Restaurant menus across Tamil Nadu have been climbing rapidly as LPG prices and raw‑material costs surge. In this price‑squeeze environment, the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) has taken an unconventional approach: every weekend it will serve a generous 450‑500 g chicken biryani for just ₹99 at selected outlets.

Offer Details

TTDC’s Director of Tourism, V.P. Jeyaseelan, clarified that the ₹99 price is promotional, designed to make high‑quality food accessible and draw more visitors to TTDC‑run eateries. Each plate comes with a side of onion raita and a brinjal‑based gravy, delivering a complete South‑Indian dining experience.

Geographic Coverage and Expected Volume

The promotion spans 21 strategic locations, including Hosur, Ranipet, Ooty, Coimbatore, Kodaikanal, Chidambaram, and Tirunelveli—key tourist hubs across the state. TTDC projects the sale of roughly 4,200 plates per weekend, a figure that could inject noticeable spending into local economies.

Cost‑Control Measures

According to Jeyaseelan, the corporation maintains the ultra‑low price through efficient procurement, standardized recipes, and streamlined kitchen operations, ensuring that cost reductions do not compromise taste or hygiene.

Future Outlook and Broader Impact

If customer response is favorable, TTDC plans to roll out the ₹99 biryani across all its tourist destinations. Beyond feeding travelers, the initiative is poised to bolster Tamil Nadu’s tourism revenue, offering a template for public‑sector price innovation in other Indian states.

Overall, the move underscores how government‑linked bodies can leverage strategic pricing to stimulate demand, support local supply chains, and enhance the attractiveness of a region’s hospitality sector.