College students are the most loyal dessert customers in India. Find them early, give them a great experience, and they come back three times a week with their entire friend group. Coimbatore and Trichy together have some of the highest concentrations of engineering and arts college students in Tamil Nadu — and the dessert scene serving them is only now beginning to match the demand.
Coimbatore — The College Belt
Coimbatore has a remarkable density of educational institutions. PSG College of Technology, Amrita School of Engineering, Kumaraguru College of Technology, and Sri Krishna College of Engineering are among the largest, all concentrated in the areas of Peelamedu, Saravanampatti, and the Avinashi Road corridor. The student population in this belt alone runs into tens of thousands, most of whom are hostellers or paying guest residents who eat out for every meal and are consistently looking for new food experiences.
The Maple Waffle’s Saravanampatti location is directly positioned to serve this market. Open till 2 AM, 100% eggless (important for the large vegetarian student population from across India studying here), and priced accessibly enough for regular student visits. The waffle-and-milkshake combo format works particularly well for the group outing format that is the dominant social occasion for college students.
Trichy — NIT and the Engineering College Cluster
Trichy has NIT Trichy — one of India’s premier technical institutions — along with Bharathidasan University, Bishop Heber College, and several other colleges around Srirangam and Ariyamangalam. NIT Trichy students in particular are known for their food culture: many have grown up in metros or have high exposure to diverse food formats, and they create strong demand for quality dessert options near campus.
The gap in Trichy is significant. Despite this enormous student population, there are virtually no quality organised dessert brands operating near the college belt. The Maple Waffle’s planned Trichy expansion in 2026 is specifically focused on filling this gap — a late-night dessert destination within reach of the major colleges.
What Students Actually Want
Based on the ordering patterns at The Maple Waffle’s existing stores, students consistently prefer the sharing format: two waffles and two milkshakes for a group of four, splitting the cost and making it a social food occasion. The most popular items among the student demographic are the Kitkat Waffle, the Mango Cheesecake Waffle, and the Double Chocolate Waffle. The Instagram-friendliness of the presentation matters too — a visually appealing waffle gets shared, and shared content drives walk-in customers.
Budget and Accessibility
The Maple Waffle menu is priced to be accessible for regular student visits — not a once-a-month special occasion, but a weekly or bi-weekly treat. The average spend per person is ₹150–250, which is in line with what students regularly spend at quality food outlets in both cities.
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