Mumbai Man Reveals Zomato Charges Rs. 120 for Upma vs. Rs. 40 at Restaurant

A Mumbai resident has sparked a conversation about the cost of convenience in food delivery services after sharing his dining experience on social media. The man, who posted under the handle @kothariabhishek on ‘X’, compared the prices of items at a popular local eatery with those listed on Zomato, a major food delivery platform.

The post featured a side-by-side comparison of a restaurant bill and a Zomato screenshot. At 'Udupi 2 Mumbai', the diner paid Rs. 40 for an Upma, while the same item was listed at Rs. 120 on Zomato. The price difference continued with Thatte Idli, which cost Rs. 60 at the restaurant but was priced at Rs. 161 on the app.

Check out the viral post:

This post has resonated with many users who are becoming increasingly aware of the markups associated with food delivery services. It has sparked a debate about the transparency of pricing on these platforms and whether the convenience they offer justifies the added cost.

To give a clearer picture, @kothariabhishek detailed the cost of a full meal including Thatte Idli, Medu Vada, Onion Uthappam, Upma, and Tea. The total at the restaurant came to Rs. 320, while ordering the same items on Zomato (excluding Tea) amounted to Rs. 740.

Users reactions to the post:

The official handle of Zomato replied to the post and said, “Hi Abhishek, prices on our platform are solely governed by our restaurant partners. Nonetheless, we will share your concerns and feedback with them.”

Another user said, “Message is simple, go and have in the restaurant. You can't decide how much premium should Zomato charge over restaurant price. They are here to profit no?”

A third user elaborated and wrote, “The cost of convenience. I don’t think Zomato has lied anywhere, their business model has been pretty open. Someone saved you the trouble of calling and checking different restaurants. They pack it for you neatly. A guy puts petrol in his bike to go and fetch it for you. Then in pouring rain brings it to your doorstep. All this in less time than it will take to drive to the restaurant, park, wait for the food, eat and return. It’s expensive I agree, but it’s a free choice.”

“Quite normal for pricing on food delivery platforms.. needs to be that way so the restaurant gets something (they would be playing fees to the platform)… In Australia, Uber Eats takes around 30% per order from the restaurant. So, unless there is a markup, the restaurant loses!,” shared another user.