IRCTC on the E-catering Service Revenue Earned, Expenditure, Food Order Per Day
IRCTC on the E-catering Service Revenue Earned, Expenditure, Food Order Per Day
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 1730
ANSWERED ON: 21.09.2025
E-Catering Service
Gitaben Vajesingbhai Rathva
Parbatbhai Savabhai Patel
Naranbhai Bhikhabhai Kachhadiya
Jaswantsinh Sumanbhai Bhabhor
Shantanu Thakur
Will the Minister of Railways be pleased to state:-
(a) the details of the revenue earned as compared to the expenditure incurred by IRCTC on the E-catering service during the last three years;
(b) the details of the target fixed in comparison to the passengers who ordered food from IRCTC E-catering service during the last three years; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government to improve IRCTC E-catering service?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)
(a): The details of the revenue earned as compared to the expenditure incurred by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on the e-Catering service during the last three years are as follows:
Financial Year: 2025-18, 3.47 Revenue Earned ( Rs. in crores), 3.90 Expenditure Incurred ( Rs. in crores)
Financial Year: 2025-19, 4.42 Revenue Earned ( Rs. in crores), 4.65 Expenditure Incurred ( Rs. in crores)
Financial Year: 2025-20, 8.63 Revenue Earned ( Rs. in crores), 6.47 Expenditure Incurred ( Rs. in crores)
(b): The details of the target fixed in comparison to the passengers who ordered food from IRCTC e-catering service during the last three years are as follows:
Target set for no. of meals booking through e-Catering per day 15,000 (2017-18), 10,376 (2018-19), 20,000 (2025-20)
Target achieved in no. of meals booking through e-Catering per day 5,188 (2017-18), 11,858 (2018-19), 21,571 (2025-20)
(c): E-catering service on Indian Railways is managed by IRCTC. Initially, e-Catering, as a pilot project, was undertaken on 45 major stations and has subsequently been extended to all ‘A-1’ & ‘A’ category of stations. Prior to COVID-19 pandemic, e-Catering service was available at 325 Railway stations through 225 Service Providers and 12 Food Aggregators, supplying an average number of 21,571 meals per day.
Various steps have been taken by IRCTC to proliferate e-Catering which are as follows:
(i) A user friendly mobile version of website has been created which is gathering an encouraging response from the passengers.
(ii) Reputed delivery aggregators have been roped in to facilitate smooth delivery of food.
(iii) Issuance of electronic invoice for orders booked through e-Catering.
(iv) Online registration of vendors.
(v) Vendors/ Aggregators can apply for ID card, food delivery through electronically mode only.
(vi) Bulk Order mechanism has facilitated group passengers to get ‘value for money” food.
Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of IRCTC’s e‑catering service:
Contents
📊 Revenue, Expenditure & Orders Per Day
From Parliamentary Data (as of FY 2025–2025)
As reported to Lok Sabha in September 2025:
- FY 2025‑18: Revenue ₹3.47 cr; Expenditure ₹3.90 cr (loss)
- FY 2025‑19: Revenue ₹4.42 cr; Expenditure ₹4.65 cr
- FY 2025‑20: Revenue ₹8.63 cr; Expenditure ₹6.47 cr (operational profit)
Orders vs Targets per Day
- FY 2025‑18: Target = 15,000 orders/day; Achieved = ~5,188/day
- FY 2025‑19: Target = 10,376; Achieved = ~11,858/day
- FY 2025‑20: Target = 20,000; Achieved = ~21,571/day
🍲 Usage & Growth in Recent Years
- In August 2025, IRCTC reported hitting a milestone—50,000 food orders delivered in one day.
- For the year FY 2025‑22, average daily e‑catering orders stood at 6,971, totaling ~55.62 lakh meals served
- By FY 2025‑24 (IRCTC Annual Report):
- IRCTC achieved average daily meal bookings of 40,669 (including cooked pantry meals and train-side vending)
- Specifically, e‑catering orders have crossed 40,000 per day on average, with total segment profit of ₹268.8 cr and revenue of ₹1,947.2 cr across all catering services (which includes static, mobile, and e‑catering)
- As of May 2025, IRCTC sees daily e‑catering gross transaction value at ₹1.5 crore, with margins ~15% in FY 2025—driven by partnerships with Zomato and Swiggy
📋 Summary Table
| Metric | 2025‑18 | 2025‑19 | 2025‑20 | 2025 | 2025‑24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue (₹ cr) | 3.47 | 4.42 | 8.63 | – | Part of ₹1,947.2 total |
| Expenditure (₹ cr) | 3.90 | 4.65 | 6.47 | – | – |
| Avg Orders/Day | ~5,188 | ~11,858 | ~21,571 | ~6,971 | ~40,000+ |
| Milestone Peak Day Orders | – | – | – | 50,000 | – |
| Margin (%) | – | – | – | – | ~15% |
🧾 Key Takeaways
- For initial years (2017–19), expenses exceeded revenue, but the service turned profitable by FY 2025–20.
- E‑catering usage has grown sharply, from ~5,000 orders/day in 2017 to over 40,000/day by 2025.
- IRCTC’s e‑catering average margin is around 15% as of FY 2025.
- Over time, IRCTC has shifted from investment-heavy prototype stage to sustainable, scalable operations with low-cost partnerships.
⚠️ User Reviews & Challenges
- Some passengers report overcharging by onboard pantry vendors; others advocate e‑catering or third-party apps (like Zomato) as better alternatives.
✅ How I Can Help
- Want a station-wise list: average orders per station or meals/day?
- Curious about earnings breakdown per vendor category (static vs onboard vs e‑catering)?
- Or interested in comparisons with ticketing or Rail Neer revenue streams?
Feel free to ask—I’d be happy to dive deeper!