Chai is a beloved Indian drink that needs no introduction – it runs in the veins of millions of Indians! And if there’s one person doing chai right (in the most tacky ways), it has to be Dolly Chaiwala! When he entered the social media spotlight, entrepreneurship found a new face in India. One that knew no bounds but only saw sheer talent and brilliant marketing of one’s own product. Now, he is all set to expand his chai empire by introducing nation-wide franchises.
Dolly Chaiwala Launches Nation-Wide Franchises
Sunil Patil AKA Dolly Chaiwala’s Rise To Fame
Sunil Patil, better known by his internet name of Dolly Chaiwala, hails from Nagpur where he runs his now-famous tea stall. Dolly Chaiwala started gaining attention on social media when videos of him making tea in his now-iconic swagger gained traction.
Theatrical tea-making and his unique swagger – two things that started giving him social media attention turned in his favor when Microsoft Co-Founder Bill Gates sipped some tea at his stall. This was the moment that made Dolly Chaiwala the newest internet phenomenon.
Soon after, Dolly Chaiwala became a well-known internet personality, gaining millions of followers and brand collaborations. Today, his Instagram handle has 5 million followers and he has met the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Mouni Roy, Gauahar Khan, and many others. He was also briefly seen in the Hindi reality show, Bigg Boss Season 18.
Dolly Chaiwala And His Nation-Wide Franchise Model
A true entrepreneur always keeps innovating – and that is what Dolly Chaiwala is now doing by expanding his tea empire. For this, he is going in for the classic ‘franchise’ model of business. He made this announcement through his official Instagram handle, confirming the launch of Dolly tea stores and carts in a pan-India rollout. Aspiring entrepreneurs looking to join him in the business have the option of joining a classic street cart or a full flagship cafe.
Dolly Chaiwala claims his newest business venture to be India’s first viral street brand and is hoping to connect with “real people with real passion” to carry his dream forward.
Dolly Chaiwala’s New Business Models
The Dolly Chaiwala franchise model will be available in three diverse formats. The basic cart stall model will approximately cost between INR 4.5 to INR 6 lakh. A larger, store format setup will cost entrepreneurs INR 20 to INR 22 lakh. The most premium format will be a flagship cafe and it is expected to cost anywhere between INR 39 to INR 43 lakh. Dolly Chaiwala has not shared any more details of these business models as of July 2025.
Netizens on social media expressed mixed feelings about Dolly Chaiwala’s newest business venture as he launched nationwide franchising. While some definitely heaped praises on him for expanding his business and praising his ‘underdog’ story, many others also criticized him and named it as one of those fading social media trends that would soon fade into oblivion.
View this post on Instagram
Dolly Chaiwala’s tea stall in Sadar Bazaar, Nagpur, enjoys plenty of traction daily thanks to locals and people from all over India visiting it. However, the stall is not officially registered and continues to operate as a footpath encroachment. Despite this, the stall and Sunil Patel’s quirky personality garners massive social media attention.
Summing Up
In an age where being viral is easier than ever, Dolly Chaiwala proves that it is not just his virality that is bringing him fame. It is through his hard work, perseverance, and ambition that is bringing him newer opportunities. Now, the chai-loving entrepreneur from Nagpur is all set to expand his empire by utilizing a franchise business model. Only time will tell how his newest business decision pans out in the long run, what do you think about this move?
