A number of quick service restaurant (QSR), or fast food, brands are charting their entry into India, reports The Hindu Businessline.

The UK brand Dixy Chicken and pizza chain Papa John's made their foray recently; Cinnabon and Barnie's will open their first stores this year; a host of other brands, including Una Mas, Sumo Salad and Panda Express, are scouting for local partners.

Dixy Chicken will open its first outlet in Chennai this month and has 100 stores planned across the country. Papa John's has a 100-store development deal for Northern India. It has already opened its first store in Noida, near Delhi. UK coffee brand Gloria Jean's plans to open the first of its planned 300 outlets by September.

These established QSR brands are eyeing the country's Rs 350-billion annual eating-out market. Indians are spending Rs 25 billion every year at QSR restaurants. This market is growing at 40% a year. A retail survey shows that 85 per cent of the consumers in the top 12 cities of the country eat out at least once a month, of whom 36% spend between Rs 200 and Rs 500 on one occasion.

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