99 Pancakes targets 7,500 stores in five years

The brand is scaling fast with tech-driven training, smaller formats, and plans for global expansion.

India-based QSR brand 99 Pancakes is setting its sights on massive expansion, with ambitions to grow from 75 outlets to as many as 7,500 in the next five years, while also eyeing international markets.

“To grow in every nook and corner in India is a plan,” said Vikesh Shah, CEO at 99 Pancakes. “We are at 75, which is a very small number, which can grow to around 750 to 7500 in the next four to five years.”

Shah said demand for pancakes, waffles, and coffee is booming across India, especially in tier-two cities. “The trend is very much into coffee plus pancakes and waffles,” he said. “I see this trend really picking up in tier two cities, also with coffee and tea and dessert culture really growing.”

To support this growth, 99 Pancakes is adopting a smaller kiosk format to enable faster rollouts and serve more customers through quick-service models.

However, scaling hasn’t come without challenges. “There is always a challenge of recruiting, hiring the leadership team, doing the SOPs, training them for new shops… and attrition rate,” Shah said.

To navigate those hurdles, the company has implemented a gamified training platform. “We have introduced a training management system where they play games and learn to make pancakes,” he said. “They are very much into the learning process, but enjoying it at the same time.”