Know why food from delivery apps costs more

Consumers are increasingly voicing concerns over price exploitation by food delivery apps. Many have complained about substantial discrepancies between the prices on restaurant menus and what the apps charge, sparking a wave of social media posts and calls for regulatory action.

- Pranali Lotlikar

One recent case that gained traction online involved Pratyay Banerjee, who posted on X the significant price difference. After ordering food from a local restaurant for Rs370, he discovered that the same order would have cost him over Rs500 on Zomato. He tweeted, "(With) Price difference between restaurant and Zomato's order, soon Devinder Goyal (the founder of Zomato), will be able to buy an airplane." The incident, first reported by Startup.pedia, has since sparked wider discussions.

Aslam Malkani reported a similar experience after visiting Delhi Zaika in Grant Road. He ordered chicken malai seekh biryani for Rs345, a bill copy shared with FPJ shows. However, the same dish on both Zomato and Swiggy was listed at Rs437.