Kolkata, 12 May 2026: The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), in collaboration with Reelo, will host a focused Learning & Development (L&D) session titled ‘Stop Renting Customers: Build Growth Beyond Discounts & Aggregators’ on 14th May 2026 in Kolkata.
The session comes at a time when restaurants across the country are increasingly evaluating the long-term impact of discount-led growth and growing dependence on third-party platforms for customer acquisition. With rising operational costs and increasing pressure on margins, the industry is seeing a stronger shift towards sustainable business models built on customer retention, loyalty and direct engagement.
As consumer expectations continue to evolve beyond convenience towards more personalised and experience-led interactions, the session will explore how restaurants can build stronger emotional recall, create meaningful customer connections and drive repeat business through consistency and brand-led experiences.
Bringing together over 180 restaurant owners, operators, marketers and senior decision-makers, the session aims to create meaningful industry dialogue around building profitable growth while strengthening direct customer relationships and ownership.
A key highlight of the evening will be a fireside chat featuring Rahul Singh, Founder & CEO of The Beer Cafe, alongside Parin Sanghvi, Founder, Reelo. The conversation will focus on the realities of discount-driven growth, the importance of building repeat customer behaviour and loyalty, and how restaurant brands can create stronger long-term consumer relationships beyond aggregator ecosystems.
Speaking about the initiative, Piyush Kankaria, Chapter Head, NRAI Kolkata, said, “The restaurant industry today is at an important turning point where sustainable growth and customer ownership are becoming increasingly critical for long-term success. Through this session, we aim to bring together restaurateurs and industry leaders for meaningful conversations around profitability, loyalty and building stronger consumer connections.”
The session is part of NRAI’s continued efforts to drive industry learning, collaboration and knowledge-sharing opportunities for the restaurant community across India. Restaurant owners, operators and industry professionals interested in attending the session can join the conversation on 14th May 2026, Thursday from 5 PM onwards at Desi Lane, Topsia, Kolkata.
Registration Link: https://nrai.org/EventRegister_now.aspx?ID=8YBJyA0FoT4=