Taking a big step before Diwali, Zomato has increased the platform fee by 60 percent, due to which customers will have to pay Rs 10 on every order. Before this increase, the company had increased this fee from Rs 4 to Rs 6 in January. The company says that this increase is necessary to handle the huge demand during Diwali. Zomato also said that the platform fees will help cover operating costs and provide better service to users, especially during the festive season when orders surge.
In the last one year, Zomato has increased its fees several times. Initially this fee started at ₹1, which gradually increased to ₹3, then ₹4 and then ₹6. Now after the current increase it has become Rs 10. Apart from this, the customer will also have to pay GST, delivery charges and restaurant charges. Due to this increase, online food orders will now become more expensive than before, especially during the Diwali season when the number of orders increases.
Zomato has clarified that the increase in platform fees is necessary to manage operating costs and maintenance to meet the huge demand during the festive season. The company claimed that this charge helps ensure a seamless service experience for users, as the number of orders increases during Diwali.
With this new increase, Zomato users will now have to pay the platform fee as well as other charges like GST, restaurant charges and delivery charges. Rival food delivery platform Swiggy has also implemented platform fees, which currently charges Rs 6.50 per order. The impact of these costs is that ordering food online has become more expensive than ever. It will be interesting to see how this growth impacts customers and how they adjust to it.