Why the gap exists
Meat and fish cost more than paneer and vegetables, and non-vegetarian dishes are portioned larger. Chicken adds the least; mutton and fish the most; prawns, crab and kingfish push a coastal menu to the top of its band. At the premium end the gap closes, because an elaborate vegetarian menu — in-house paneer, a Jain line, a Kerala sadya with three payasams — costs real money too.
Planning a mixed menu
- Price the base on the vegetarian band for the full guaranteed count.
- Add non-vegetarian mains as a separate counter or section, and agree a count for it — usually 40–60% of guests at a Bangalore reception, lower at a lunch.
- Keep the lines separate: separate chafing dishes, separate servers, a clear sign. For Jain and satvik guests, a separate line with its own vessels.
- Muhurtham lunches are vegetarian in almost every Bangalore community; the reception is where the non-vegetarian menu lives.
Typical 2026 gaps by menu
| Menu | Vegetarian | Non-vegetarian |
|---|---|---|
| Simple meal | ₹180–₹320 | ₹300–₹500 |
| North Indian buffet with tandoor | ₹650–₹950 | ₹850–₹1,300 |
| Coastal / Chettinad reception | ₹500–₹750 | ₹650–₹1,200 |
| Premium multi-counter | ₹1,200–₹2,000 | ₹1,500–₹2,500 |