Nagpur’s famous tea personality, Dolly Chaiwala—once merely a street-side sensation—has officially gone from pouring steaming chai to brewing a business empire. Famous for his extravagant serving style and viral status (fueled by none other than a cameo with Bill Gates), Dolly. His real name is Sunil Patil, and he recently announced pan-India franchise opportunities for his now-iconic tea brand, “Dolly Ki Tapri”.
Aspiring entrepreneurs have responded with the kind of enthusiasm generally reserved for smartphone sales or IPL tickets; within just 48 hours, over 1,600 franchise applications arrived.
Ye to faster than you can say “extra adrak wali chai” wali bat ho gai.
In his Instagram post, Dolly declared, “It’s India’s first viral street brand…and now it’s a business opportunity. From carts to flagship cafes, we’re launching nationwide and looking for real people with real passion to carry this dream forward. If you’ve ever wanted to build something big, something desi, something truly legendary—this is your moment. Limited cities. Unlimited chai.”
The franchise comes in three tempting flavors:
- Cart Stall: ₹4.5 lakh to ₹6 lakh
- Store Model: ₹20 lakh to ₹22 lakh
- Flagship Café: ₹39 lakh to ₹43 lakh
He is giving you a chance to take your pick:
- A street cart to suit your inner tea purist Or
- A swanky café for those seeking Insta-glam with every sip.
For context, Dolly’s original “Dolly Ki Tapri” in Nagpur pulls in up to ₹1 lakh a month, though city officials might prefer it relocate somewhere less footpath-encroaching.
A Glimpse of Sunil’s Story
Started from helping his family’s tea stall, Sunil got noticed for his unique chai (tea) serving style and his remarkable (hat ke) fashion sense. With a viral video of his, soon he became an overnight sensation.
The journey of Dolly Chaiwala is nothing short of remarkable: from conquering Nagpur’s streets and the global internet to conquering the hearts (and WhatsApp chats) of a nation hooked on his chai and charisma.
However, his franchise post has received a mixed response from netizens, bringing a blend of admiration, skepticism, and classic Indian internet humor:
“Proud moment!”
“Education is a scam in India!”
“Don’t take franchise, yaar, else bank auction hoga!”
Whether this viral enterprise will stand the test of time or end up another “blink-and-miss” social trend remains to be seen.
But one thing’s certain: Dolly Chaiwala’s recipe—thoda business savvy, thoda swagger, and a generous pour of masala—has made “chai pe charcha” the hottest startup conversation in India this week.
