How do you increase restaurant sales during Uttarayan, Gujarat’s kite festival and its name for Makar Sankranti? Sell to the terrace, not the dining room, and take undhiyu pre-orders by the kilo. Sell combos and party food packs for kite flying. Win bulk orders from housing societies.
The timing matters because people start looking early. Searches in India for “undhiyu near me” went from 5,400 in November 2025 to 18,100 in January 2026.
This post is a 20-day plan. It covers where the money goes and how to sell and price undhiyu. Then it covers what to do 20 days and 10 days out, and on the two festival days. It ends with Makar Sankranti outside Gujarat, the New Year link and how your POS can help.
Key Takeaways
- Plan for takeaway and delivery first, because families spend the whole day on their terraces.
- Undhiyu is the dish to pre-order. Close the list a few days early, so you buy vegetables to the order.
- It is a two-day business. Vasi Uttarayan, the second day, needs a different menu from the first.
How to Increase Restaurant Sales During Uttarayan
You increase restaurant sales during Uttarayan by selling food for the terrace. Here is why your dining room empties, where the money goes, and why the festival runs over two days.
Why the Dining Room Empties on Uttarayan and Where the Money Goes
On Uttarayan, Gujarat moves to its rooftops. The Gujarat Tourism festivals guide says the day is spent “flying kites on rooftops”.
The same guide lists undhiyu and jalebi on the festival menu. It adds chikki (nut and jaggery brittle) and tal papdi (a sesame sweet). It also lists khichdo (a broken wheat dish, often with lentils) and sherdi (sugarcane). Bor (jujube berries), shingoda (water chestnuts) and jamfal (guava) are on it too.
Undhiyu is the centre of it. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation says this mixed vegetable dish “is cooked specially on this day”. Jalebi comes with it.
So plan for food people carry up to the terrace. Search interest in undhiyu peaks at the same time. Searches for “undhiyu” reached 1,10,000 in January 2026, against about 22,000 in most months. These figures come from Google search data, pulled on 16 October 2026.
Why Uttarayan Is a Two-Day Business, Not a One-Day Business
Uttarayan usually falls on 14 January, and the next day is Vasi Uttarayan, when the kite flying goes on. One writer in Curly Tales said that on Vasi Uttarayan, “the energy didn’t drop even a bit”.
Plan stock, staff and delivery for both days. Day one centres on undhiyu and jalebi. Day two is a different sale, covered later in this post.
Why Undhiyu Is the One Dish People Pre-Order
People pre-order undhiyu because it is one of the festival dishes that take the most work to make at home. It needs a long list of winter vegetables and muthiya (small gram-flour dumplings), then hours of slow cooking. Buying it ready lets the whole family spend Uttarayan on the terrace instead of in the kitchen.
The searches suggest people are looking for a kitchen to buy from, not a recipe: “undhiyu near me” climbs every month into January, as the chart below shows. Here is when to close pre-orders, how to buy, how to price by the kilo and how to pack.
When to Close Undhiyu Pre-Orders and Why the Date Decides Your Profit
Close undhiyu pre-orders three days before the festival, on about 11 January. Then you can buy vegetables for the pre-orders, plus one planned batch for walk-ins. Little goes to waste.
Searches build from November. So put the pre-order menu out by late December, and close the list on 11 January. A late close means guessing your vegetable order. A wrong guess eats your margin.
When to Buy Surti Papdi, Ratalu and Lilva for Undhiyu
Surti papdi (flat beans), ratalu (purple yam) and tuvar lilva (fresh pigeon peas) are the core undhiyu vegetables, and every undhiyu kitchen needs them in the same festival week, so prices may rise. We found no published figures on how their prices change, so we give no number here.
What you can control is when you commit. Agree amounts and a price with your supplier in December, based on the pre-orders you expect. Then confirm the final order once pre-orders close.
How to Price Undhiyu by the Kilo (With an Example)
Price undhiyu by the kilo from your cost, not from the shop down the road. People look prices up: searches for “undhiyu price” reached 1,000 in January 2026, in the same Google search data.
Here is the cost of one kilo at a restaurant in Vastrapur, Ahmedabad (an example):
| Undhiyu Cost per Kilo | Amount |
|---|---|
| Vegetables | ₹180 |
| Oil, spices and muthiya | ₹40 |
| Packing | ₹15 |
| Gas and labour | ₹45 |
| Total cost | ₹280 |
| Selling price | ₹480 |
| What you keep before rent | ₹200 |
The ₹480 here is before GST. Add the GST rate that applies to your restaurant on top.
At 100 kilos of pre-orders, that is ₹48,000 in sales and ₹20,000 kept. Our guide to menu pricing shows how to set the margin for your own costs.
How to Pack Undhiyu So It Travels and Waits on a Terrace
Undhiyu can sit on a terrace for hours before it is eaten, so pack it to travel and to wait. Tell guests to keep it covered and out of the sun.
- Use sealed, leak-proof containers. Undhiyu carries oil, and a leaking box ruins a delivery.
- Pack jalebi separately in a dry box, so it does not go soggy.
- Write the packing time on every box, and tell guests to eat it the same day.
