← Back to Blog

India’s waffle market in 2026 looks very different from where it was even two years ago. The category has matured from a novelty into a mainstream dessert format, and several clear trends are shaping what customers want, what brands are building, and where the market is heading. Here is what is trending right now.

1. Eggless Is No Longer Optional

The biggest shift in the Indian waffle market in 2025–2026 is the growing expectation that a quality waffle brand will offer an eggless menu. Two years ago, asking whether a waffle was eggless was unusual. Today, it is a standard question that informed customers ask before ordering. Brands that cannot answer yes are beginning to lose a significant portion of the vegetarian market, particularly in South India where the vegetarian population is among the highest in the country.

The Maple Waffle was built entirely on the eggless premise from day one — the entire menu has always been 100% eggless. This is now a competitive advantage that is increasingly recognised and sought out by customers.

2. Lotus Biscoff Has Taken Over

The single biggest flavour trend in Indian desserts from 2024 to 2026 has been Lotus Biscoff. The Belgian caramelised biscuit spread has gone from a niche import to a mainstream dessert ingredient across cafe menus, ice cream brands, and waffle shops. Every serious waffle brand now has a Biscoff waffle on the menu, and it consistently ranks in the top three sellers wherever it is offered.

3. Late Night Dessert Culture Is Booming

Indian cities — particularly Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pune — have developed a genuine late-night food culture driven by the IT workforce, the startup ecosystem, and a younger demographic that simply stays up later and wants quality food options past midnight. Dessert brands that are open till 1–2 AM are capturing a market that did not formally exist five years ago. The Maple Waffle’s 2 AM model was ahead of this curve and is now squarely in the mainstream of what customers want.

4. Waffle-Milkshake Combos as a Core Format

The waffle eaten alone has increasingly given way to the waffle-and-milkshake combo as the default order format. Customers are treating the combination as a complete dessert experience — the waffle for richness and texture, the milkshake for balance and refreshment. Brands that have built their combo menu thoughtfully are seeing significantly higher average ticket sizes as a result.

5. South India Is the New Growth Market

The waffle category in North India — Delhi, Mumbai, Pune — is mature and competitive. South India is where the growth is in 2026. Bangalore is developing fast, but Coimbatore, Chennai, Hyderabad, and the tier-2 Tamil Nadu market are still in early stages of organised waffle brand penetration. The combination of a large vegetarian population, growing youth demographic, and strong cafe culture makes South India the most interesting growth market in Indian food franchising right now.

6. Instagram Remains the Primary Discovery Channel

More than any other food category, waffles are discovered through Instagram and Reels. The visual format of a freshly made waffle with toppings being poured or placed is inherently shareable content. Brands with strong Instagram presence — @themaplewaffle is one example — drive significant walk-in footfall from customers who discovered them through social content.

7. The Franchise Boom

The waffle category is attracting serious franchise investment in 2026. The relatively low entry cost (compared to a full restaurant franchise), high margins, and growing consumer demand make waffle franchises attractive to first-time investors and experienced F&B operators alike. The Maple Waffle is currently onboarding franchise partners across Bangalore, Chennai, and Trichy as part of its 7 to 50 store expansion over the next 12 months.