Ready-To-Eat Food By IRCTC
Indian Railway introduced Ready-To-Eat Food Pouches in Trains and in stations. Cost price of the package shall be substantially less than the market price, which will be determined after completion of trials.
At present, no exclusive catering rights in Rajdhani and Shatabdi Express trains have been given to IRCTC. However, as announced in Rail Budget 2016-17, it has been decided that IRCTC would begin to manage catering services in a phased manner through unbundling catering services by creating a distinction between food preparation and food distribution.
Food Plaza Opened at Howrah Station
Eastern Railway announced on 07.09.2022 that as a part of Eastern Railway’s continuous endeavour for more passenger convenience, new revamped Food Plaza has been re-opened after being closed for 17 months at Howrah station (old complex) today (5.9.2022) in presence of Shri Manish Jain, Divisional Railway Manager, Howrah and Shri Zafar Azam, Group General Manager/IRCTC alongwith senior officers of Eastern Railway & IRCTC.
This new looked renovated Food Plaza is built on 3122 sq.ft. on the ground floor of Howrah station (old complex) with mezzanine flooring to enable commuters to enjoy high quality food. In this food plaza, the licensee organization has decided to make food without chemicals. The food will be prepared from fresh milk, rice, wheat, vegetables of Sundarbans Cooperative Milk and Livestock Union Ltd. Apart from this, there will be available Chinese Dishes, Pizza, Burger, Sandwich, Rolls, Ice creams etc. Emphasis will be laid on demands of the passengers.
This Food Plaza has been re-opened through a private vendor at an annual licence fee of ₹442,18,786/- on 40:60 profit sharing basis between Railways & IRCTC.
Ready to Eat Meals in more Stations
IRCTC launched its Ready to Eat (RTE) food counter at Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station, a famous News Paper reported. Divisional railway manager Prakash Butani inaugurated the new counter at food plaza in the station on Friday.
Offer Rates
As an introductory offer RTE packets worth Rs 40 per pack are now available for Rs 32 for a period of two months.
Menu items
Chicken Biriyani, vegetable Biriyani, Jeera rice, Sambar rice, tamarind rice, lemon Rice, Dal rice and wheat Upma are the available dishes. These items will also be made available in trains including Kerala express, Netravathi, Jayanthi Janatha and Venad Express.
Ready to Eat Meals in Long Distance Trains
Indian Railway already introduced Ready to Eat (RTE) Meals for traveler in trains while travelling. Now Railway decided to serve Ready to Eat Meals on long distance trains also, a famous News paper reported.
IRCTC has in a move to recover from losses and earn profits, introduced Ready to Eat Meals in the long distance trains starting from Wednesday in Gareeb Rath from Mumbai to Delhi. The officials are trying to popularize the Ready to Eat Meals which do not require anything but hot water and a microwave.
Ready to Eat meal packs contain, packs of vegetable, biryanni, rajma Chawal, jeera rice, tamarind rice, lemon rice, wheat upma, dal rice and chicken biryani.
IRCTC had signed a MOU with Mysore based company, Central Food Technological Research Institute for providing hygienic food products and services to the rail travelers. The technology has been inducted from Defense Food Research Laboratory.
Railway officials believe that if the Ready to Eat packages go down well with the passengers then the railways can remove the pantry car and replace it with Ready to Eat Meals. The pantry car in the long distance train is as big as a three-tier AC coach and when the replacements take place, its larger size can be effectively put to better use.
If Ready to Eat Meals will be a success,Railway also planning to introduce Ready to Drink Tea also, official said.
IRCTC to offer Meri Waali Chai and 10% Cash Back
IRCTC partners with leading tea cafe chain Chaayos to provide steaming and customized in choicest flavors teas and snacks in trains. So now we can enjoy the variety of 25 types of teas in trains, which can further be customized in over 12000 ways.
Chaayos is a famous tea cafe chain, started in November 2012. They are offering different type of tea and option of 12 add ones gives customers a total of over 12000 ways to make the chai.
The menu of Chaayos chai are including :-
- Desi Chai – Add upto 12 add ones: Tulsi, Adrak, elaichi, Saunf, Laung, Cinnamon, Masala, Kali mirch, mint, ajwain,moti elaichi, hari mirch, Make it – Kadak : extra storng tea, sulaimani : black tea with lemon, Irani : More milk and less water.
- Classic teas – Green tea, jasmine tea etc.
- Specialty teas – Gods chai, Cinnamon green, Pahadi Chai, Lemon green, Mint and Lemon green, Moroccan mint, Rose Cardamom, Honey ginger Lemon, Aam Papad chai etc.
For getting special tea we need to order the tea two hours before the train’s arrival time. Travelers can also order some great nashat such as spicy Keema Pav, Vada Pav, Poha etc.
IRCTC also decide to give 10% cash back offer on all prepaid e-catering orders above Rs.300/-, and has launched a mobile app for customers to place an order.