Our guide to delivery packaging has more ideas for food that has to travel.
What to Do 20 Days Before Uttarayan to Increase Sales
Around 25 December, set up the menu and the orders that take longest to win. Here is how to build the menu, win society orders, take pre-orders and judge app campaigns.
This is the stage that fills the order book. In the Vastrapur example earlier in this post, 100 kilos of undhiyu pre-orders bring in ₹48,000 in sales. Every kilo sold now is also a kilo you can buy vegetables for before the festival week.
How to Build an Uttarayan Thali and Combo Menu
Your Uttarayan special menu should be short and easy to carry. Price it per person or per family. Three formats cover most orders:
- An undhiyu jalebi combo, with puri, for two or four people.
- An Uttarayan thali for guests who still want a full meal.
- Kite-flying party food packs: snacks, chikki and drinks for a terrace group.
How to Get Bulk Orders From Housing Societies and Terrace Parties
Some housing societies hold a shared terrace party on Uttarayan. That makes the society one large order. In late December, reach out to the society secretary or the residents’ WhatsApp group. Offer a fixed price per head.
- Set a minimum order, such as 20 people.
- Fix one delivery slot for the whole society.
- Take part of the payment when the order is confirmed.
Our guide to food catering covers how to run larger orders like these.
How to Open Uttarayan Pre-Orders With Part Payment
Open pre-orders on every channel guests use: phone, WhatsApp, your own website and the counter. Then take every order through the same four steps.
- Note the name, phone, item, amount and time slot.
- Take a part-payment, so the order is real.
- Send a confirmation with the balance due as soon as the payment comes in.
- Collect the balance when the guest picks up or the rider delivers.
When to Join Delivery App Campaigns for Uttarayan
Join a delivery app’s festival campaign only if you still make money on it. Each app sets its own dates and terms. Ask your account manager in December what it would ask of you.
Work out what you keep on an undhiyu order at the campaign price. Use the commission rate in your own contract. If that is too little, keep your Uttarayan restaurant offers for pre-orders and online ordering on your own website.
What to Do 10 Days Before Uttarayan to Increase Sales
Around 4 January, push the pre-orders before they close and get the team ready. Here is how to message guests, sell gift packs, plan the roster and plan delivery.
How to Push Uttarayan Pre-Orders on WhatsApp Before They Close
Message your regulars with your festival menu, the price per kilo and the last date for pre-orders. Send a reminder three days before the list closes.
Start with guests who ordered undhiyu last year. Then message families and groups who came in recently. Our guide to customer relationship management (CRM) reports shows how to find them.
How to Sell Chikki, Til Laddu and Uttarayan Gift Packs
Chikki and til laddu (sesame laddus) are easy add-ons. They keep well and travel well. Searches for “chikki” stayed near 49,500 a month from November 2025 to January 2026, according to Google search data.
Sell them in small gift packs for families and offices. Add a pack to every undhiyu order at the counter, and offer a box price for companies giving them to staff.
How to Plan an Uttarayan Staff Roster When Staff Want to Fly Kites
Your staff want to fly kites too, so plan the roster before they ask. Split the team into two shifts. The morning shift covers pre-order handover and the midday combos. The evening shift overlaps at lunch and covers the evening rush.
Give each person part of one festival day off. A fair rule agreed early beats a short team on the busiest morning. Our guide to the restaurant duty roster shows a format you can copy.
How to Plan Delivery When Orders Come All Day, Not at Dinner
On the day, orders come from morning to evening, not in one dinner rush. So plan delivery in slots.
- Morning: pre-order handover and breakfast snacks.
- Midday: terrace lunch combos.
- Evening: snacks and the second round of undhiyu.
Our guide to increasing online orders has more on a full day of delivery.
What to Do on Uttarayan and Vasi Uttarayan (14-15 Jan)
On the festival days, keep three rushes moving and change the menu on day two. Here is how to run the rush, what to sell on day two and how to keep riders safe.
How to Run the Morning, Midday and Evening Order Rush on Uttarayan
Run the day as three short rushes, not one long one. Hand over pre-orders first thing. Cook lunch combos through the late morning. Keep a second batch of undhiyu for the evening.
Keep the counter fast by ringing each combo up as one item. Each kitchen order ticket (KOT) then carries one line instead of a line for every dish in the box. Brief the kitchen on what each combo contains before service.
What to Sell on Vasi Uttarayan When Families Want a Change
By Vasi Uttarayan, some families want a change from a second day of undhiyu. The Curly Tales writer quoted earlier went out for street-style Chinese food after a second full day of kites.
So change the menu for 15 January. Sell snacks, chaat, Chinese or pizza combos, and drinks for the terrace. Keep a smaller batch of undhiyu for late orders.
How to Handle Riders, Surge and Delays on Both Festival Days
Kite strings are a real danger to riders on two-wheelers. In January 2023, at least six people in Gujarat died from kite string cuts during the festival, three of them children. All three men who died were riding two-wheelers, The Tribune reported.
- Give your riders neck guards and ask them to ride slower on these two days.
- Quote longer delivery times to guests, so a delay does not become a complaint.
