A bill from a Bengaluru cafe has gone viral for including a ‘Gas Crisis Charge’ on a lemonade, sparking online debate and ridicule. The incident occurs as restaurants across India grapple with a genuine LPG shortage, leading to questions about the charge’s justification for a cold beverage.
Amid the ongoing LPG shortage across parts of India, a bill from a Bengaluru-based cafe has gone viral on social media after it showed a “Gas Crisis Charge” added to a customer’s lemonade order. In a post on X, a user uploaded a screenshot of Theo Cafe’s receipt, which shows a 5% “gas crisis charge” of Rs 17.01 added to an order of two mint lemonades priced at Rs 179 each. The drinks total Rs 358.
A 5% discount of Rs 17.90 was initially applied. Following that, ordinary GST components (CGST at 2.5 percent and SGST at 2.5 percent) were applied, along with the “Gas Crisis Charge,” bringing the total cost to Rs 374.
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Many individuals were perplexed by the idea to charge such a fee for a basic beverage order. Several people noted that restaurants already include taxes and other fees, and that charging a separate “gas crisis” cost for foods that do not require cooking seemed excessive.
One user quipped, “Next what? Bangalore charging for a change in weather.” Another wrote, “Lemonade is made with petrol???” “India is a different level of scam.”
A third caustic remark said, “They probably thought it applies to all gases, including the carbon dioxide gas in the soda.”
The development comes as various hotels, restaurants, and public canteens around the country are experiencing interruptions in LPG supplies. The scarcity is the result of interruptions in worldwide gas supplies caused by the Middle East war.
Restaurants, particularly in metropolitan areas, appear to be among the most hit, with several reporting a lack of commercial LPG cylinders used for cooking. To stay open, some restaurants have allegedly reduced their menus, discontinued particular meals, or shifted to alternate energy.
Long lines have also been observed outside LPG distribution centers in various states, including Delhi NCR, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha, as customers race to get residential gas cylinders. Restaurants in several regions were forced to close temporarily as complaints of hoarding spread.