Nirulas may be richer by Rs 90 cr after deal

NEW DELHI: Nirula’s — Delhi’s first fast-food chain will have new owners from Saturday. A source close to the Nirula family says: "Of course, Deepak and Lalit will have nothing more to do with the 72-year old establishment."

Rumour has it that the Nirula’s deal with Navis has made the family richer by Rs 90 crore. The Nirula cousins had diversified into business hotels, waiter service restaurants, family style restaurants, ice-cream parlours, pastry shops and food processing plants in India.

The chain, with over 60 outlets operating in five states, successfully caters to the Indian palate of over 50,000 guests every day. "We plan to grow our restaurants, ice-cream parlours and cake shops under the Nirula’s brand name itself. We will soon go national in a big way and might alter the brand-positioning of the chain," reveals an insider.

At the original Connaught Place L-Block outlet, it was business as usual on Friday evening. A steady stream of customers poured in, unaware that they were biting into a chunk of the capital’s history.

TOI casually asked the waiter in the familiar red outfit if the place was shutting down and he replied matter-of-factly, "No, it’s just changing hands." As an afterthought, he added, "Nirula’s can never shut down. It will go on and on..." Amen!