Empty chairs, dishes lined up neatly, unoccupied staff, and hushed kitchens have taken over the once clattering and chattering restaurants, cafes, and roadside stalls of Vadodara. The food industry has taken a massive hit owing to the pandemic. While some food joints have closed down, others are struggling to keep their shutters open. Dine-in places like Pepperazzi in Vadodara, as per Jigar Desai, the owner, could not cope up with the unchanged levels of rent and a sudden drop in the demand, and hence, had to close down. The rising threat of COVID and a justified sense of panic amongst the citizens has led to a steep downfall in the food business. Bhavik Kotak, the owner of Secret Kitchen, a fine-dine restaurant, believes that the fine-dine business has taken the steepest plunge. With hardly an occupancy of 5-6 tables in an entire day, he said, "Fine-dine restaurants have, essentially, always been popular for their dine-in experiences. The delivery model for our restaurants had never

Author-Raveena