Zomato Tests ‘VIP Mode’ at ₹50, Swiggy Ups Charges Again; New Player Ownly Offers 15% Cheaper Food

On Wednesday, Swiggy and Zomato increased the platform fees on food delivery orders. These extra charges are raised on every order in addition to delivery fees, restaurant charges, and GST. This increase has been made in view of the possible increase in food delivery orders before the festivals. Meanwhile, Zomato, owned by Eternal, is reportedly testing a new 'VIP Mode', in which fast delivery and special services will be available at extra cost.

According to a report by Gadgets 360, Zomato has increased its platform fee by Rs 2, and now every order will be charged Rs 12. Similarly, Swiggy has also increased its fee to Rs 15, which was earlier Rs 12.

Although this increase may seem minor to the customers, it can prove to be a big earning for the company. According to a report by Moneycontrol, Zomato processes around 2.3 to 2.5 million orders daily, while Swiggy also has around 2 million orders daily. According to these figures, both companies are earning around Rs 3 crore daily from platform fees alone.

Notably, Swiggy has increased its platform fee for the third time in the last three weeks. During the Independence Day festival season too, it had increased the charge to Rs 12 later. On the other hand, Zomato has gradually increased the platform fee since introducing it in 2023.

Zomato is also reportedly testing a new VIP mode. Customers will get fast delivery and special services at a charge of Rs 50. Meanwhile, both apps are now facing a new competitor. Rapido has launched a new food delivery platform called Ownly, which is currently limited to Bengaluru and surrounding areas. This app claims to deliver cheaper food than Swiggy and Zomato, where items like rice and eggs will be available for less than Rs 100.

The company says that food prices on Ownly will be up to 15% lower than Swiggy and Zomato. Here, only a flat delivery fee will be charged by the restaurants, and no platform fee, packaging cost, hidden charges, or extra amount will be charged.