“No roti due to gas cylinder crisis.” “Only coffee and tea available today..” In recent days, posters like these have appeared more and more frequently in the windows of Indian stores.
A video posted on Instagram on March 10, 2026 shows a sign that reads: “There will be no roti due to the gas cylinder crisis (due to the war between Iran and the United States).” Rotis are a round flatbread that is a staple in Indian cuisine. Source: Instagram/data_girl.ai
These are one of the domino effects of the war raging in the Middle East. India’s supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) – a primary cooking fuel in the country – has faced disruptions following US and Israeli attacks on Iran, which led to a near-total blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Indian imports about 60% of your cooking gasand around 90% of those imports come from the Middle East.
India has repeatedly said there was no shortage of LPG, and Prime Minister Modi said on March 12. that “some people (…) are trying to create panic.”
But while the government invoked emergency powers boost national LPG production and reduce sales to industry prioritize supply For households, this has left restaurant owners struggling to get enough fuel.
‘Our menu has been reduced by almost 50%’
We spoke to Syed Jameel, owner of a dozen restaurants in Bengaluru, the capital of the southern Indian state of Karnataka:
“We are finding it really difficult. The supply is really low. We cannot get gas. All commercial supplies have been stopped. In India, a gas cylinder weighs around 21 kilograms. We use 15 to 20 cylinders a day. And for available gas, the prices are almost four times the actual price.
So little by little we have been reducing the menu. We just narrowed down the menu. Our menu has been reduced by almost 50%.”
In Raysan, in the northwestern state of Gujarat, chef Liju Ninan faces a similar situation with his restaurant Spicy Dine Inn.
“We are just surviving, we have no supplies.
Normally, the supply arrives every week. when I called our supplierthe phone was off. I thought he might have gone to a wedding or something at the hospital. The next day, his son told me that his father had kept his phone off because he was receiving 100 calls a day.
We have reduced the menu. We only have two or three items: one vegetarian and one non-vegetarian. We usually eat seafood, lamb and chicken. Now, only the basic chicken will be cooked. We cook the chicken in a pressure cooker to reduce gas consumption.”
In response to the continued disruptions, restaurants across the country have taken to social media to alert customers about menu changes.
“We are forced to limit the number of dishes and include only essential foods,” a vegetarian restaurant in Kochi, Kerala state, wrote on Facebook. March 13pointing out a “nationwide shortage in the availability of cooking gas.”
In this post published on Facebook on March 11, 2026, Brindhavan restaurant in Kochi says it has decided to “temporarily reduce certain items” on its menu. Source: Facebook / Brindhavan
The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) wrote to the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas on March 11, calling for uninterrupted supply of commercial LPG to restaurants. They highlighted that the restaurant industry is highly dependent on LPG, and the supply of food is an essential service.
Restaurant associations have also noted the widespread existence confusion among distributors regarding recent government notifications, calling on authorities to provide clarity on commercial LPG supplies.
The government has saying has created a panel to review industry requests.
Restaurants that use charcoal, wood or electric fryers
To keep their kitchens running, restaurant owners try to turn to alternative energy sources whenever possible.
TO restaurant in Maduraiin the state of Tamil Nadu, warned on March 10 of a “slight delay in service” because “some items are being prepared with coal instead of gas, which may take a little longer.”
In this post published on Instagram on March 10, 2026, the Bell Jumbo restaurant in Madurai warns of a “limited menu,” “revised timings,” and a “slight delay in service.” Source: Instagram/belljumbomadurai
But this is not a magic solution, according to Jameel:
“There are alternatives. We have electric fryers. Two days ago I bought a lot of electric oil fryers. Charcoal is also used and barbecue is also used.
So anything that can be prepared in a fryer, we can serve. But much of the food served here is salsa. That’s why it needs a constant flame. “You can’t depend on charcoal or firewood for that.”
Chef Liju Ninan said he would have to start using wood or charcoal fires “in the next two days” if the crisis continues, but also stressed that “it creates smoke” and “is not practically possible.”
A video posted on TikTok on March 11, 2026 shows a pot over a wood fire, supposedly in Bengaluru. “See LPG gas shortage…wood-fired food now served at Goldbelly cafe,” the caption reads. Source: TikTok/su_nielbasnet
In addition to reducing items that require long simmer cooking and using lids while cooking, the NRAI It also told its members to consider shorter operating hours.
That’s what chef Liju Ninan decided to do:
“Now we close in the morning and afternoon and only open at night.
Tomorrow, for college, we also had a two-day event. I simply canceled it due to lack of LPG.”
“If the crisis continues for five more days, I will have to close”
Given the current situation, chef Liju Ninan warns of serious consequences if the crisis is not resolved:
“The government has to take appropriate measures because we, small vendors or small restaurant owners, what can we do? We have no choice but to close the premises and lose our customers.
“If the crisis continues for another five days, I will have to close.”
Jameel shared similar concerns:
“I look around when I go out. I see that the small shops have closed. The larger restaurants have reduced their menu, which is a sign that they will soon run out of resources.
I have a centralized kitchen where I have a couple of gas cylinders supplied. So I think I can supply gas for another four or five days. Because gas is not something you can store. It’s not safe. These are not foods, like rice or flour, that you can store.”
Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) warned on March 11 that half of Mumbai’s restaurants could be forced to close if the situation does not improve in the next two days.
‘It’s not just money (…) it’s also a matter of passion’
While its doors remain open for now, Jameel says he’s already feeling the economic toll.
“Almost between 30% and 40% of the business is down. The clients are there, but what they want is not.
I don’t know why we should suffer because someone else is fighting. Those who suffer are not only us: we are also the workers who work, the cooks who are there. “It’s going to affect them too.”
“And it’s not just about money,” adds chef Liju Ninan. “Not everyone runs the store for money, but also for passion. I am a chef. I cook with my heart for my customers.”
