been attacks on me as well because I told the truth in that video," he noted. He further added that the Khalistani extremists attacked his restaurant. "They attacked my restaurant, it's okay, but they should not have come to my home. Now either I will live, or they will live." Harman in an exclusive interview, told ANI that the terrorists who came to attack him were dressed as Sikhs. "The people who came to attack me dressed themselves as Sikhs. My wife and my daughter said that we should fight this as they are defaming Sikhs, Hindus and India. We know that Sikhs never attack vulnerable people and we have to fight for our faith and our country" he added. He emphasised, "I want this fight to end." Harman complained about the negligence of UK officials after he reported the incident to the police station. He said, "No actions were taken by the officials, they only recorded my complaint. Police are not arresting them, the Khalistanis are roaming free. Khalistanis have support from the Police. Khalistanis are their political assets there. If a countryman is attacked, the accused should be arrested but in my case, these Khalistanis were not arrested by Police."
He further urged UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to take command and "help people like us." "Take action now," Harman stressed. Moreover, he urged the Indian government to pressure the UK government to save Indian-origin people. "Put pressure, don't sign deals with the UK, unless they do rightful things to save Indian-origin people living in the UK," he said. Harman's wife Khushi Kapoor further explained the situation stating that she had been living a great life for 23 years with her family before all this happened. Lauding PM Narendra Modi's government, she said, "Since he became the PM, everyone is proud of PM Modi. He changed everything in India in the last 9 years. Years ago, India had to ask other countries before taking action, but now, those countries are taking advice from India." Khushi further emphasized, "We won't die at the hands of Khalistani." On September 30, following the attack on Harman's car, a UK-based journalist and researcher, Charlotte Littlewood, in a post shared on X, claimed that the attack on Kapoor's family was ongoing." "The attack on Harman Singh Kapoor and his family is ongoing. They are awaiting police as Khalistani extremists are thought to have shot at their vehicle in London. As feared the Canada row has emboldened extremists - we will see more of this," her post read. Earlier in the day, she also questioned the decision to remove the panic alarm from the car of the family amid the diplomatic fallout of Canada's claim of an Indian hand in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. "At this heightened time of threat following the India-Canada row. Where the Khalistani extremists are threatening India High commissions in the West and assassinating Indian officials in India. How was the decision made to remove their panic alarm? (sic)," her post added. Harman said his wife and his daughter even received several rape threats. "Our address was put online with calls to rape and kill them. Videos of miscreants licking the pictures of my wife and daughter were posted as well," he added, according to Bitter Winter, a magazine on religious liberty and human rights.
—ANI

A Sikh restaurant owner based in London, Harman Singh Kapoor who has been receiving continuous threats and suffered attacks by Khalistani extremists

"Foreign countries are manipulating Sikhs to turn against India...": It is foreign countries' conspiracy

Kuala Lumpur: McDonald's Malaysia has sued a movement promoting boycotts against Israel for "false and defamatory statements" that it says hurt its business, seeking damages amounting to 6 million ringgit ($1.31 million).
Malaysia, a majority-Muslim country, is a staunch supporter of the Palestinians, and some Western fast-food brands in the country, as in some other Muslim nations, have been targeted by boycott campaigns over Israel's military offensive in Gaza.  Gerbang Alaf Restaurants Sdn Bhd (GAR), which is the licencee of McDonald's in Malaysia, is suing the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Malaysia movement for a series of social media postings allegedly linking the fast-food franchise, among other companies, to Israel's "genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza".
Also Read: <a href="https://www.thehawk.in/posts/russia-unleashes-'biggest'-air-attack-on-ukraine-launches-158-drones-and-missiles" target="_self">https://www.thehawk.in/posts/russia-unleashes-'biggest'-air-attack-on-ukraine-launches-158-drones-and-missiles</a>&nbsp;
According to a writ of summons dated Dec. 19 sighted by Reuters, Gerbang Alaf Restaurants alleged that BDS Malaysia incited the public to boycott McDonald's Malaysia, which led to a loss of profit and job cuts, among other damages, due to closures and shortened operating hours of its outlets.  McDonald's Malaysia confirmed it filed the suit against BDS Malaysia to protect its "rights and interests", it said in a statement on Friday.  In response, BDS Malaysia said it "categorically denies" defaming the fast-food company and would leave the matter to the court.  The BDS movement aims to end international support for Israel's "oppression of Palestinians" and pressure Israel to comply with international law.  ($1 = 4.5900 ringgit)
—Reuters

