Zomato Hikes Platform Fee Again to INR 14.90 as Rapido’s Zero-Fee Entry Heats Up Food Delivery War
Zomato has raised its platform fee to INR 14.90 per order, up from INR 12.50, increasing overall costs for users. Rival Swiggy charges a similar fee, while Rapido’s Ownly enters the market with no platform charges, intensifying competition in India’s food delivery space.
Bengaluru, March 20: Food delivery giant Zomato has once again increased its platform fee, adding INR 2.40 per order, as per details available on its app. The revised fee now stands at INR 14.90 per order (pre-GST), up from INR 12.50 earlier, marking another price hike after the last increase in September 2025.
With taxes included, rival platform Swiggy is currently charging around INR 14.99 per order. Historically, both companies have mirrored each other’s pricing strategies, and this latest revision continues that trend. Zomato Healthy Mode: CEO Deepinder Goyal Announces New Feature With Healthy Score for Every Dish.
The hike comes at a time when India’s food delivery market is witnessing fresh competition. Urban mobility startup Rapido has recently entered the segment with its new service, Ownly, launched in Bengaluru. Notably, Rapido has announced that it will not charge any platform fees from customers or restaurants, apart from a standard delivery fee. This aggressive pricing strategy could disrupt the market and put pressure on established players like Zomato and Swiggy.
One of the key reasons behind the fee increase is believed to be rising operational costs, especially due to increasing crude oil prices. Higher fuel costs directly impact delivery logistics, affecting both restaurant partners and delivery executives. Platforms often pass on a portion of these costs to customers through platform or service fees. Deepinder Goyal Resigns as Group CEO of Zomato Parent Company Eternal; Blinkit’s Albinder Dhindsa Named Successor.
For users, this means a slightly higher total bill per order, adding to existing concerns over multiple charges such as delivery fees, packaging costs, and taxes. As competition intensifies and new entrants like Rapido challenge the status quo, pricing strategies in the food delivery space are likely to evolve further.
Overall, while Zomato aims to sustain margins amid rising costs, customers may continue to weigh convenience against increasing order expenses.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 20, 2026 06:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).