In Good Taste: How All-Night Stores May Change Delhi For Better

Evolutionary biology suggests that if you are too thin, you will anxiously look for food when you wake up. Nobel-winning molecular biologist James D Watson's experience as a child is illustrative. Watson's parents used to send him off to the local store to buy chocolate milkshakes. The drink kept him happy and nourished while he took lessons at Horace Mann Grammar School. Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, is considered a pioneer in molecular biology. Now, imagine Watson growing up in a city where stores do not open early in the morning. As the Indian government is preparing a law to allow restaurants, malls, theatres and local markets to remain open round the clock, this is worth thinking about.

The policy proposal to allow all-night brick and mortar stores fit in well with Narendra Modi government's agenda to make it easier to do business in India. PropGuide looks at how such a policy measure may transform the food  habits and preferences of Delhi's residents and influence real estate prices in the city:

Early birds

Around 11 PM, trucks park near Safal stores (retail outlets run by milk supplier Mother Dairy) in Delhi, unloading pre-cut fresh vegetables and fruits, among other things. While this may not be a preferred mode of consuming vegetables and fruits, this is beneficial to Delhi's working population and single men and women, from a nutrition point of view. When fresh fruits are exposed to oxygen-rich air, the exposure instantly changes the chemistry of molecules, thereby diluting the nutritional value, bit by bit. Peeled pineapples, for example, are kept in transparent containers, and are at times, non-refrigerated. So, it really matters how early people are able to buy them from stores. 

Most food connoisseurs know that the best barbeque restaurants across the world often open early in the morning and tend to close sooner than other restaurants do. The earlier the restaurants open, the better for restaurateurs as well as food lovers because as the day progresses, the quality of the meat declines.  If every meal matters to you, always remember: Your time is running out.

Late-night shopping

There is more to the rationale behind all-night stores, though. Large super markets are often crowded. People with refined taste buds prefer to inspect the quality of fruits and other eatables they buy, item by item. This often leads to long queues and suboptimal consumption of real estate in the busiest areas of a city. If Delhi has all-night stores, people will be able to get around this problem by visiting stores late in the night. In the United States, shopping at crowded supermarkets late in the night is common.

Ethnic food needs low real estate prices

A number of restaurants in Delhi that serve good ethnic food are housed in dilapidated markets. Ethnic restaurants need not afford space in the most expensive markers of Delhi. Restaurants serving ethnic food often  cluster together, competing with each other to serve better food. In the long run, such competition raises real estate prices. But, if such restaurants are allowed to stay open throughout the night and cater to people working in night shifts too, they would be able to serve food at a cheaper price, or relocate to upscale markets. A restaurant need not necessarily pay a higher rent if it is open during the night. It easier to recover the rent when a restaurant is open round the clock.

Cooked to perfection

For much of human history, people slept in the night, and woke up early in the morning. However, this is fast-changing with growth in private sector jobs with demanding work hours. When there are all-night restaurants, they will be able to cater to a growing population of professional working in night shifts. It would also trigger more experimentation among off-beat restaurants. 

Global competitiveness

People live in cities like Delhi to access the amenities a large city offers and also because there are ample job opportunities available. This could be one of the factors that residential property prices in Delhi are higher than in smaller cities and towns. But, when amenities are not accessible half the time, much of the benefits of living in a city are lost. All-night stores will, by all means, help Delhi become a global city.