'Pure Loot': Zomato Charging Rs 29 for 'Priority Delivery' Despite Gold Membership Frustrates Journalist

Zomato recently expanded its priority food delivery service to include Delhi, Hyderabad, and Pune in April, as reported by The Times of India. The paid super-fast delivery option lets users get their orders up to five minutes sooner than the standard delivery time. While Zomato charges between Rs. 19 and Rs. 29 for each priority delivery order, a recent critique from a journalist highlighted the company’s decision to apply the same charges despite having a Gold membership.

Taking to ‘X’, Aariz Rizvi shared a screenshot displaying an option to select priority delivery for Rs. 29 or have his order arrive with several other bulk orders, which is non-priority. Frustrated, he wrote, “New scam by Zomato! First, why have you started grouping orders? Second, why should I pay extra for priority delivery when I’m already a Zomato Gold member? There are no sensible perks left for Gold. It’s pure loot now.”

His post quickly gained traction, with numerous users chiming in to express their agreement. “They have become the modern day lootere log. I have removed both @Swiggy and @zomatocare apps from my phone and order directly from the outlet. Believe me it is massive savings,” exclaimed one disgruntled user.

“For all the Ethics and good business practices that Deepinder Goyal was preaching on Shark tank, Zomato is the complete opposite of that,” remarked another, while a third user quipped, “Not a frequent user but had a gold plan. Once my order delayed n was told it is grouped with another order, executive said this is done to save the earth. I told them ask your owner why he wants to kill the earth, he should first get rid of high-end sports cars from his garage.”

Also Read: Zomato Customer Charged Rs 60 for Food Package in Ahmedabad, Company Responds to Viral Tweet

Meanwhile, the Gurgaon-based company is also experimenting with a ‘pay later’ feature for select users. With this option, users can place their orders and settle the payment anytime before their food arrives, as per information from the company’s app. This ‘pay later’ feature, available on an opt-in basis, allows users to complete their checkout and settle the bill later. However, this deferred payment option is only applicable for orders up to Rs. 9,000.