UP Bets Big on Cuisine Tourism with Double-Decker Food Trucks

AI IMAGE FOR REPRESENTATION

Lucknow's UNESCO Gastronomy Tag to Power New Tourism Experience on Wheels

Tenders Invited for High-Tech Food Trucks Blending Local Cuisine, AR-VR and Tourism

One District One Cuisine to Get a Moving Showcase as Govt Invites Private Operators

Food Trucks to Give Traditional Cooks, Regional Recipes, Local Food Entrepreneurs a Bigger Platform: Jaiveer Singh 

From Lucknow's famous chaat and makkhan malai to Banarasi sweets and Bundelkhand's traditional delicacies, Uttar Pradesh now wants its cuisine to become as much a tourist attraction as its monuments. Building on Lucknow's UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy recognition, the Uttar Pradesh Tourism is set to introduce technology-enabled double-decker food trucks that will combine regional cuisine, immersive digital experiences and tourism promotion in a first-of-its-kind initiative.

The Uttar Pradesh Eco Tourism Development Board (UPETDB) has invited bids from private operators to design, build and operate the double-decker food trucks, with the first phase planned at Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Park in Lucknow. The last date for submission of bids is 6 pm on July 24, 2026. Interested agencies can submit online bids through the UP e-tender portal (http://etender.up.nic.in). Queries may also be sent to [email protected].

Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh said the initiative is aimed at transforming Uttar Pradesh's culinary heritage into a tourism experience while creating new opportunities for regional cuisines to gain wider recognition.

"After Lucknow's recognition as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, it has become even more important to showcase Uttar Pradesh's rich culinary traditions before visitors in an innovative manner. These food trucks will not only offer hygienic and quality food but will also celebrate the state's unique culinary heritage through the 'One District One Cuisine' initiative," he said.

Unlike conventional food courts, the project has been designed as a mobile tourism experience. While the lower deck will function as a modern commercial kitchen serving freshly prepared food, the upper deck will feature an immersive visitor lounge equipped with AR and VR technology, allowing tourists to virtually explore Uttar Pradesh's monuments, wildlife destinations, cultural heritage and tourism circuits while they dine. Digital heritage galleries, immersive audio experiences and LED-based storytelling installations will also form part of the visitor experience.

The initiative goes beyond food service. Officials say the project seeks to give One District One Cuisine (ODOC) a permanent tourism platform by showcasing district-specific recipes alongside One District One Product (ODOP) food items. The idea is to formally recognise Uttar Pradesh's diverse culinary traditions and bring traditional recipes, local cooks, food entrepreneurs and regional food brands into the mainstream tourism economy. Priority will be given to quick-service, hygienic local dishes prepared using sustainable practices.

The government will provide premium tourism locations for the project while facilitating statutory approvals and supporting implementation. Private operators will be responsible for investing in the buses, designing, operating and maintaining them, while adhering to strict standards relating to hygiene, food safety, digital billing, environmental compliance and visitor experience. UPETDB will monitor service quality through periodic audits and inspections.

The buses themselves are being designed as eco-friendly tourism attractions. They will feature solar panels, AI-enabled CCTV surveillance, digital POS systems, QR code-based customer feedback, UPI and card payments, LED information displays and bio-toilets. Single-use plastic will be prohibited, with food to be served in biodegradable packaging such as leaf plates, bamboo, clay or other eco-friendly alternatives. A zero-liquid-discharge system, waste segregation and daily sanitation around the vehicles will also be mandatory.

Amrit Abhijat ACS (Tourism) describes the project as a new model of experiential tourism where food, technology, sustainability and heritage promotion come together on a single platform. Besides enriching visitor experience, the initiative is expected to create fresh opportunities for local chefs, self-help groups, regional food entrepreneurs and traditional culinary practitioners while strengthening Uttar Pradesh's identity as one of India's leading gastronomic tourism destinations.

The selected operator will initially be awarded a 10-year concession, extendable by another 10 years based on performance, making it one of the state's long-term tourism infrastructure initiatives.