Worm Found In Pongal at Bengaluru Airport’s Rameshwaram Cafe, Owners Say It’s Fake

A customer at the Rameshwaram Cafe outlet inside Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport reportedly discovered a worm in his pongal on Thursday morning, sparking concern and controversy. The incident occurred shortly after the meal was served, with the customer claiming that the staff initially attempted to brush it off.

According to the diner, the cafe's staff tried to ignore or cover up the matter when it was brought to their attention. The popular South Indian eatery has since responded to the allegation. Co-owner Raghavendra Rao told HT.com, "We are trying to get in touch with the customer. Seems like he is travelling."

Co-owner Divya Rao, however, raised doubts about the accusation, pointing to past incidents. "We've seen this before, where people bring worms with them just to tarnish our image. In earlier cases, we caught them on CCTV. Unfortunately, we don't have camera access at the airport outlet. But I strongly believe this is one of those attempts to damage our brand. We will release an official statement soon," she said.

Rameshwaram Cafe currently has five operational outlets across Bengaluru, including JP Nagar, Brookfield, Rajaji Nagar, and a new branch on 100 Feet Road in Indira Nagar. The cafe is also preparing to launch another outlet at Terminal 1 of Kempegowda International Airport, which caters to domestic travelers.

Beyond Bengaluru, the brand has expanded to Hyderabad with an outlet in Madhapur and plans to add one or two more branches in the city by 2025. However, the management clarified that there are no immediate plans to enter the Kerala or Chennai markets.