Ahmedabad Restaurant charged Rs 60 for food container in Ahmedabad : Zomato Respond

An Ahmedabad resident raised concerns after being charged an additional Rs 60 for food utensils when ordering three thepla plates worth Rs 60 each through Zomato. Khushboo Thakkar, the customer, took to Twitter to express her dissatisfaction and sought an explanation from the food delivery platform.

In a tweet, Thakkar addressed Zomato, questioning the rationale behind the container price being equal to the cost of the food item itself. A bill image shared online revealed that each plate of the ordered meal was priced at Rs 60, the same amount as the container fee.

Container charge is equivalent to the item that I have ordered
₹60 for the container charge
Seriously?? @zomato @zomatocare @zomato#zomato #zomato pic.twitter.com/2ceQFgiB5h — Khushboo Thakkar (@khush_2599) August 2, 2023

Zomato's response explained that the packaging fees were set by the restaurant partners, implying that they determine and benefit from this charge. However, Thakkar and other Twitter users found the Rs 60 container fee to be excessive and raised concerns about the responsibility of restaurants to provide containers to customers without additional charges.

Twitter users echoed Thakkar's sentiments, with some pointing out that Zomato displays the packaging fees upfront before confirming an order. They suggested that customers should review these charges before finalizing their orders.

This incident resurfaces concerns about transparency and pricing practices within the food delivery industry. Notably, Zomato and its competitor Swiggy faced scrutiny from authorities in June 2022 regarding the accuracy and clarity of delivery and packaging fees included in their invoices.

As customers continue to navigate the evolving landscape of online food delivery, questions surrounding additional charges and the responsibility of platforms and restaurants to provide transparent and reasonable pricing remain at the forefront of discussions.