Six North Indian dhabas underline enduring appeal of destination-led roadside dining

A feature spotlights Amrik Sukhdev, Kesar Da Dhaba, Lucky Dhaba, Pahalwan Dhaba, Mr Sanjay Dhaba and Giani Da Dhaba, tracing how heritage, signature menus and travel-route locations turned them into destination foodservice brands.

— Source published Sat, 15 Aug, 2026, 06:15 IST · First seen Sat, 15 Aug, 2026, 07:03 IST · Source Business Today · Latest

What happened

Amrik Sukhdev Dhaba · Feature profiles six iconic North Indian roadside dhabas, highlighting their heritage, signature food, themed experiences and role as

Key facts

  • 6 dhabas
  • 1916
  • more than a century

Why this matters

Established dhaba brands may be attractive partnership or franchising candidates where operators can preserve authenticity while extending destination-led formats.

What to watch

  • New expressway exits, bypasses, toll plazas or tourism-corridor projects near established dhaba locations.
  • Franchise announcements, airport/mall outposts, packaged-food launches or celebrity/influencer collaborations by heritage dhabas.
  • Partnerships with map, travel, fuel-station, bus-tour or delivery platforms.
  • Evidence of rising review volumes, wait times, digital-order adoption or destination-food travel content.
  • Regulatory enforcement on food safety, roadside encroachment, parking or commercial licensing.
  • Track whether featured operators add outlets, franchise, launch packaged products or formalize delivery and travel-platform partnerships.
  • Monitor highway, expressway and mountain-route infrastructure upgrades that can redirect traffic toward or away from legacy roadside clusters.
  • Watch organized foodservice brands for dhaba-inspired sub-brands, regional-menu launches and highway travel-center tie-ups.
  • Assess whether food-safety, parking, sanitation and EV-charging investments become differentiators for roadside dining destinations.