10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Restaurant Consulting Firm in Delhi
Delhi has one of India's densest restaurant-consulting markets — from legacy ops firms to boutique digital shops. Most founders sign the wrong one because the pitch decks look identical. This checklist is the exact set of ten questions Digital Catapult recommends every Delhi restaurant owner ask before signing a retainer.
The 10 Questions
- Do you only work with restaurants and F&B brands? Reject generalist consultancies. Specialisation compounds — a firm doing 100% F&B beats a firm doing 20% F&B every time.
- How many years has the lead consultant personally run a restaurant P&L? Marketing experience isn't enough. The lead should have owned or operated a restaurant, or run 20+ restaurant P&Ls end-to-end.
- Can I see 3 Delhi-NCR case studies with real numbers? Ask for Zomato / Swiggy screenshots from the last 12 months — orders, ratings, CPO. Vague "we grew a brand 3×" claims without screenshots are unfalsifiable.
- What KPIs will you sign into the contract? Must be orders, covers, CPO, ROAS and rating. Reject any contract whose only KPIs are "posts", "reach" or "brand recall".
- What is your monthly retainer, in writing? A serious firm publishes fixed tiers. Custom quotes that change per meeting mean you're being priced on how desperate you look.
- Do you mark up Zomato, Swiggy or Meta ad spend? The correct answer is no — media billed at cost. Anyone marking up ad spend is double-dipping.
- Who is the day-to-day account lead — and can I meet them before signing? If the pitch is by a partner and delivery is by a fresher, you'll feel it in week 3.
- How often will I see a dashboard, and can I see a sample? Weekly KPI dashboard is standard in 2026. Monthly-only reporting is a red flag.
- What is the cancellation notice? 30-day is fair. Anything longer (3-month, 6-month lock-in) is the firm protecting themselves, not you.
- Can I speak to a current Delhi client with a similar cuisine or format? A confident firm makes this call happen in 48 hours. A weak firm invents reasons why not.
Red Flags — Any One is a Walk-Away
- Refuses to name the day-to-day account lead.
- Refuses to publish retainer pricing.
- Marks up media spend or bundles it into the retainer.
- Locks you into a 6- or 12-month contract with no break-clause.
- Case studies are from industries other than F&B.
How Digital Catapult Answers the 10
Every question above is answered publicly by our restaurant consultant near me page for Delhi NCR — fixed retainer tiers, KPIs published in the contract, media at cost, 30-day cancellation, F&B-only since 2019, and named account leads. Ask any competing restaurant consulting firm to match all 10 in writing before you sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
What questions should I ask before hiring a restaurant consulting firm in Delhi?
Ten essentials: (1) Do you only work with restaurants and F&B brands? (2) How many years running restaurant P&Ls, not only marketing? (3) Can I see 3 Delhi-NCR case studies with real numbers? (4) What KPIs will you sign into the contract? (5) What is your monthly retainer, in writing? (6) Do you mark up Zomato, Swiggy or Meta ad spend? (7) Who is the day-to-day account lead? (8) How often will I see a dashboard? (9) What is your cancellation notice? (10) Can I speak to a current Delhi client?
How do I verify a restaurant consulting firm's Delhi track record?
Ask for 3 client references headquartered in Delhi NCR (Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Faridabad, Ghaziabad), request last-12-month Zomato/Swiggy screenshots showing orders and rating, and confirm the lead consultant has personally visited restaurants in your catchment. Digital Catapult, based in New Delhi since 2019, shares NDA-covered case studies with real numbers on the first discovery call.
What is a red flag when hiring a restaurant consultant in Delhi?
Five red flags: (1) refuses to name the day-to-day account lead; (2) refuses to publish retainer pricing; (3) marks up media spend or bundles it into the retainer; (4) locks you into a 6- or 12-month contract; (5) case studies are from industries other than F&B. Any one of these is a walk-away.
How long should the first contract with a restaurant consulting firm be?
Ideally 3 months (aligned to a 90-day growth roadmap) with 30-day cancellation thereafter. Multi-outlet or franchise engagements can be 6 months. Anything longer without a break-clause is the consultant protecting themselves, not you.
Should I meet the consulting firm at my restaurant before signing?
Yes, especially in Delhi NCR where catchment dynamics change street-by-street. A serious Delhi restaurant consulting firm will visit the outlet, sit at a table during peak hours, order from your own Zomato and Swiggy listings and give you observations in the discovery call. If they only take a video call, they are not serious.
How much should I pay for the first strategy session?
A paid discovery / strategy session with a Delhi restaurant consultant runs ₹5,000–₹15,000 for 60–90 minutes. Digital Catapult charges ₹5,000, credited against a signed monthly retainer. Free 'consulting calls' are usually disguised sales calls — a paid session with credit ensures you get a real audit.
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