Chennai, Jun 3 (IANS): Barbeque-Nation Hospitality Ltd that owns the restaurant chain Barbeque Nation plans to open 20 more outlets this fiscal while growing its delivery business, senior officials told analysts.

The listed Rs 553 crore revenue company officials added that the delivery business will not cannibalise the dine-in business of its restaurants.

During the last quarter of FY21, the company earned about Rs 28 crore from delivery channels and for the whole year it was Rs 77 crore.

"Our strategic focus in growing the delivery channel and strong balance sheet will help us overcome the short-term challenges posed by the second wave of the pandemic," Kayum Dhanani, Managing Director, told analysts.

Barbeque-Nation is also looking at the possibility of taking the delivery business with some extension kitchens.

According to Dhanani, the company plans to open 20 new restaurants during this fiscal of which 50-60 per cent will be in metro markets and the balance in Tier 1 and Tier 2 markets.

At the end of last fiscal, the company had 164 outlets (147 Barbeque Nation, 11 Italian restaurants and 6 Barbeque Nation overseas).

Speaking of the delivery channel business, Rahul Agrawal, CEO, said it has grown about six times during the last quarter of the previous year and continued to grow even after recovery in the dine-in business last year.

Agrawal said the company would grow the delivery business by two times this fiscal.