One plate of momos cost Zomato Rs 60,000 in Karnataka: Here's why

On August 31, 2023, Sheethal had placed an order for momos via Zomato, paying Rs 133.25 but she alleged that she never received the momos nor did a delivery agent visit her home

A consumer court in Karnataka has ordered Zomato to compensate a Dharwad woman with Rs 60,000 after she did not receive her online order of momos last year.

The verdict was delivered by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Dharwad on July 3.

Sheethal placed an order for momos via Zomato on August 31, 2023, paying Rs 133.25 through Google Pay. Despite receiving a message claiming delivery within 15 minutes of placing the order, Sheethal alleged that she never received the momos nor did a delivery agent visit her home.

When Sheethal contacted the restaurant to inquire about her order, she was informed that the delivery agent had already collected the order from the restaurant. She tried to contact the agent through the platform, but her attempts were unsuccessful. Sheethal emailed Zomato on the same day to complain and was advised to wait for 72 hours for a response.

After failing to get any response, Sheethal sent a legal notice to Zomato on September 13, 2023. In court, Zomato’s counsel contested the allegations, refuting them as untrue.

However, the court noted that Zomato had requested 72 hours to address the complainant's grievance. However, as of the filing of this complaint, they had not done so, casting doubt on the reliability of their claim in this matter.

On May 18 this year, Sheethal reported receiving Rs 133.25 on May 2 from Zomato.

According to the commission, this indicates that Zomato’s failure in service resulted in significant inconvenience and mental distress for the complainant.

The commission, in its ruling, said, “Zomato is carrying out their business of supply of materials in response to the online orders placed by the customer. Despite receipt of the purchase money, Zomato did not deliver the required product to the complainant. By looking into these facts of the case on hand in our opinion Op no 1 (Zomato) alone is liable to answer the claim of the complainant.”

Eshappa K Bhute, president of the commission, mandated that Zomato compensate Sheethal with Rs 50,000 for the inconvenience and mental distress she experienced after the incident, along with an additional Rs 10,000 to cover her legal expenses.