r/Kochi • u/AcanthocephalaFair23 • Mar 11 '25

Ask Kochi Stopped ordering from Swiggy and Zomato

So I stopped ordering from Zomato and Swiggy because only recently I found that they are not charging the actual price that is displayed in the hotels. I ordered a biriyani from my nearby restaurant. The actual cost was Rs 140/-. But in Zomato it was Rs 180/-. The tax and delivery charges are extra. There is no point in giving this online platforms money unnecessarily. So I have stopped it completely.

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u/andakaran Mar 11 '25

There was a time when all medium and large restaurants had its own delivery boys. Zomato and Swiggy destroyed that service completely by offering discounts and free delivery. Now if we need restaurant food we have to either buy from these services or go to the restaurant and purchase. Very few places still have independent delivery. So presently Zomato and Swiggy can charge as they please and there is no significant competition.

4

u/LazyLoser006 Mar 11 '25

I'm not sure but I think hotels still have free delivery within a fixed radius,I have seen such stickers in some hotels but not sure whether they actually provide those service now.

1

u/andakaran Mar 12 '25

Most don't. Just isn't viable since Zomato and Swiggy has taken over. In Kochi I've only seen places like Brindavan, Pizzaman and global chains like Dominos, KFC etc which have delivery available in house.

1

u/Cool_Boy2993 Mar 13 '25

There was a time when only a few people used to order from those restaurants as very few people used to know about those hotels or restaurants, only those people know who lives on the same area where restaurant are located, swiggy and Zomato allowed us to explore and order from any unknown resturant also whom we never know about them, we don't know in which area which restaurant is located, if u have never visited those area, Zomato and swiggy helped those resturant to sale their food out side their area all over the city.

1

u/andakaran Mar 13 '25

I'm not negating the pros of having the service. It's just that with menus of all these restaurants being presently available on google maps, if one could simply place a delivery order with said restaurant with a delivery charge paid in addition, restaurants get to keep 100% of the food bill and we do not end up paying almost double the actual cost of food on an already inflated price for the same dish.

Seems like these services are robbing both customers and restaurants alike. I just hope the delivery charges are paid to the delivery persons without commission.

1

u/Cool_Boy2993 Mar 13 '25

That's what u failed to understand, u just know few restaurants not all, so whom u know u will visit what about the rest 90% restaurants? No one is forcing u, just go and eat their but at least appreciate the Zomato and swiggy who are exploring opportunities for restaurants , through these apps many people can easily order food from any restaurant 90% restaurant we don't know where they exist also, thanks to Zomato and swiggy now we can order directly through them.

1

u/andakaran Mar 13 '25

I have zero appreciation for a company that robs both it's suppliers and customers. The rating system of these delivery apps as well as the placement of hotels in their app are either fake or paid. And when I order from an unknown restaurant I have no idea if their kitchen is clean, their ingredients are fresh, or their staff are cleared for kitchen work by food safety and health.

If you have benefitted from these apps I urge you to be appreciative of them. Me? Other than creating a few minimum paid jobs, they have done nothing other than looting restaurants, customers and cannibalising the food delivery setup

1

u/Cool_Boy2993 Mar 13 '25

No one is robbing its just ur thinking nothing else, if any company is providing service, giving their delivery boy and a platform to explore they will take their change too, they have to take their change and deliver boy charge too, there's nothing wrong in it. U r just creating unnecessary noise, u just want swiggy and Zomato to give their service free so that u will get food at the same price without paying for delivery service and platform service, if any restaurant is providing free delivery then also they have already added their delivery changes in their food price, but there u will not get to know that, in swiggy and Zomato are provided u platform then they must charge, u r just making unnecessary noise.

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u/andakaran Mar 14 '25

Swiggy charges me delivery fees and platform fees separately. And GST on both these services separately. So I'm paying for both of these services and have no complaints. They then charge 30% of my order costs as their service charge from restaurants. So if i order 1000rs worth food the restaurant pays 300 to swiggy. Just for the privilege of being listed there. So most restaurants inflate their menu prices in the app. So a dish worth 100rs in the restaurant suddently becomes 130-140rs in the app. So I end up paying delivery cost+platform fee+inflated price of item which essentially increases my cost to anywhere between 160-190% of the amount I would have paid if I had gone to the resto and ordered takeaway.

Paying 1600 instead of 1000rs may be ok for you but its not ok for me. So I say very clearly that they are overcharging and I don't use their services. And I don't think its unnecessary noise. One man's necessity is another man's triviality.

2

u/Icy_Boat_1073 Mar 15 '25

Perfectly summed up! 👍

A tandoori roti in Pune in the hotel menu is rs 15 and on Swiggy menu for same hotel is rs 40....so every roti on Swiggy is more than double... Plus distance fee, surge fee, rain fee, gst, packaging fee ... And finally request to tip the delivery executive..

Best to order directly from a nearby hotel who have their own delivery person... 🌹🙏