Hotels in ancient India

The austere brahmin of Vedic and even of much later times would not even have considered eating at a public place, but other sections of society had less inhibitions. Even in early times eating houses were a common feature of town life, serving 'cooked rice and prepared food ready for eating, whose pungent smells assailed the nostrils! In South India in the early centuries of the Christian era, eating out was much in vogue. In the town of Madurai we read:" The hotels and restaurants are now, in the cool of the evening, crowded by visitors who feast upon such luscious fruits as the Jack, mango and banana, and on sweet candies, tender greens, edible yams, sweetened rice or savoury preparation of meat. '
Plying their trade on the seashore were Kaathiyar and kuu viar, vendors of snacks like appam, idi-appam, adai, and mood again.

- KT Achaya's Dictionary of Indian food, entry for hotels.