How a Missing Biryani Served the Real Meal

Passengers in the Trivandrum to Bengaluru Humsafar Express were peering down the aisle every few minutes, hoping for a food trolley to appear.
It was almost like the Chennai crowd waiting for Dhoni to bat.

It was a relatively calm day, thanks to the lack of vendors, but that calm wasn’t entirely welcome.

Finally, after what felt like eternity, a vendor appeared with dinner options.

He was immediately mobbed by the passengers at the start of the coach. Orders were flying at him from every direction.

I could see my neighbours watching anxiously, silently calculating whether anything would be left by the time he got to us.

Eventually, he reached our section.

I gave it a pass. I’ve been trying to avoid outside food.
Key word: trying.
My inner food lover put up a fight, but I managed to win. Barely.

Meanwhile, across from me, a few passengers claimed their chicken biryanis like it was the last supper.

Then the gentleman next to me, who had been silent all along, looked up and asked the vendor quietly, “Veg biryani undo?” (Do you have veg biryani?)

Now, the vendor was clearly in a rush. He had more hungry passengers to serve. Time was short.

The easiest thing to do would’ve been to shake his head and move on.

But he didn’t.

He paused.

Just for a moment. Just long enough to consider what the man really needed.

He didn’t have Veg Biryani. But he understood the request—something vegetarian, warm, and dinner-like.

So he smiled and replied, “Chapati-um paneer korma-um undu, saar. Biryani illa.” (I have chapati and paneer korma, sir. No biryani.)

The man nodded, satisfied. The deal was done. And the vendor moved on to the next set of orders.

That moment stayed with me.

In the middle of a crowded coach, with people calling out and plates running out, he still took a few extra seconds for one solitary passenger.

He listened. He understood. He responded with something thoughtful and workable.

And that, in many ways, is what real service is about.

Every day, we’re in situations where people ask for things we can’t deliver exactly as requested:

• A client wants something we’re not ready to build.
• A teammate needs support we can’t provide immediately.
• A customer makes a request that doesn’t fit into our current offering.

It’s easy to say no and move on.

But if we take that one extra moment to listen and understand the need behind the ask, there’s almost always something we can do. Something that may not be perfect, but still helps.

It’s not about having all the answers. It’s about showing that we care enough to try.

That’s what people remember. That’s what builds trust.

So the next time someone makes a request you can’t fulfill fully - pause for a second.

You might not have the biryani.

But you just might have the paneer that makes all the difference.