Why Apps Like Zomato and Swiggy Must Be Banned

Convenience comes at a price, and when it comes to food delivery apps like Zomato and Swiggy, the cost goes far beyond the monetary value. These platforms, while convenient, are silently eroding our health, exploiting workers, and driving up costs for consumers. Here’s why it’s time to rethink our reliance on them.

Modus Operandi

When you place an order through Zomato or Swiggy, your payment is split between three key players:

Zomato (which runs the platform, app, and support, pays salaries to its employees, and rents a luxurious office in posh areas of metro cities like Bangalore and Gurgaon),
Restaurants (which prepare the food and rent large spaces in upscale areas of your city), and
Delivery partners (who bear the labor, fuel, and vehicle maintenance costs).

You’re not just paying for food—you’re paying for all these services. The outcome? Zomato makes billions, restaurants make millions, delivery partners make only a fraction of that, while you, the customer, lose both your money and, more importantly, your health.

Why These Apps Should Be Banned

1. Overpriced Food

Restaurants are charged hefty commissions by these platforms, and they pass on these costs to consumers. On top of this, you pay for:

Delivery fees,
Memberships that waive off delivery charges, but only on a minimum order (typically ₹199 or more) and within limited delivery distances (7–10 km),
Packaging, handling, and platform fees.

As a result, you end up spending 10 to 15 times the amount you’d spend if you prepared the meal at home.

The tea or samosa that costs you just around Rs. 20 at the tapri near your office or PG ends up costing Rs. 250 to 300 when ordered from Zomato or Swiggy, considering the delivery fees, minimum order value, platform charges, inflated restaurant prices, packaging charges, and the mandatory GST that restaurants have to pay when selling through these platforms, among other expenses.

2. Limited Choice for Multi-Restaurant Orders

You can’t order from multiple restaurants in a single order. If you love the tea from one café and the poha from another nearby, tough luck—you can’t combine them into one delivery. This forces you to either compromise on your meal or spend extra on separate orders.

3. Smaller Portions

The quantity of food is neither mentioned nor monitored. You may pay premium prices for small portions, leaving you unsatisfied, hungry and overcharged.

4. Quality Concerns

Unlike home-cooking, you can’t see the food being prepared, which raises concerns about hygiene and quality. There have been multiple cases in India where even highly-rated 5-star restaurants, which are listed on these platforms, have been caught serving hazardous food with little to no cleanliness or hygiene. This makes the risk of consuming contaminated food even higher, as there’s no guarantee that the high ratings reflect actual food safety standards. Many times, food delivery doesn’t match the quality or freshness of a dine-in experience.

5. Health Hazards from Packaging

A significant health concern is the use of plastic containers for hot food. Research shows that when hot food is stored in plastic, harmful chemicals like BPA and phthalates can leach into the food, increasing the risk of cancer and hormonal imbalances. This is a serious, often overlooked, consequence of ordering from these platforms.

6. Delayed Deliveries

Frequently, the food you order arrives long after it has been packed. By the time it reaches your doorstep, your hot meal has turned cold, sacrificing both taste and freshness.

If a restaurant runs out of an item you’ve ordered, they might send a substitute without informing you. This can be frustrating, especially when you’ve ordered something specific to satisfy a particular craving.

8. Encouraging Laziness

When you order from Zomato or Swiggy, what you're really paying for is laziness. These platforms create habits that encourage you to order more frequently, worsening your health over time by making fast food a regular part of your diet. The ease of access can lead to poor eating habits, steering you further away from healthier, home-cooked options.

9. Disputes and Poor Customer Service

Issues such as delivery partners tampering with your food or delivering the wrong items (e.g., non-vegetarian food to vegetarians) occur more often than you think. Initially, these platforms may offer refunds or credits to resolve disputes, but as time goes on, customer service becomes less accommodating, leaving you frustrated and without recourse.

10. Exploitation of Delivery Partners

While Zomato and Swiggy make substantial profits, delivery partners often face exploitation. They are underpaid, overworked, and lack job security or protections. These workers are the backbone of these services, yet they bear the brunt of the financial burden.

What You Should Do

The solution? Home-cooked food. By preparing your own meals, you spend just 5% to 10% of what you would on a Zomato or Swiggy order. Plus, you have complete control over the quality, quantity, and safety of the ingredients. Home cooking not only protects your health but also helps you save money. Furthermore, it brings a sense of connection and joy—whether it’s sharing a meal with family or enjoying the satisfaction of cooking for yourself.

In Conclusion

While the convenience of apps like Zomato and Swiggy is undeniable, the hidden costs—financial, health-related, and social—are too great to ignore. In the long run, the minimal effort it takes to cook at home is a far more rewarding choice. By returning to home-cooked meals, you are investing in your health, well-being, and financial security. In a world where convenience is often valued over quality, choosing to cook at home is a powerful form of self-care and mindful living.