Brands
Dineout introduces vouchers to provide financial support to restaurants during COVID-19
MUMBAI: The F&B industry and local restaurant businesses have been severely impacted amidst the nationwide shutdown to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. With an annual turnover of Rs 4 lakh crore, the industry could potentially hit total bankruptcy as it fights a long and hard battle against basic survival. India's food services industry currently employs around 7.3 million people. If lockdowns continue, 20-25 per cent of the employee-base could lose their jobs.
The subsequent financial crisis triggered by the lockdown has made it extremely tough for restaurants to pay for expenses, rent, salaries & more. To help them navigate through this turmoil, India’s largest dining out and restaurant tech platform, Dineout has introduced “Restaurant Vouchers” that customers can purchase now and redeem later when the pandemic subsides. Dineout has also started an online petition requesting the government to support the restaurant industry via employee unemployment pay cover amongst other restaurant needs as requested by NRAI.
Restaurant vouchers can be purchased via Dineout on supportrestaurants.in available in Rs 1000 denominations that can be redeemed in the next 6 months. Dineout will transfer the funds to the restaurants at no additional charges to ensure that restaurants continue to receive the crucial cash-flow to survive these trying times, and food-lovers get discounted coupons from their favorite eateries in town.
Customers can now buy these vouchers at a discounted price now at 20,000+ partner restaurants like Plum by Bent Chair, Whiskey Samba, Lord Of the Drinks, The Wine Company, Sly Granny, Mamagoto, Kobe sizzlers, Chopstick, Gilly's Resto-Bar, & more.
Beyond financial support from customers, Dineout has also started an online petition to support NRAI on change.org, requesting the Finance Ministry and Government of India to help restaurants with employee unemployment pay cover, a moratorium on upcoming statutory dues, delay in utility bill payments, holiday/temporary stoppage on EMI payments & interest, freezing rental dues & restoration of Input Tax Credit on GST for all restaurants.
Speaking on this industry first initiative, Dineout co-founder and CEO Ankit Mehrotra said, “Being a restaurant tech solution, we at Dineout have always believed in a restaurant first approach to help our partners with solutions in times of need. While we are encouraging our diners to stay home despite financial implications on us, local restaurant businesses need our support more than ever as they face severe losses. They closed their operations for our safety, it's time for us as a community to support them now so they can continue to serve us tomorrow. Restaurant Vouchers are a great way to keep the momentum of cash flow steady for restaurants without any additional charges from us. We urge food-lovers across the nation to do their bit for the restaurants they love and also sign the petition for the government to hear our voice.”
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
