chipotle for indian / vegan/ vegetarian food is the holy grail

Would love a low-down / interview from a founder of one of these chains (there's also Curry Up now in the bay area) on the economics of making an indian fast-food joint. It might be a one-sentence article saying "demand", but I am sure there is a lot to unpack.

I've always thought that tandoori chicken was an unexplored opportunity. Think a similar model to the orignal Boston Chicken (now Boston Market), or El Pollo Loco on the west coast of the U.S.

I also would love to see an Indian Chipotle. But for any in the South Bay, these 2 are also like Chipotle:

-Srasa Kitchen (Southeast Asian): https://www.srasakitchen.com/

-Bibimbowl (Korean): http://www.thebibimbowl.com/menu.php

I'm sure there are others, but these 2 are my tried and true favorites.

They had one of these places in downtown Palo Alto (Town and Country shopping center). It lasted a year or two, despite being directly across from Palo Alto High School, which every day mobbed the shopping center with lunch traffic. I was surprised it went under so quickly. Apparently it is not quite the holy grail after all? I went there and liked it well enough!

There’s a place in Berkeley called urban turbann, that fills the niche for Indian chipotle. Wish they would expand.

Had a few of those around my place growing up (Nikki’s, around Orange County, CA), but they’ve all gone out of business by now. Absolute tragedy - the food was terrific and dirt cheap.

To find that holy grail just replace -as-a-service with -do-it-yourself. The first time is hard. The eleventy-first time is like breathing. Plus a lot of satisfaction.

I do not recollect the name, but there is an Indian restaurant with that concept near New Brunswick NJ.

Manhattan has Indikitch.

They recently changed their name to Deep Indian Kitchen.