Mumbai's famed dabbawalas fed millions for over 100 years
Mumbai's dabbawalas, known for their efficient lunch delivery system, have been a staple of the city's culture for over a century. However, the number of registered dabbawalas has drastically declined from 4,500 in 2018 to about 1,500 today, largely due to changes in work habits following the pandemic. As remote and hybrid work models become more common, the demand for their services has significantly decreased.
- ▪The dabbawala system began in the late 19th Century to provide office workers with home-cooked meals.
- ▪At its peak, nearly 4,500 dabbawalas delivered around 50,000 lunch boxes daily across Mumbai.
- ▪The pandemic led to a sharp decline in demand for dabbawalas as many people began working from home.
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Mumbai's famed dabbawalas fed millions for over 100 years - now they are disappearingImage source, Bloomberg via Getty ImagesImage caption, The number of registered dabbawalas has fallen from around 4,500 in 2018 to roughly 1,500 todayByNilesh Dhotre & Shahid SheikhBBC MarathiPublished30 May 2026, 00:04 BSTEvery morning, before the city has fully woken up, men in white caps and shirts arrive at Mumbai's suburban railway stations on bicycles stacked high with lunchboxes.They load these boxes onto trains, cross the city and then spread out on foot and bikes to deliver hot, home-cooked meals to office workers.
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