Mumbai's century-old lunchbox tradition is fading

Mumbai's famous dabbawalas, who have delivered home-cooked meals to millions of workers for over a hundred years, face the threat of extinction. The rise of remote work and growing costs are forcing them to abandon their traditional livelihood.

Mumbai's dabbawalas – men who have delivered home-cooked lunches to office workers for over a century – represent a dying profession. Once a community of more than 5,000 dabbawalas who transported tens of thousands of lunchboxes through the city daily, the group has shrunk dramatically.

This unique food courier system has operated in Mumbai for over 130 years. Dabbawalas collect lunchboxes prepared by housewives each morning, transport them by trains, bicycles and hand carts across the city centre, and return the empty containers in the afternoon. The system's precision is legendary – Harvard Business School has even studied it.

Remote work and costs undermine tradition

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent explosion of remote work dealt a devastating blow to the dabbawalas. As offices emptied, lunchbox orders dried up. Many dabbawalas left the profession during that period and never returned.

Beyond remote work, the community faces pressure from rising train fares and the cost of living in Mumbai. Younger generations show no interest in demanding physical work that brings relatively modest income, when services like Swiggy and Zomato are available in the city.

Living cultural heritage seeks alternatives

The dabbawala community has attempted to adapt – some have begun offering their services through food delivery apps, while others have expanded into other goods. However, according to many experts, these steps cannot prevent one of Mumbai's most iconic traditions from potentially disappearing entirely over the coming decades.