In a bid to encourage more people to come forward and cast their votes in the ongoing general elections, hotels and restaurants in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra are offering discounts to customers who will cast their votes. After casting their votes, voters can avail of discounts at different eateries in the metro city under schemes like “Pledge to Vote” and “Democracy discount” on May 20 and May 21. According to an Indian Express report, the “Pledge To Vote” campaign by the Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) has included several hotels and restaurants in Maharashtra. These eateries will offer a 10- 20 per cent discount to customers who cast their votes. The association has also advised its members to engage with the public and encourage them to vote in larger numbers by offering discounts on bills to boost voter turnout. To avail of the discount, people must display the indelible ink on their fingers.
In another offer, a few hotels and restaurants in Mumbai will offer a 20 per cent discount on dine-in bills for local voters on May 20 and 21, reported PTI. The initiative has been launched by the National Restaurant Association of India. Several constituencies of Maharastra have witnessed polling during the Lok Sabha elections 2024, which began on April 19. Key Maharashtra seats going to poll on May 20 are Mumbai, Palghar, Kalyan, and Thane. The Democracy Discount initiative is the hospitality fraternity’s way of encouraging citizens to go out and cast their votes, the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) Mumbai Chapter said in a statement. “Mumbai as a city has always had such a great sense of community and I am thrilled that we have so many fabulous brands on board as part of the NRAI Mumbai Chapter,” NRAI Mumbai Chapter Head Rachel Goenka said in the statement. As part of this initiative, all participating restaurants will offer a 20 per cent discount on the total bill value to those dine-in customers who are residents as per their voter ID and have cast their vote with an inked finger.
