When we think of India fast food might not be the first thing to come to mind, but with this fascinating continent (not a typo) now one of the fastest growing economies in the world, a middle class that requires fast food is quickly becoming a thing.
So, what are the leading Fast Food in India brands? Well as you might expect there are a lot of home grown examples, but also some familiar faces, although they have been somewhat Indianized.
Table of Contents
Street Food vs Fast Food in India
Street food is still the beating heart of the country. From Delhi to Chennai to Kolkata you’ll see endless carts dishing out chaat, vada pav, momos, dosas and kebabs for pocket change — fresh, fast, ugly-delicious. This is the true fast food of India because it’s everywhere, cheap and cooked right in front of you.
Branded Fast Food in India, however, is finally catching up to the street. Clean counters, predictable menus, delivery apps, AC seating, calorie counts if you care — these brands are pulling in middle class families and office crowds who want reliability over adventure. Street food still wins on flavour. Branded fast food wins on consistency and convenience through apps like Zomato and Swiggy. Although FYI for foreign visitors, you will need an Indian phone number to access food delivery in India.
Click to read about which countries have McDonalds.
Top 15 Fast Food in India Brands
So, here’s the top 15 fast food brands in India, at least by number of stores and to the best of our ability. This is not something advertised all that much in country.
Number 15. Smokin’ Joe’s
~50 outlets
Old Indian pizza chain, mostly metros. Budget pizzas with Indian toppings. Small footprint today.
Number 14. Jumbo King
~130 outlets
Vegetarian Indian burger chain using spiced potato patties instead of beef. Built for commuters and malls.
Number 13. Goli Vada Pav
~150 outlets
Mumbai street snack franchised. Fully vegetarian vada pav in fast food format.
Number 12. La Pino’z Pizza
~150 outlets
Regional pizza brand growing fast in tier 2 cities with spicy sauces and Indian toppings.
Number 11. Chaayos
~200 outlets
Tea led fast casual with Indian snacks and light meals. Urban middle class crowd.
Number 10. Faasos
~200 outlets
Wraps and rice bowls, delivery first Indian fast food brand.
Number 9. Burger King India
~400 outlets
No beef. Paneer burgers, spicy chicken and cheap combo meals for Indian tastes.
Number 8. McDonald’s India
~450 outlets
No beef or pork. Heavy veg menu including McAloo Tikki and Veg Maharaja Mac. Not great…
Number 7. Wow Momo
~425 outlets
Homegrown chain built on momos plus burgers, fried snacks and rice bowls.
Number 6. Subway India
~500 outlets
Sandwich chain adapted with paneer, chutneys and Indian sauces.
Number 5. KFC India
~700 outlets
Fried chicken with Indian spice levels, rice meals and box combos.
Number 4. Baskin Robbins India
~750 outlets
Dessert fast food. Egg free ice cream, local flavours, everywhere.
Number 3. Pizza Hut India
~800 outlets
Paneer tikka pizzas, chicken tikka, masala bases plus Western classics.
Number 2. Cafe Coffee Day
~1300 outlets
Coffee plus sandwiches and quick meals across cities and small towns.
Number 1. Domino’s Pizza India
~1800+ outlets
Largest fast food brand in India by far. Massive delivery network. Paneer pizzas, spicy chicken, veg heavy menus, Indian sauces. Who knew? Indians love pizza.
Click to read about KFC in China.
Honorable mentions….
Honourable mentions go to the fast food brands trying to crack India without quite making the big leagues yet. Popeyes is creeping in city by city with Louisiana fried chicken tweaked for Indian spice levels. Wendy’s is back after years of disappearing, now running ghost kitchens and delivery only burgers.
Taco Bell survives by swapping beef for paneer and masala chicken. Dunkin’ limps along selling donuts and coffee. Barista and Keventers keep the café crowd fed. None of these dominate, but they show how foreign brands have to bend hard to survive India’s brutal fast food market.
Therefore of you do have hankering for fast food and are fearful of the shits there are plenty of options when you travel to India! BUT do not expect it to taste all that much like home…..
Click to see my tours with YPT.