A Reddit post sharing a seven-year-old Zomato bill has gone viral, with many users raising questions about how the prices of delivered food have changed over time. This post has raised questions on the online food delivery business.
This bill from 2019 shows no delivery fees, no platform fees and a huge discount coupon from a restaurant located about 9.6 kilometers away. The user reported that the same order would cost around ₹300 today, while food prices have almost doubled in recent years. “This was the time when Zomato was really cheap,” wrote a Reddit user. He added that coupon codes at the time meant real discounts, unlike today’s “wars.”
Debate broke out on social media
The viral post has sparked debate on social media about how food delivery apps have evolved and whether the service has become too expensive. Many consider additional fees, delivery charges and dynamic pricing to be the main problems.
Commenting on the post, a user wrote, “Though every platform was affordable in those days, but compare it with the cost of living and labour. Now, not everything is cheap. Always remember there are prices everywhere. If you are getting paneer chilli for Rs 150, who is profiting? Zomato takes 30%. The restaurant is left with Rs 100.” Of course, you’ll only get fake cheese. It’s not even enough for rent or salary.”
Another user wrote, “Bro, I understand your point, but I have been working in the food industry for quite some time now. The price of raw materials has almost doubled (not completely, but I remember we used to buy Amul ghee for Rs 5500 for a 15 kg box, and now it is around Rs 9000), so this is another reason.” At that time, Zomato and Swiggy were offering around 50 per cent discount in almost 90% of the restaurants.”
Zomoto gradually implemented delivery and platform fees over time to improve logistics, restaurant partnerships, and scale operations, but critics argue that this change made the once affordable service no longer affordable for many. Platform expansion and changing business models are also factors in rising costs.
