LPG shortage forces eateries to shut down, disrupts wedding catering in Bengaluru

Hotels and eateries across Bengaluru continue to face a severe shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, forcing many establishments to reduce menu options and, in some cases, temporarily shut down operations as uncertainty over supply persists.

The crisis has also begun to affect the city’s wedding catering industry, with several caterers halting new bookings and scaling down elaborate wedding menus.

Restaurant owners said they initially tried to manage the situation by limiting the number of dishes offered to customers. However, with supplies of commercial LPG remaining inconsistent, owners of many establishments said that it has become difficult to continue day-to-day operations.

“We first tried to cope with by cutting down our menu, but the situation has only worsened. We somehow managed to run the kitchen till Wednesday, but today we simply did not have enough LPG to cook. We do not know how long this uncertainty will continue, so we decided to shut down the establishment from Wednesday until the situation improves,” said Ravindra Shetty, a restaurant owner from Arekere in south Bengaluru.

Several restaurants across the city have adopted similar measures. Some eateries are operating with minimal menus, while others have temporarily closed their kitchens to avoid losses and operational disruptions.

A restaurant owner from Koramangala said the shortage has created confusion and financial strain for small businesses that depend entirely on LPG for daily cooking. “Restaurants run on tight margins and we cannot function without a reliable fuel supply. With no clarity on when supplies will stabilise, some of us have chosen to pause operations rather than disappoint customers,” said Ravi K., a hotel owner.

Wedding catering

The crisis is also impacting Bengaluru’s wedding catering industry, which typically handles large-scale events with elaborate food spreads.

Caterers said they have stopped accepting new wedding bookings for the coming weeks and even next month because they could not guarantee the scale of food preparation required for such events.

Manoj Kumar, a caterer from Jayanagar, said wedding menus usually consist of multiple dishes that require significant cooking time and fuel. “A typical wedding menu includes 15 to 20 items, preparing such elaborate meals requires continuous LPG supply. Since we do not have reliable access to commercial cylinders right now, we have decided not to take new wedding bookings until the situation improves.”

Even caterers who had already accepted bookings were being forced to modify their plans. Prasanna Bhat, another caterer from Jayanagar, said the shortage has compelled catering teams to reduce the number of dishes served at wedding functions.

“Wherever we already have confirmed bookings, we are cutting down on the number of items on the menu and reducing the live food counters. Live counters are very popular at weddings, but they require constant cooking. Because of the LPG shortage, we cannot run all the counters like we normally do,” he added.

The uncertainty has also created anxiety among families preparing for weddings in the coming days. Priya K. Kumar, a resident of Whitefield, said the family of a friend who was getting married next week was recently approached by their catering team with an unusual request.

“The caterers told them they may have to arrange LPG cylinders themselves for the wedding event because supplies are not guaranteed. Wedding preparations are already stressful, and this request has put the bridegroom’s family in a difficult position. There are several auspicious wedding dates coming up, and catering teams seem to be struggling to manage the situation.”