'A la carte': Gravy not a right in restaurants, rules Kerala consumer court

Kochi, May 22 A restaurant owner in Kerala's Kochi heaved a sigh of relief as a local consumer court near here ruled that gravy need not be given for free to customers.

The legal battle started when a person in November last year ordered parotta and beef - one of the state's most popular dishes and available at most eateries - at a restaurant here.

As the parotta made out of maida is flaky, many people prefer to have gravy with it to make it soft and enhance its taste.

In most places, restaurants and hotels also give gravy separately when the beef dish ordered is dry.

At some places, the gravy given is prepared with an onion base, while at some other places, the beef dish is prepared as a curry itself.

Recalling the incident that led to a long legal fight, the owner of the ‘Persian Table’ restaurant said initially the person who ordered for parotta and beef did not ask for gravy.

"Later, he said he wants gravy also. We said we normally don’t provide gravy, but if the order is for beef with gravy, we provide it. He began an argument, and we made our stand clear. Unhappy with our stand, he left," the restaurant owner said.

"We later realised that he had registered a complaint with the local authorities, and they also came to inspect us. With nothing happening, he then filed a petition before the consumer court," the owner added.

"Now the verdict has come, and we are happy that the court understood our logical reasoning on why we were not able to provide free gravy. We incur a hefty monthly salary bill, and if we are to give gravy for free, it will cost us more and it will not be a viable venture," the restaurant owner maintained, expressing his happiness that the court ruled in their favour.

With this new ruling, gravy cannot be demanded as a right for those arriving at hotels and restaurants.

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