In an industry where brands come and go at the speed of lightning, Cafe Delhi Heights has a firm foothold as one of the capital’s favoured culinary spots. Its unique concept, the unfailing loyalty of its customers, as well as the consistency in its food and product offerings, have ensured sustained growth for this brand. Ten years since the opening of its first outlet in Gurugram, Café Delhi Heights now has 25 outlets across Delhi, Gurugram, Mumbai, Pune, Chandigarh, and Noida, with plans to expand further.
Described as ‘cool and hippy, fun and witty’, this café chain has an enduring appeal for the young and old alike. The brainchild of Vikrant Batra and Sharad Batra, Cafe Delhi Heights is perhaps the first all-day casual neighbourhood café in Delhi-NCR, offering a quirky yet comfortable and vibrant ambiance. Vikrant Batra is an established name in the Indian Food and Beverage Industry, known for his inventive concepts and stand-alone ventures, the most popular of which is Cafe Delhi Heights.
On the successful completion of 10 years, Batra says, “I live Café Delhi Heights in each and every moment of my life. If someone asks me my age, I measure it in terms of 10 years of the Café, 25 outlets and 1000 team members. What began as a dream is my life now. I am immensely happy about introducing Café Delhi Heights to India which became a pioneer in many different ways. We introduced true Café culture to the city, encouraging a space for happy and casual dining. There is no formality of any kind here, and of course our vast menu caters to every palate.”
The iconic Juicy Luicy burgers are an invention of the Café Delhi Heights team, and they ran with this concept to ensure high engagement of their clientele. By introducing simple elements like displaying the ‘Number of Burgers Sold’ on slates in every outlet, they were able to create a buzz unlike competitor brands. “Café Delhi Heights is the result of the positive attitude and the immense gratitude of my team along with a focus on consistency, which is what our customers love about us the most. We began in an era where Café was a new term—people thought Cafés were synonymous with coffee shops—but by introducing our vast menu we turned this entire idea on its head,” shares Batra with a smile.
As he was always confident about Café Delhi Heights as a concept, Batra feels validated in his belief after completing a decade in the industry. However, even he did not anticipate the kind of customer loyalty, positive feedback and dedicated following that the brand has garnered over the years. He shares, “surviving and expanding in the industry while sustaining the essence of the brand despite continuous innovation, has been our mission since inception. Food has always been our forte and the key feature of Café Delhi Heights. We believe in understanding the palate of the audience, while innovating and experimenting with it in a comfortable manner. However, we believe it is the wholesome experience we offer our customers with live gigs, awesome cocktails, welcoming interiors, and a value for their money, that has made repeat patrons of our brand.”
With 8-10 new outlets lined up to open in the next couple of years, expansion is most definitely on the cards. Earlier this year, the brand introduced Bakehouse Comfort as its in-house bakery, which has been received well.
To celebrate the 10-year anniversary, Café Delhi Heights launched campaigns on social media for customers to redeem vouchers, and win meals simply by participating and winning contests. These are mostly focussed on creating nostalgic memorabilia around the brand. Additionally, every food delivery customer receives a secret code enabling them for 20% discount on their next order via direct delivery.
Batra signs off with, “Café Delhi Heights has always struck a chord with customers by doing things efficiently. With excellent dine-in options already in place, we also stepped up our delivery model last year with the pandemic in mind. Great food has always been our priority and now relevant safety precautions have become a major priority for us too.”
The writer is a lawyer who pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com. She can be reached on nooranand@gmail.com.