Cuttack-based restaurant House of Salat has sparked an online debate after calling out Zomato for what it describes as an unfair rating system that penalises restaurants for delivery errors beyond their control. In a strongly worded Instagram post, the eatery claimed it was blamed for a mix-up caused by a delivery partner, leading to a drop in ratings.

Detailing the incident, the restaurant said, “We prepared, checked, and handed over the correct order. Your delivery partner, juggling multiple pickups, delivered the wrong one. Yet we get the complaint, the blame, and the rating drop.” The post stressed that once the order leaves the kitchen, restaurants have no control over delivery but still face consequences. Zomato Crowns Delhi-NCR as India’s Food Capital with 4.22 Crore Orders in 2025.

House of Salat Slams Zomato Over Delivery Mix-Up

 

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A post shared by House Of Salat’s (@houseofsalats)

Tagging Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal, the restaurant questioned accountability in the system, calling it a recurring issue. “Why is there no accountability for delivery partners? Why are restaurants penalised after the order leaves our kitchen?” it asked, adding that such incidents are not isolated.

The restaurant also highlighted the business impact of poor ratings. “Small businesses like ours don't just lose stars, we lose visibility, orders, and real revenue,” the post read, pointing out how algorithm-driven rankings directly affect growth. Zomato and Swiggy Face Order Slump As Thousands of Restaurants Halt Operations Amid LPG Shortage in India.

The post resonated widely online, with users sharing similar experiences. One user commented, “This is exactly what happened to us today… resulting in us getting a bad rating,” while another said, “You've posted what most of the cafes and restaurants have been willing to say for a long time.”

The incident has reignited concerns about fairness and accountability in India’s food delivery ecosystem.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 17, 2026 09:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).