Zomato Under Fire Over Platform Fee Hike: 'Will Cost More Than The Food Itself'

Food delivery platform Zomato has drawn sharp criticism from customers following its latest platform fee hike. The company’s decision to increase the platform fee by 20% from Rs 10 to Rs 12 per order has triggered backlash on social media.

The timing of the hike coincides with rising demand in the days leading up to the festive season. Irked netizens took to social media to vent about the fee hike and what they felt was lack of transparency in pricing policies.

One user highlighted the effect of repeated fee hikes. "Either @zomato thinks that the consumer is stupid, or they just don't care anymore. In the past year, I’ve seen the #PlatformFee increase up to Rs 10 and now it’s gone up by Rs 2 again, bringing it to a total of Rs 12. The same order in Zomato and @Swiggy has a difference of almost Rs 25!!" wrote one user on X.

Others slammed Zomato for charging multiple overlapping fees. Sharing a bill summary, one user commented, "This is exactly how Zomato fools us! They charge double — one as a platform fee and another as a so-called rainy weather fee. Both are the same thing, but we never realise we’re being robbed like this!"

Some posts broke down the broader financial picture for customers. One user noted, "Food Delivery Apps Hiked Platform Fee. Swiggy: Rs 14, Zomato: Rs 12. Increasing fee due to the upcoming festive season. This is in addition to other charges such as delivery, packing, rain surge and govt GST, etc."

Others looked at the revenue implications for Zomato itself. "Zomato increases platform fee by Rs 2. The number of orders per day is 25 lakh. This translates to Rs 15 crore incremental revenue per month and Rs 180-200 crore yearly," wrote a user, pointing out the scale of earnings from the incremental fee.

Taking a dig at the recurring hikes, a social media user said, “Zomato hikes platform fee again. At this pace, one day the platform fee will cost more than the food itself.”

Another user said, "Dear @zomato, what's this magic trick? First Rs 4, then Rs 7, then Rs 10, and now Rs 12. Your platform fee went up by 200% in 20 months. Portions shrink, offers vanish, but fees skyrocket."

Subscribers to Zomato Gold also expressed their dismay. "It's absolutely ridiculous to see Zomato still charging Rs 12 as platform fee even after subscribing to Zomato Gold. Paying extra to pay more? That's not just frustrating—it's downright daylight robbery!" one user wrote.

Another asked, "@zomato platform fee of Rs. 10? On each order?? What have I bought Zomato Gold for?"

The new platform fee hike has clearly left a bad taste with users questioning both the fairness of the charges and the company’s treatment of loyal customers.