I remember my first visit to the United States over a decade ago. Landing from my small, bustling hometown of Meerut, India, I was instantly awestruck. The silence, the systematic flow of traffic, the lack of honking—it was a world engineered for flawless human convenience. Everything was neat, clean, and in order . For nearly a year, I was hypnotized. I praised this country for its efficiency, its cleanliness, and, notably, its lack of stray animals . Where were the dogs, the cows, the insects that are a normal part of life back home? The US, I thought, was truly a superior model of civilization. My clothes never even collected dust; it seemed the entire landscape was sterilized. But as the years passed, the hypnosis began to fade. I started asking a darker question: What is the price of this perfect order? The Cost of the Empty Road My initial praise for the US was based on what I didn't see: no stray animals, no swarming insects, no dust. I realized this absence wasn't a s...
The only thing we Indians are good at is copying. This is a very strong statement and I can say so many weapons are already out.
Sorry folks I am also included in this, we have mastered the art of copying, and this is what I am doing too somewhere.
Although there are numerous, almost endless examples, and I am going to talk about just one here.
I have been to Snakkers a number of times. All their offerings are really good. Whether you want to try out vegetarian or chicken, they have multiple delicious listings.
One of my favorite items they have is crispy chicken strips. Since I am the only one who consumes non-veg in my home, I have ordered 3 pieces of crispy chicken strips.
This item is really good and reminds me of the chicken that is offered by KFC.
The chicken is juicy and spicy too. It is worth trying out for anyone who loves chicken.
But what looks like that they have copied the recipe from KFC, because the taste and smell and the look is exactly the same between KFC and Snakkers.
The first time I went there I had chicken nuggets. My wife is a total vegetarian so she had that crispy paneer wrap, which was really good to taste.
Chicken nuggets were good too, as I prefer to have boneless chicken while I am sitting with my wife, so it does not create that weird scene where I am tearing the flesh from the bone.
All in all the place is worth the money. The eating joint where I go to is in Shri Anandpur Sahib and they have put in that big TV screen and they play really good songs.
So having the snacks at Snakkers at Shri Anandpur Sahib is truly a delight.
Pausing a little.
The chicken nuggets I believe are from ready to eat McCain, so this is not exactly the preparation of Snakkers.
I should have no problem by the way they are selling it and it is selling. What I am referring to is copying, the point on which I started this writing.
To say the least, it gives me a good idea to start a restaurant like this. Buy ready to eat items from the market in bulk, just heat them when the order comes and present or sell it in your name.
Even though I had been a regular at Snakkers for nearly one year now, and nothing really bothered me as much.
There is something that happened a day back that triggered me to write this article.
The item that I will pick up now is the veg maharaja burger that is offered by Snakkers.
In the first place, their burger does not look even close to what is being displayed in the menu.
Trust me reader I have had McDonalds veg and chicken maharaja a number of times and their quality and presentation is way beyond and above the veg maharaja that was served by Snakkers.
Leaving aside the terminology, there is nothing green and yellow visible in the veg maharaja that was presented by Snakkers.
If I am not wrong, the green stuff is the lettuce and the yellow stuff is the cheese. In the veg maharaja served by Snakkers there was only onion and tomato, and maybe some cheese.
The presentation and the first look speaks everything. When the veg or chicken maharaja from McDonalds comes in front of you, it is in a box.
While the other burgers sitting beside are wrapped in a paper foil, maharaja comes packed in a hard paper box.
This in itself gives the feeling of the maharaja and that you have ordered something king size.
On the other hand, the maharaja from Snakkers comes only wrapped in paper. It simply does not give that king like feeling in the first place.
When we open the box of veg maharaja from McDonalds, the burger has a paper collar around it, which is one more distinct feature of order this burger.
In case the one ordered from Snakkers there was no such thing.
The only thing they have done is copied the name of this burger, but they have not made any effort in making the person ordering this burger feel special.
Snakker, when someone is ordering a maharaja don’t let that person feel like just any other ordinary person. He or she is ordering maharaja because they do want to feel like a king.
By no means that this maharaja from Snakkers was looking like a king, it was lacking most of the ingredients that makes a burger maharaja.
To my amusement, the two patties that were used in the veg maharaja at Snakkers, Shri Anandpur Sahib, one was square shaped and the other was round.
Meaning they are not even using their own patties, in all probability these two were from ready to eat stock.
Common guys, I know I am no Sanjeev Kapoor or some other master chef, but I allow me to give a suggestion, at least copy properly even if you are copying.
I mean there is no harm in copying, many do and are successful, but at least we need to be serious when we are copying.
Just look at McDonalds, that is a several decades old company having presence in nearly every country across the globe, with turnover clocking in billions, yet they have maintained a standard.
You go to any McDonald's restaurant, the shape, size, color, feel and taste of their burgers will be the same. Above all, what they are making is their own. If you want to catch up with them you have to be better and different from them.
By following them or copying them you will never be able to surpass them. At present you are a small organization, and McDonald’s doesn’t know about you.
Think of when you will grow and you come to the attention of KFC and McDonalds, these people will sue you and they will take away all your stuff for copying them.
This is why they are McDonald’s.
And look at you, Snakkers, you are copying from two fast food chains and still not able to maintain that standard.
You are bringing disgrace not just to yourself but to those whom you are copying.
My calculation says that the owner of Snakkers has created a brand name through some graphic designer and copied all the items from different famous sources.
I presume this is the quickest way to start a fast food chain.
Snakker’s man, if you will create a unique identity for yourself, it will not be just for you, but for the whole country.
The name of the country will shine through you on the world map.
But then, you are already successful and this scheme is working for you, to make money.
So well who cares, whatever!
Put in a unique item on the list, that is solely created by you and I would love to talk about it big.
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