This is quite an interesting story about entrepreunership, perseverence, and innovation, in food. Dosa, as a friend of mine quite aptly defines, is a rice tortilla; by the same logic, Idli is swollen-oval bread. 

Dosa Plaza is an Idli-Dosa franchise, much like Dominos. Started by Prem Ganathapy, Economic Times has done an excellent story on his journey:

In 1992, I managed to save up enough to start my own food business, selling idlis and dosas. I rented a handcart for about Rs 150 and ploughed in another Rs 1,000 to buy utensils, a stove and basic ingredients, and set up shop on the street opposite the Vashi train station. […]

I got the recipes for dosas and the sambhar from my native place, which attracted a lot of customers. Soon enough, the business was booming and we were generating a net profit of around Rs 20,000 every month. […]

By 2002, we had managed to create more than 105 dosa varieties and our outlet had become very popular.

The business I started with a seed capital of Rs 1,000 has grown into a Rs 30 crore company and we are aiming for a Rs 40 crore revenue for this year.

Image Credit: Dosa Plaza

PS: I haven’t visited Dosa Plaza probably because I prefer dosas from regular Udipi restaurants as opposed to a franchise.