Bengaluru's Iyer Idly is proof that constant additions and expansion is not necessarily the USP for a successful venture.

Founders, Krishnan Mahadevan and his mother Uma have been selling only idlis and chutney for 19 years.

One can get a meal of three idlis and unlimited chutney for Rs 30. Krishnan's idea is to keep it as affordable as they can.

Interestingly, the food joint was born out of a necessity to stay afloat after Krishnan’s father, Mahadevan, lost his job in 2000.

To feed five mouths, Mahadevan began selling batter and later idli. 

Krishnan took over after his father passed away in 2009.

“I started juggling work at Goldman Sachs and the business. I did that to be able to help my mother who was working at the shop,” he says.

Today, with approximately 1.5 tonnes of rice and 1 tonne of urad dal used every month, their growth has been close to 100x.

So what makes their idlis so famous?

It is their technique of making fluffy idlis that the duo came up with after several trial and error sessions.