5/5 Devansh C. 1 year ago on Google
P.
Rajagopal
opened
a
tiny
grocery
shop
on
the
outskirts
of
the
city.[4]
In
1992,
Rajagopal
on
his
visits
to
Singapore
observed
the
functioning
of
the
multinational
fast
food
joints
like
McDonald's
and
used
them
as
a
model.[5]
By
the
1990s,
the
Saravana
Bhavan
chain
spread
throughout
neighbourhoods
in
Chennai.
In
2000,
Saravana
Bhavan
opened
its
first
branch
outside
India,
in
Dubai,
with
a
large
number
of
Indian
expatriates.
It
eventually
expanded
to
several
major
cities
including
Paris,
Frankfurt,
London,
New
York
City,
Dallas,
Toronto,
Stockholm,
Doha,
and
Auckland.
While
the
restaurants
have
gained
popularity
among
non-Indians,
they
mostly
target
the
South
Asian
expatriate
population.
They
are
sometimes
referred
to
as
"canteen-like
joints
strictly
aimed
at
Indian
expatriates
missing
a
taste
of
home".[6]
It
is
considered
to
be
a
high
volume,
low
margin
venture
which
is
labour-intensive.
Saravana
Bhavan
sends
workers
from
India
and
America
to
work
in
their
foreign
branches.[7]
The
overseas
outlets
are
run
by
franchisees.[8]
This
famous
South
Indian
restaurant
chain
currently
serves
in
many
countries
worldwide,
that
are:
India,
Australia,
New
Zealand,
Malaysia,
Oman,
Canada,
France,
Belgium,
Germany,
Singapore,
Bahrain,
UAE,
United
Kingdom,
USA,
Kuwait,
Saudi
Arabia,
South
Africa,
Qatar,
Hong
Kong,
Thailand,
Netherlands,
and
Sweden.
Saravana
Bhavan
in
United
Kingdom
has
restaurants
in
East
Ham
(Greater
London),
Harrow
(Greater
London),
Ilford
(East
London),
Leicester
Square
(West
End
of
London),
Southall
(West
London)
and
Tooting
(South
London).
The
branches
of
the
biggest
South
Indian
restaurant
chain
in
the
United
Kingdom
are
mostly
known
to
be
situated
in
London