Zomato Expands Priority Delivery Service Amid Controversy Over Charges

In April, Zomato extended its priority food delivery service to include Delhi, Hyderab, and Pune, as reported by Times of India. This paid super-fast delivery option promises users that ir orders will arrive up to five minutes sooner than standard delivery time. service, which costs between Rs. 19 and Rs. 29 per priority delivery order, has sparked criticism regarding its pricing strategy.

A recent critique from journalist Aariz Rizvi has brought attention to company's decision to apply same charges to Gold members. Taking to ‘X’, Rizvi shared a screenshot displaying option to select priority delivery for Rs. 29 or have his order grouped with ors for non-priority delivery.

Check out post:

Expressing his frustration, 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 alrey a Zomato Gold member? re are no sensible perks left for Gold. It’s pure loot now.”

Rizvi's post quickly gained traction, with numerous users echoing his sentiments.

User's reaction on post:

One user commented, “y have become modern day lootere log. I have removed both @Swiggy and @zomatocare apps from my phone and order directly from outlet. Believe me it is massive savings.”

Anor user remarked, “For all Ethics and good business practices that Deepinder Goyal was preaching on Shark tank, Zomato is complete opposite of that.”

A third user humorously ded, “Not a frequent user but h a gold plan. Once my order delayed n was told it is grouped with anor order, executive said this is done to save earth. 
I told m ask your owner why he wants to kill earth, he should first get rid of high-end sports cars from his garage.”

In dition to priority delivery service, Gurgaon-based company is experimenting with a ‘pay later’ feature for select users.

This option allows users to place ir orders and settle payment anytime before ir food arrives, as per information from company’s app. ‘pay later’ feature, available on an opt-in basis, permits users to complete ir checkout and pay later, but it is only applicable for orders up to Rs. 9,000.

As Zomato continues to expand its services, company faces increasing scrutiny from its user base. While priority delivery and ‘pay later’ features aim to enhance user convenience, discontent among Gold members and perception of unfair pricing practices highlight challenges company must dress to maintain customer satisfaction and loyalty.