Zomato is under fire after a Noida restaurant owner publicly criticized the platform for allegedly offering zero payouts and imposing hidden charges. Manish, the owner of Saffroma, a biryani and Mughlai specialty restaurant in Sector-26, Noida, posted a viral thread on X (formerly Twitter), accusing Zomato of exploiting small businesses.
In his post, Manish shared screenshots showing deductions labeled as “investment in growth” and unauthorized advertisements placed by Zomato without his consent. He also alleged that the platform’s point of contact ghosted him, leaving his concerns unresolved. Outraged by the experience, Manish announced that he would delist his restaurant from Zomato, tagging the company’s CEO, Deepinder Goyal.
“Dear @zomato @deepigoyal I’m finally pulling my restaurant off your platform. Your mystery charges, surprise ads, and ghosting POC are shocking. Small outlets deserve better,” Manish wrote.
He further claimed that his case is not isolated, hinting at many small businesses suffering silently due to their dependence on food delivery platforms. His post resonated widely, with several users sharing similar negative experiences and criticizing Zomato and Swiggy for unfair practices.
One user questioned: “What is that ‘investment in growth’ charge? You’re basically giving food away for free.” Another added, “Zomato and Swiggy steal from both sides—restaurants and consumers.”
In response, Zomato acknowledged the complaint, stating, “Hi Manish, that’s not what we hoped for! Please DM your restaurant ID and we’ll reach out.”
This viral backlash has reignited discussions around how food delivery platforms handle partnerships with small restaurants, putting Zomato in a tight spot.
