Over the past few years, meal delivery apps such as Zomato, Swiggy, and Uber Eats have revolutionized the way individuals consume food. With a simple tap on the screen, they offer unprecedented convenience along with the ease of meal delivery at our doorsteps. Yet, this convenience came with a few problems. Needless to say, the extra cost of additional fees, making our orders more expensive, is one of the most frustrating problems.
An average food delivery bill now encompasses not only the cost of the item but also GST, restaurant charges, platform charges, delivery partner charges (usually distance-based), surge price, and voluntary donations such as “Feeding India.” While each of these may be tolerable in itself, collectively their impact is shocking. Recently, a customer voiced his displeasure over the same thing when his final bill on a Zomato order shocked him. Zomato has also responded to his complaint.
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The customer complained to Zomato about the extra charges he faced
A customer named Krishna Kumar ordered something from KFC through the Zomato app. His order costs Rs 59.53. However, what shocked him was that his final bill cost 3 times more than what he ordered. His final bill stands at Rs 156.30, which includes Rs 59.53 of his order, Rs 43.77 GST and restaurant charges, Rs 41 delivery fee, Rs 10 platform fee, and Rs 2 as a donation for “Feeding India.” Voicing his complaint, he shared a screenshot of the bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, and wrote,
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Item price 59.33. Gst and resturant charges – around 92%. And more other charges. Matlb 60 rs ke item ke liye 156 rs dene honge… Sabash!!!!!!! Vikshit bharat. But thanks after looking the pricing i decided to go for diet this night #Zomato @zomato
Item price 59.33
Gst and resturant charges – around 92%
And more other charges
Matlb 60 rs ke item ke liye 156 rs dene honge… Sabash!!!!!!! Vikshit bharat. But thanks after looking the pricing i decided to go for diet this night #Zomato @zomato pic.twitter.com/N5Je8wNLT3— KRISHNA KUMAR (@krishnak933) June 15, 2025
How did Zomato respond to his post?
Upon noticing Krishna’s post, Zomato responded to him with a clarification about why his order cost him that much. In their reply, they wrote,
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Hey Krishna, we’d like to inform you that food costs are decided by our restaurant partners; delivery fee helps ensure fair compensation for our delivery partners; GST and Restaurant Charges are applicable as per govt. norms and restaurant confirmation; our platform fee enables us to provide you convenience and smooth app operations; and donation to Feeding India is completely optional which you can deselect while ordering. Hope this clarifies your concern. Let us know if you have any further queries.
Hey Krishna, we’d like to inform you that food costs are decided by our restaurant partners; delivery fee helps ensure fair compensation for our delivery partners; GST and Restaurant Charges are applicable as per govt. norms and restaurant confirmation; our platform fee enables…
— Zomato Care (@zomatocare) June 15, 2025
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Zomato was earlier under fire for charging extra by giving lame excuses
Meanwhile, this is not the first time Zomato has been under fire for charging extra by giving lame excuses. Last month, in May 2025, a customer slammed the company for an extra Rs 15 as a rainy weather surge fee. What is most absurd about this incident is that there is no rain in his area. However, upon seeing his complaint, Zomato rushed to reply that the charge is applicable since it’s raining at the restaurant location.
While this charge may sound logical, other similar complaints that went viral last month will make you really very angry. In this case, a Gurgaon consumer complained about Zomato’s exorbitant packaging fees. A consumer used Zomato to order lunch from Punjabi Grill for Rs 431.25. However, he was surprised to learn that the business charged Rs 54.86 for packing and GST. His final bill stands at Rs 575. The business quickly responded to the complaint, stating that the restaurant, not the company, determines packaging fees.
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From a business standpoint, these fees have been crucial to the profitability of food delivery apps. These additional fees are intended to pay for platform upkeep, logistics, and delivery partners’ appropriate compensation. However, this approach may backfire if there is a lack of open communication.
What do you think about these charges? Do share your thoughts with us in the comment section of this article.
