Last year, with fears of coronavirus looming large after the first wave, Valentine’s Day in Chennai was a tepid affair. Celebrations were muted in malls, restaurants did not have big bashes and people, too, were worried to step out. But this time around, with the COVID cases going down, Chennai’s restaurants, retailers and residents are all geared up to celebrate Valentine’s Day in a big way.
Charles Francis, who works with a bakery chain, tells us, “Valentine’s Day is not the same as the other festival days in our country, but it is definitely bigger than the normal days. In particular, there is an increased demand for chocolates and layer cakes. We are seeing a 30 per cent increase in these orders this year. We are making customised cakes for V-Day as there is a huge demand for them from customers.”
With three waves of pandemic behind us, residents have adapted to the new way of life. “People have learnt to take precautions and they know when to step out. In the last two weeks, things have changed a lot. The amount of online orders and in-person consumers have started to match up to each other,” says Abhishek Rao, owner of a city-based eatery chain.
“I think people are keen to step out more for dinners and outings this year as they want to make the most of the lost time. For us, this is a big week and we’re looking forward to it,” adds Abhishek.
On Friday, the Tamil Nadu government had announced that restaurants and hotels can function at 100 per cent capacity. “In terms of sales, there hasn’t been a big rise. But for Valentine’s Day, we expect takeaways and deliveries to be a little more than the usual,” says Vignesh, who works with a restaurant chain.
“We usually have a full house on the occasion. People come in for dates and some opt for cutting cakes. We’ve introduced new pastries and cakes for this year’s Valentine’s Day,” says Johnson Kevin, who handles a cafe.
For Kuldeep*, a fitness trainer, this Valentine’s Day is about spending time together with his beau at home. “ My girlfriend and I are both working, and this way, we can spend more time together and make it more special. We will be cooking and ordering in, too,” he says.
“Earlier, my partner and I used to be in different cities and it used to be difficult for us to celebrate Valentine’s Day together. Now that we’re in the same city, we wanted to spend the day together, at home. So, it will be gifts, food and leisure time at home,” says 25-year-old Marie*.
(*names changed on request)
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/chennai-goes-all-out-to-usher-in-valentines-day/articleshow/89549364.cms
