Zomato is planning to introduce ‘Mehmaan Mode’, a feature that would allow users to hide food prices while guests select dishes during group orders. The proposal was shared on LinkedIn by Ayushmaan Agarwalla, a marketing manager at Itu Chaudhuri Design, and received a positive response from Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal.
Goyal responded to the suggestion, writing, “Thanks for the suggestion. Shipping it this week.” His reply indicated that the company intended to move forward with the proposal, although the feature’s final implementation and wider availability remain unverified.
Feature Aims to Address Price-Related Hesitation
The proposed feature addresses a familiar situation in which hosts hand their phones to guests to select food. When prices are visible, some guests may hesitate to choose expensive dishes because someone else is paying for the order.
Mehmaan Mode aims to reduce this discomfort by allowing guests to browse the menu and select dishes without seeing individual prices. The host would retain control over reviewing the order and completing the payment.
The feature could be particularly useful during family gatherings, festive celebrations, house parties and other occasions when one person orders food for several people.
LinkedIn Suggestion Draws Founder’s Response
Agarwalla outlined the proposal in a LinkedIn post titled ‘Mehmaan Mode on Zomato’, highlighting how visible prices can influence guests’ food choices when ordering at someone else’s expense.
The exchange highlights the potential role of customer feedback in shaping product development. By responding publicly to the suggestion, Goyal indicated that the idea had received consideration from the company’s leadership.
Rollout Details Remain Unclear
The feature’s practical impact will depend on its final design, availability and customer adoption. Details regarding activation, the extent of price masking and compatibility with different order types have not been independently confirmed.
If implemented as proposed, Mehmaan Mode could add a new dimension to group food ordering by addressing the social dynamics between the person choosing the food and the person paying for it.