X User's Comparison Of Restaurant Bill With Zomato Prices Sparks Debate, Company Reacts

A viral post by an X user has brought attention to the glaring price discrepancy between a restaurant's bill and its online menu on Zomato. Recently, X user Abhishek Kothari took to the platform to share a comparison between a restaurant's bill and the prices of the same order on Zomato. Mr Kothari shared images of his bill and the Zomato menu, revealing a significant markup on items ordered through the app. For example, Upma cost ₹40 on his bill but was listed at ₹120 on Zomato, while Thatte Idli was billed at ₹60 but listed for ₹161 on Zomato. 

''There is a restaurant called Udupi2Mumbai in vile parle. Below is my bill and screenshot of the Zomato menu card. Difference: Upma in bill Rs 40; in Zomato Rs120. Thatte idli in bill Rs 60; in Zomato Rs161,'' he wrote on X. 

See the post here:

He cross-checked the items on his Rs 320 restaurant bill with their online prices on Zomato and discovered that the same order would have cost a whopping Rs 740 if he had placed it online.

Zomato took note of the viral post and replied to it on X, stating, ''Hi Abhishek, prices on our platform are solely governed by our restaurant partners. Nonetheless, we will share your concerns and feedback with them.''

Several X users also reacted to the viral post and suggested that restaurants inflate prices on platforms like Zomato and Swiggy to offset commission fees. Others pointed out that the higher prices are a reflection of the "convenience" of the service provided by the food delivery app. Some proposed buying directly from restaurants to avoid high prices. 

One user explained, ''The cost of convenience. I don't think Zomato has lied anywhere, their business model has been pretty open. Someone saved you the trouble of calling and checking different restaurants. They pack it for you neatly. A guy puts petrol in his bike to go and fetch it for you. Then in pouring rain brings it to your doorstep. All this in less time than it will take to drive to the restaurant, park, wait for the food, eat and return. It's expensive I agree, but it's a free choice.''

Another said, ''You are getting food at your home without burning Rs. 50 petrol, spending 1 hours of travel time, the choice of ordering from any restaurant in the vicinity, without being in a queue for waiting, with packaging, without any risk of meeting an accident on the way to restaurant.''

A third added, ''Consider buying directly from the restaurant to avoid the markup, or accept that online and offline prices differ due to platform commissions.''