Some hotels and tea stalls in Bengaluru have increased coffee and tea prices by ₹2-3, with operators citing higher input and operating costs, according to a report by Vijay Karnataka published on September 7.
Coffee and tea that previously sold for ₹20-30 at some establishments are now priced at ₹22-33. At smaller hotels and tea stalls, prices reported at ₹15 have risen to between ₹16 and ₹18. Badam milk is being sold at around ₹20-25, with prices varying by neighbourhood and local demand.
The Bengaluru Hotel Owners’ Association president, P.C. Rao, said the increase could not be attributed only to recent sugar and jaggery price movements. He said sugar prices had already declined after rising sharply, while some hotel operators may have revised prices because of broader increases in operating expenses.
Hotel owners have also cited higher rents, electricity bills and water charges as factors affecting the cost of running their businesses. Prices of meals and snacks, including masala dosa and idli-vada, were reportedly increased around three months ago after commercial LPG cylinder prices rose.
The report said wholesale sugar prices were between ₹55 and ₹60 per kilogram, while some retail sellers were charging around ₹80. Jaggery was reported at about ₹55 per kilogram. Demand linked to the Shravan season and a series of festivals was also cited as a factor behind recent price increases.
The changes are not uniform across Bengaluru. Prices differ between neighbourhoods and establishments, depending on local demand, operating costs and the extent to which individual businesses have revised their menus. Hotel operators have said that maintaining existing prices has become difficult amid rising expenses.
