From Coffee to Chai
By Khadija Desai
23 April 2016
Upscale Dhabas have opened across Defence that allow people to choose between chai joints and coffee houses. A large chunk of the population that was once restricted to coffee houses, has now also diverted to chai joints. Most of these people are those who have women in their families, and therefore, were hesitant to have them hangout at a localized chai dhaba. The onset of tea joints in Karachi has attracted the middle class, upper-middle class and even the upper class into hanging out at these places.Amjad Hussain, owner of Chai Point, an upscale dhaba located in Defence said, “The main purpose of giving a branded image to tea is to make it secure for families to come in, and this has actually worked too.” He added that though they have their customers sit in open-air, customers prefer that. “During Eid holidays, a lot of families came in, even late at night. They knew they were secure there—women felt secure,” said Hussain. “In Karachi you can never really be more confident than this, but other than security concerns; our customers know that they are getting a hygienic product. Our sale during Eid really did look like people had found a joint tea as a good alternative to coffee.”
Despite tea becoming relatively ‘glamorized’, it is still cheaper than coffee houses. Most coffee houses in Pakistan are big names, and franchises of renowned brands. Therefore, while is tea now slightly more expensive than before, chai joints are still a more accessible option in terms of affordability.
Abdul Haseeb, owner of T Chowk, a chai joint located in Defence, said, “That was my idea of starting this business. I wanted tea to be affordable yet be presented classily to the customers.” Haseeb agreed that tea is the wider consumed drink of the two—tea and coffee. Since it is part of Pakistan’s rawest cultural taste, those who prefer tea shall stick to it. He also said that it does not hurt to make tea relatively more expensive if the customer in return gets a hygienic product and a safer environment to be in.
“It’s my favorite place to hang out at the end of a long day”, says Abdul Basit, a college student. And the popularity of these joints can be judged from empty tables which are impossible to find on any given night. But while people will save the coffee houses for more special occasions, it seems as though the chai joints have made their spot in people’s hearts.