McDonald's Malaysia has sued a movement promoting boycotts against Israel for "false and defamatory statements" that it says hurt its business

McDonald's Malaysia sues Israel boycott movement for $1 mn in damages

New Delhi [India]: Popular food delivery and restaurant aggregator company Zomato has decided that its newly introduced 'Pure Vegetarian' delivery fleet will continue to wear Zomato's trademark red instead of green as originally conceived by the delivery start-up. "All our riders -- both our regular fleet, and our fleet for vegetarians, will wear the colour red," Deepinder Goyal said on Wednesday in its latest update.
"This means that the fleet meant for vegetarian orders will not be identifiable on the ground (but will show on the app that your veg orders will be served by the veg only fleet). This will ensure that our red uniform delivery partners are not incorrectly associated with non-veg food, and blocked by any RWAs or societies during any special days... our rider's physical safety is of paramount importance to us. We now realise that even some of our customers could get into trouble with their landlords, and that would not be a nice if that happened because of us" Goyal said in his post on X. Earlier on Tuesday, Zomato said it had launched a 'Pure Veg' delivery fleet to serve customers with purely vegetarian dietary preferences. Zomato said this segment was introduced after getting feedback from purely vegetarian customers who are very particular about how their food is cooked, and how their food is handled.
Zomato had said that the 'Pure Veg' delivery mode would consist of a curation of restaurants that serve only pure vegetarian food and will exclude all restaurants which serve any non-veg food item. "Our dedicated Pure Veg Fleet will only serve orders from these pure veg restaurants. This means that a non-veg meal, or even a veg meal served by a non-veg restaurant will never go inside the green delivery box meant for our Pure Veg Fleet," said Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal in a post on his X timeline. In his comments on X, the Zomato founder said that the concept of a 'Pure Veg' fleet had drawn overwhelming response from customers. "I have received an overwhelmingly positive response on this launch from so many people. A lot of comments from young people who eat non-veg food saying "now my parents can also use Zomato". I would like to repeat that this feature strictly serves a dietary preference. And I know there are a lot of customers who would never order food from a restaurant which serves meat, irrespective of their religion/caste" Goyal posted. "But why did we need to separate the fleets? Because despite everyone's best efforts, sometimes the food spills into the delivery boxes. In those cases, the smell of the previous order travels to the next order, and may lead to the next order smelling of the previous order. For this reason, we had to separate the fleet for veg orders. Please note that participation in our Veg delivery fleet will not discriminate on the basis of our delivery partner's dietary preferences" he added.  "There's an opinion that some societies and RWAs will now not let our regular fleet in. We will stay alert for any such cases and work with these RWAs to not let this happen. We understand our social responsibility due to this change, and we will not back down from solving it when the need arises. And I promise, that if we see any significant negative social repercussions of this change, we will roll it back in a heartbeat" he further said. To start with, Deepinder Goyal himself stepped out to deliver some pure veg orders with his delivery partners. This feature will see a phased rollout across the country in the next few weeks. Deepinder Goyal said Zomato also plans to add more specialised fleets for special customer needs. It said a special cake delivery fleet is coming up with hydraulic balancers which will prevent the cake from getting smudged during delivery.&nbsp;
—ANI

Zomato retains its iconic red for all delivery fleets, ensuring vegetarian orders are specially catered to without discrimination, enhancing customer and rider safety.

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1 dead, 13 injured after blast rocks restaurant in China

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1 dead, 13 injured after blast rocks restaurant in China

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