Indian restaurant chain to offer free meals on Christmas

Satya's butter chicken.
Satya's butter chicken. Photo credit: Satya South Indian Restaurant/Facebook.

Indian restaurant chain Satya will be offering free meals on Christmas Day at all five Auckland branches.

Owners Swamy Akuthota and his wife Padmaja offer the meals to homeless people, stranded tourists and other people who need help.

"There are no strings attached. We don't charge anything," their son, Samrudh Akuthota, told NZME - adding homeless people are "insanely gracious".

"People who have a tough year and feel shy, we would love to have them along."

The couple first opened Satya on Hobson street, next to the City Mission. The restaurants can now be found in Mt Eden, Great North Road, Sandringham Rd, Karangahape Rd and Ponsonby.

The pair began offering the homeless free meals on Christmas Day during the 2011 recession and it has since become an annual event.

The food offered includes butter chicken, chickpea curry, papadam, lamb rogan josh, rice, paratha bread, yogurt raitha dip and tamarind chutney.