Chaiiwala opens First 24-hour Drive-Thru Café

Chaiiwala has launched its first 24-hour drive-thru café in Blackburn, marking a major step in the brand’s UK expansion plans.

The new site at Grimshaw Retail Park is the first around-the-clock drive-thru location for the Leicester-founded chain, which has built its reputation on Karak chai and Indian street food inspired by traditional home cooking.

Founded in 2015, Chaiiwala has become one of the UK’s fastest-growing Indian café brands, known for its premium ingredients, carefully brewed chai and recipes rooted in authentic Indian flavours.

The Blackburn opening responds to rising demand for Indian street food beyond standard dining hours, giving customers access to late-night snacks, early breakfasts and the brand’s signature Karak chai at any time of day.

The company said the move also allows it to test how 24-hour drive-thru locations could support future growth as consumer habits continue to shift away from traditional nine-to-five routines.

The new café is Chaiiwala’s fifth drive-thru site. Two of those locations, Nottingham and Blackburn, have been opened by franchisees within the last six months.

The launch forms part of the brand’s wider strategy to strengthen its presence across Lancashire and other high-footfall urban areas across the UK.

Chaiiwala is also pursuing an ambitious long-term target of reaching 500 global locations within the next 10 years, with a strong focus on expanding across British cities where demand for accessible Indian street food continues to rise.

Sohail Ali, Co-Founder of Chaiiwala, said:

“Consumers today aren’t bound to the usual nine-to-five as seen in previous decades.

“But are often left with late-night options that are stuffy, few and far between, or out of the way.”

“As we deliver against our mission to make Indian street food and Karak chai even more accessible for consumers, we wanted to launch our first 24-hour drive-thru and create a new destination for consumers looking for bold flavours, reliable quality, and convenience through the night.

“This will also create an opportunity for our franchisees Arif and Yakub Master to drive incremental sales overnight to support the growth of their business and allow us to gain insights from this store for consideration across other drive-thru locations as we expand.”

The company believes the Blackburn launch could shape how future drive-thru sites are developed, particularly as more consumers look for quick-service food options outside traditional opening hours.

With Indian street food continuing to grow in popularity across the UK, the success of the Blackburn site could help define the next phase of Chaiiwala’s national expansion.