- Batch orders by area, so one rider covers one society at a time.
- Pause new delivery slots when the kitchen or riders fall behind, and take only pickup orders until you catch up.
What to Sell for Makar Sankranti Outside Gujarat
Outside Gujarat, the same day is Makar Sankranti, with its own dishes in each state. Tamil Nadu marks it as Pongal and Assam as Magh Bihu, both harvest festivals. Here is what to sell in each city.
Which Sankranti Dishes Sell in Which City
Each region marks the day with its own sweets, so match your Makar Sankranti restaurant offers to your city.
| City | Festival | Dishes to Sell |
|---|---|---|
| Mumbai, Pune | Makar Sankranti | Tilgul (sesame and jaggery laddus) and gul poli (jaggery-filled flatbread) |
| Chennai | Pongal | Sakkarai Pongal (sweet) and Ven Pongal (savoury rice and lentils) |
| Guwahati | Magh Bihu | Pitha (rice cakes) and laroo (sweet balls) |
Maharashtra Tourism says tilgul are sesame laddus made with jaggery, and gul poli is its signature sweet flatbread. MyGov Assam lists laroos and pithas among the Magh Bihu dishes.
Tamil Nadu Tourism describes the sweet Pongal as new rice cooked with milk, jaggery and cardamom. Our guide to Pongal sales covers that festival in full.
How to Turn New Year Customers Into Uttarayan Pre-Orders
New Year’s Eve and Uttarayan are two weeks apart, and they share one customer list. Here is how to turn New Year guests into pre-orders.
Guests who book a table on 31 December have already shown they eat out for an occasion. A pre-order card on that bill and one message on 2 January reach them while the night is fresh, and before your undhiyu pre-orders close.
- Put your Uttarayan pre-order card on every New Year’s Eve bill.
- Message New Year guests on 2 January with your festival menu and the last order date.
- Offer New Year guests first pick of delivery slots for 14 January.
Our guide to New Year’s Eve sales covers the countdown before it. Our guide to festive season sales covers the season as a whole.
How Petpooja Helps You Sell and Manage Uttarayan Orders
Petpooja‘s restaurant POS helps you increase restaurant sales during Uttarayan. It supports you from the first pre-order to the report check after the festival. Here is how it helps you plan, market and review.
How to Plan Undhiyu Quantities From Your Pre-Orders
Record every undhiyu pre-order as an advance order. When the list closes on 11 January, open the Advance Order Summary report. It lists every advance order with the customer and the charges, so you can check nothing is missing. Then add up the kilos across those orders to set your vegetable order.
On the Android POS, the screen and the printed bill also show the amount paid and the balance pending, so handover takes one look.
Petpooja’s AI Inventory Agent keeps stock levels updated on its own. Check what is already in the store room before you place the final vegetable order.
If the internet drops on the festival day, the Android, Local and Electron versions keep billing for up to five days.
How to Market Uttarayan Pre-Orders to Past Guests
The CRM tool keeps the customers from your bills. Build a segment from them and send an SMS campaign with your pre-order menu. SMS marketing runs on the Android and Electron versions.
For WhatsApp, use Petpooja’s marketing automation tool, Marketing Manager. Pick one of its ready-made festival templates and add your undhiyu price per kilo and the last order date. It groups your customers by behaviour, such as loyal, at-risk and inactive. So send the pre-order menu to loyal regulars first, and a reminder to guests who have not visited in a while.
It can also send return-visit messages on its own after the festival. Its dashboard shows the WhatsApp read rate, so you know how many people saw the menu. Marketing Manager works on every version but Local. A restaurant marketing app can design the menu for social media.
What to Check in Your Reports After Vasi Uttarayan
On 16 January, check your reports:
- Sales by item, to see how many kilos of undhiyu and how many combos sold.
- The Advance Order Summary, to see who placed each pre-order.
- Hourly item-wise sales, to see when each rush peaked.
On the morning after each festival day, you can also ask the “Ask Me Anything!” AI assistant: “What were my top-selling items yesterday?”
What I could recommend from my end. Save this year’s Advance Order Summary for next January. It shows who ordered ahead, which societies booked and who to message first. Then compare the hourly sales from both days to set next year’s delivery slots.
Conclusion
You increase restaurant sales during Uttarayan by selling to the terrace. Take undhiyu pre-orders with part-payment and close them a few days early. Build combos and society orders around them.
Then plan for two days, not one. Day one centres on undhiyu and jalebi, while day two needs a fresh menu for families who want a change.
Set up every pre-order and combo before the rush. Your restaurant POS then shows which part of your festival plan earned the most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You do not need undhiyu to take part. Families often buy undhiyu from a specialist and still need the rest of the terrace meal. Sell group boxes of what you already cook well, sized for six or ten people, with one delivery slot. Our guide to the festive rush helps you plan the kitchen for it.
Sell by the kilo for pre-orders and families, and by the plate for walk-ins and combos. A kilo price is easier to compare, so show it clearly on your menu.
Set your cancellation rule when you take the part-payment, and print it on the confirmation. One simple rule is a full refund before the list closes and no refund after it, because by then the vegetables are bought.
