The Vande Bharat Express, despite its popularity, is under fire for subpar food quality. Between July 2024 and May 2025, 1,073 food-related complaints were filed via the Rail Madad app against six Vande Bharat train pairs in South India, including two in Kerala.
The primary target of the complaints is Brandavan Food Products, the catering agency, which has been fined ₹1.26 crore. However, despite repeated violations and poor hygiene—particularly at the Kochi base kitchen—the agency remains in service. Only 11 inspections were conducted during this period.
One incident involved the service of expired juice on the Mangaluru–Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat (20631). Southern Railway has received 1,541 food-related complaints over the past five years. The Kochi kitchen was briefly shut for serving stale food and fined ₹1 lakh.
Meals are prepared at base kitchens in Kasaragod (breakfast) and Shoranur (lunch), as the trains lack pantry cars. Food costs range from ₹65 to ₹350 depending on the class and route, and meals remain optional.
