Ordering your favorite meals online will be more expensive
Ordering your favorite meals from restaurants is officially going to burn a slightly bigger hole in your pocket. Swiggy has decided to push its mandatory checkout charges higher, right on the heels of a similar pricing update from its biggest rival. Consumers will now notice a Swiggy platform fee hike, making every single transaction just a bit pricier than before.
Swiggy recently bumped up its fixed charge to Rs 17.58 per order, which includes GST. Previously, users were paying Rs 14.99, meaning this adjustment represents an almost 17% jump. Whenever you go to the checkout screen now, a message explains that these extra funds help operate and maintain their digital infrastructure.
Zomato pulled a similar move just days prior. They increased their base fee by Rs 2.40, shifting the pre-tax amount from Rs 12.50 to Rs 14.90. Once taxes are applied, both tech giants are essentially demanding the exact same extra amount from their user base. Whether you are ordering lunch in Bhubaneswar or dinner in Cuttack, online food delivery cost increases are becoming a standard industry practice.
Why Paying Extra Is Now Routine
Food delivery charges might look trivial when you evaluate a single order. However, regular users will absolutely feel the financial pinch when calculating their monthly spending. These platforms consistently argue that these minor additions are vital for covering massive technology overheads and keeping the app running smoothly.
While the big two mirror each other's pricing strategies, some alternatives are trying a completely different approach. Ride-hailing service Rapido recently launched a new food delivery platform called Ownly in Bengaluru. Taking a bold stance against current market habits, Rapido promised zero extra platform charges for both restaurants and hungry customers, relying purely on standard delivery fees.
Users must now decide if the convenience of their preferred apps is worth the escalating extra costs. Frequent buyers might need to rethink their ordering habits or keep an eye out for emerging competitors offering better deals.
