IRCTC targets e-Pantry expansion to 100 trains as 25%-30% of passengers skip meals
IRCTC says an estimated 25%-30% of passengers opt out of prepaid train meals. Its eCatering business now exceeds 1.6 lakh meals a day, while QR- and app-based e-Pantry ordering is set to expand from more than 50 trains to about 100.
What happened
IRCTC estimates 25%-30% of train passengers are opting out of prepaid meals, while eCatering exceeds 1.6 lakh daily meals. The company plans to expand
Key facts
- 25%-30% estimated passenger opt-out rate for IRCTC meals
- 58 crore meals served annually
- 18 lakh meals served daily
- 300-500 catering complaints daily
- 0.0008% complaint rate cited
- eCatering increased from about 1.25 lakh to more than 1.6 lakh meals daily
- e-Pantry available on over 50 trains
- e-Pantry planned expansion to about 100 trains
Why this matters
The expansion creates partnership opportunities with food aggregators, regional restaurant chains, payment providers and onboard logistics specialists to broaden choice and ensure consistent last-mile delivery.
What to watch
- e-Pantry daily order growth relative to the existing 1.6 lakh-meal eCatering run rate.
- Conversion rate among passengers on newly enabled trains versus comparable non-enabled routes.
- On-time delivery, cancellation, refund and complaint rates during delayed-train periods.
- Average order value and mix shift from full meals toward snacks, beverages and group orders.
- Number of active restaurant/QSR partners and evidence of commission or promotional-spend pressure.
- Whether rollout reaches 100 trains on schedule and expands beyond that threshold.
- Prioritize e-Pantry deployment on long-distance, meal-time-heavy trains where prepaid meal opt-out and dwell-time uncertainty are highest.
- Use QR ordering to offer arrival-time prompts, group bundles, regional menus and low-price snack options aimed specifically at passengers who would otherwise skip meals.
- Publish train- and station-level fulfillment SLAs, vendor ratings and real-time delivery tracking to build trust in post-boarding ordering.
- Consolidate high-performing station vendors into preferred networks and use order-density data to reduce stockouts, cancellations and food-waste exposure.
- Bundle e-Pantry offers with ticketing, lounge access, beverages and loyalty incentives to raise conversion without relying solely on discounting.