US-returned venture capital shares why she rarely eats out in India: ‘You open the door and the city hits you’

A LinkedIn post a US-returned venture capital about why she rarely eats out after moving back to India has sparked a debate online about urban infrastructure, spending habits and lifestyle differences.The post has sparked a debate online about urban infrastructure, spending habits and lifestyle differences. (Unsplash/Representational image)Nitisha Bansal, Vice President at a venture capital firm, recently shared how returning to India from the United States changed the way she socialises and spends money. In her post, she said she now rarely eats out and prefers inviting friends home instead.“Ever since I moved back from the US, I noticed something about myself. I almost never eat out. Even catching up with friends – ‘Come home, I’ll cook,’” Bansal wrote.At first, she attributed the change to habit, home-cooked food or cost. However, she said the difference became clearer when she compared her experience with life in the US.(Also Read: Indian man in Singapore says ‘surviving here is hard’, explains why he feels more at home there)US vs India”In the US, a Saturday evening just pulls you out. Clean footpath. Shade. A coffee place with chairs spilling onto the street. People walking slowly, no agenda,” she wrote, describing how casual outings would often turn into hours of socialising.But in India, she said, stepping outside feels very different. “You open the door and the city hits you in the face. 40°C. Horns. Garbage. Dust. A footpath that’s become a two-wheeler parking lot. You last 30 seconds and turn back inside. The street doesn’t invite you. It rejects you,” she wrote.Bansal argued that infrastructure plays a key role in shaping behaviour and consumer spending. Citing data, she said Indians eat out about 1.6 times per week at roughly $3 per meal, while Americans eat out 5.9 times per week at around $25 per meal. “That’s not just culture. It’s infrastructure suppressing behaviour, and behaviour suppressing GDP,” she wrote.According to her, India has responded building strong delivery systems that bring groceries and food home quickly. However, she argued that the bigger opportunity lies in improving public spaces.“Fix the street → people step outside → dwell time goes up → retail, food, experiences, real estate all follow,” she wrote, adding that improving walkable streets could unlock $100–150 billion in incremental consumption 2035.Bansal concluded the post with a pointed suggestion about infrastructure priorities. “The best infrastructure investment India can make right now isn’t a highway. It’s a footpath,” she wrote.(Also Read: