In a country where the “cutting chai” culture has long offered a solution for those seeking smaller portions, Shark Tank India judge and Edelweiss Mutual Funds CEO Radhika Gupta is proposing a similar fix for the plate. Taking to X, Gupta suggested that restaurants offer “half-plate portions across all menu items” to address India’s growing obesity crisis and reduce food wastage.
“I’m glad we’re talking openly about obesity—it’s an important issue,” Gupta wrote, aligning her comments with the recent launch of the Let’s Fix Our Food (LFOF) campaign, supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research–National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR–NIN). The campaign has highlighted worrying statistics, including that over 17 million children and adolescents in India are grappling with obesity.
Gupta pointed out that many diners, especially those eating alone, often finish large portions to avoid food waste—something deeply ingrained in Indian culture. “When dining alone, sharing isn’t always possible. Restaurants could price half-plates just above 50 per cent of the full portion if that helps with margins,” she suggested, emphasizing that this small shift could help people consume less without feeling financially or socially wasteful.
Netizens are divided. Some praised her pragmatic approach, comparing it to India’s long-standing “cutting chai” solution that caters to modest needs. Others argued that portion sizes are already small or that the real problem lies in ultra-processed food and sedentary lifestyles.
Yet, Gupta’s suggestion may signal a broader shift in how India eats—and how it thinks about health, affordability, and sustainability. With both obesity and food insecurity coexisting in a country of over a billion people, her “half-plate” idea may be worth more than just half a though
