“Once, at a function, I saw one individual wearing a Malaka Spice t-shirt, and it felt so good,” says Praful Chandawarkar, owner, Malaka Spice. “Restaurant merchandising is not so much about rampant sales like a garment store, but it helps carry our brand forward,” he adds. From funky t-shirts, customised caps and arty keychains to coffee mugs, ashtrays and even kitchen aprons, a number of restaurants and lounges in the city have a variety of merchandise up for sale. And as walk-ins will increase with the upcoming IPL matches, this marketing strategy is bound to hit bulls-eye.

Hard Rock Cafe popularised the concept of restaurant merchandising when it opened in Pune in 2009, and now spots like Shisha, High Spirits, Malaka Spice, Chocolate Room and Elevate are contributing towards carrying the trend forward. The Chocolate Room, situated on the busy Fergusson College Road, is the most recent addition to the merchandising scene. The whiff of hot chocolate lures you into this spot, and the Cuddle Cups in which the brew is served becomes an instant attraction. Rohan Patil, owner of this eatery that serves up sinfully delicious treats, says, “The Cuddle Cups bear our logo and have become quite popular with the youngsters.” On weekends and on cricket match days, when the Chocolate Room is choc-a-bloc with chocoholics, the sales shoot up. “A lot of our patrons even buy these cups to gift to friends and family,” Patil adds.