Nirula's facts for kids

Nirula's is a very old and famous fast food chain in India. It's known for being Delhi's first fast food restaurant. It opened in Connaught Place in 1977.

Today, Nirula's has over 70 restaurants. You can find them in North India, especially around Delhi. They offer a special "Desi" (Indian) twist on popular Western fast food.

Besides fast food, Nirula's also has other businesses. These include ‘Potpourri’, which is an Indian cuisine restaurant. They also have ‘Nirula's 21’ ice cream shops. You can also find their pastry shops and even two hotels.

The Story of Nirula's

Nirula's started way back in 1934. Two brothers, Lakshmi Chand Nirula and Madan Gopal Nirula, opened "Hotel India." It was in Connaught Place (CP), New Delhi. The hotel had 12 rooms, a restaurant, and a bar.

In 1940, they opened the Indian Coffee Shop. This shop was one of the first to serve espresso coffee. It became very popular right away. They also opened fun themed restaurants like ‘La Boheme’ (Hungarian food) and ‘Gufa’ (Indian food).

In the 1950s, they opened the 'Chinese Room'. This is one of Delhi's oldest Chinese restaurants. It's still in the same place today!

Nirula's Enters Fast Food

The 1970s was a big time for Nirula's. In 1977, they opened Delhi's very first fast food restaurant. This was a huge step!

Soon, they added more to their fast food spot. There was a pastry shop, a snack bar, and an ice cream parlour. This ice cream shop offered 21 different flavours! They also added a "Potpourri" salad bar where waiters served you.

Nirula's became a famous place for young people. They loved the Western fast food like burgers, pizzas, and submarines.

Nirula's kathi roll meal on an IndiGo flight

Growing and Competing

Nirula's fast food business grew a lot in the 1980s and 1990s. They opened new locations all over the NCR. Before big international chains came, Nirula's was the top spot for young people.

In the 1990s, many international fast food chains arrived. McDonald's was one of them. Even with this new competition, Nirula's stayed strong. In 2000, they still had 40% of the Delhi fast food market.

McDonald's even had to change its menu to suit Indian tastes. Nirula's also worked hard to keep its prices good. They also made their restaurants look fresh and new.

To grow even more, Nirula's also opened hotels. They have one in Noida and another in Panipat. They also built food processing plants.

Nirula's was also the first Western-style fast food restaurant in Kathmandu, Nepal. They had two locations there. But over time, they faced a lot of competition. Sadly, they eventually closed their doors in Kathmandu.

New Owners and Growth

Nirula's express outlet at Delhi Airport.

In 2006, a company called Navis Capital Partners bought Nirula's. In 2007, the main Connaught Place restaurant moved to a new spot.

Also in 2007, Nirula's opened something really cool. They opened India's first ice cream museum! It's inside their ice cream factory in Noida.

That same year, Nirula's started new types of restaurants. These included "Nirula's Express" for quick take-away. They also opened Food Court Units and Ice-Cream Kiosks. The first Express outlet opened at the Delhi Airport.

In 2012, Navis Capital Partners sold Nirula's Group to A2Z Excursions Pvt. Ltd. Today, Nirula's has many restaurants. You can find them in cities like Delhi, Gurugram, and Patna.

Popular Food Items

Nirula's is famous for many delicious items:

• Hot Chocolate Fudge Sundae
• 21 Love Ice Cream
• Banana Split
• Lime Ice - an Ice Cream Soda
• Pineapple Ice Cream Soda
• Chilli Chicken Pizza
• Chicken Curry with Naan
• Cakes and Pastries
• Mutton Sausage Pizza

Restaurant Locations

You can find Nirula's in many cities across India:

• Delhi: Connaught Place, Roop Nagar, Lodhi Road, Hauz Khas, Amar Colony, Bhikaji Cama Place, Kirti Nagar, Dwarka, Janakpuri, Paschim Vihar, Greater Kailash Part II, Karol Bagh, New Friends Colony, Preet Vihar, Punjabi Bagh, Vasant Kunj, Vasant Vihar, Bhikaji Cama Place, Shahdara, Mayur Vihar
• Haryana: Faridabad, Gurugram, Bahadurgarh
• Uttar Pradesh: Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad
• Uttarakhand: Mussoorie, Dehradun
• Bihar: Patna

Restaurant Styles

Nirula's has different types of restaurants to suit everyone:

• Nirula's 'Family-style' outlets: These are quick service restaurants. You can also get take-away, home delivery, and order online.
• Nirula's Express: These are only for Take away.
• Fuel Station Outlets: You can find these at gas stations.
• Potpourri: These are full-service restaurants with waiters. They serve many different kinds of food.
• Nirula's 21: These are special ice cream parlours.
• Pegasus bar: A bar for drinks.