Zomato hikes platform fee 19% to ₹14.90 amid rising delivery costs

Zomato raises platform fee to Rs 14.90 from Rs 12.50, aligning closer to rivals amid rising operational costs and pressure from supply disruptions in West Asia

The cost of ordering food online through Zomato is set to rise marginally, as the company has increased its platform fee, adding to the overall expense for customers. From the earlier level of ₹12.50, the fee has gone up by 19.2 per cent to ₹14.90, based on information available on the company’s mobile application.

 

A platform fee is an additional charge levied by digital platforms, including food delivery apps, to cover operational costs, maintenance, and technology improvements.

 

Notably, the platform has seen a series of hikes in the case of food delivery firms. For instance, in September last year, the platform fee for Zomato stood at around ₹12 and was later increased to ₹12.50. Around the same time, Swiggy had also raised its platform fee to ₹14.

 

 

At its current value of ₹14.90, the platform fee on Zomato is close to the ₹14.99 fee that rival food delivery platform Swiggy is currently charging. Another food delivery player, Magicpin, is currently charging a platform fee of ₹12.

 

While Zomato didn’t issue an official statement on the development, the fee hike is likely due to the West Asia crisis, which triggered a crunch in the supply of commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, hampering the operations of restaurants listed on food delivery platforms and gig workers who enable doorstep delivery of food items ordered online.

 

During the third quarter of the financial year 2025–26, the net order value (NOV) of Eternal’s food delivery business (Zomato) went up 16.6 per cent year-on-year to ₹9,846 crore. NOV refers to the actual value retained after deductions such as discounts, promo codes, etc.

 

Notably, Rapido’s Ownly, a newly launched food delivery platform, operates on a zero-commission model and charges no fee from restaurants, except a standard delivery fee based on distance from customers. Ownly is currently servicing in Bengaluru.