Ordering meals through delivery platforms such as Swiggy and Zomato has long been regarded as a convenient option, but recent changes to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) framework meant customers were paying noticeably more than the cost of the food itself. This shift prompted several users to share their frustrations online, while others began circulating ways of reducing the additional charges.
One such method was described by Krisha, a recent graduate from Delhi Technological University, who explained on X (formerly Twitter) how she avoided platform fees. She said she had stopped placing orders on food delivery applications altogether, instead calling her preferred restaurants directly and asking them to prepare her meals for takeaway. To get the food delivered to her home, she then arranged pick-up services through third-party providers such as Uber Courier or Rapido.
“Stopped using Zomato/Swiggy. Now I just call my regular spots, they pack the food & I send Uber/Rapido to pick it up,” she wrote.
Krisha noted that the additional cost of using Rapido or Uber ranged between Rs 50 and Rs 100, which she claimed remained lower than the combined amount charged by food delivery apps. “Even after Rs 50–100 delivery cost, it’s still cheaper than ordering on apps (thanks to their markups, platform fee, commissions). Net profitable,” she added.
Her post attracted significant attention online with many commenters agreeing to her point of view while several shared their own experiences.
One X user remarked: “That’s totally true, Zomato and Swiggy have 40 to 50 per cent markup, and when your order is above 300, the actual cost would be 40 to 50 per cent cheaper, sometimes even 60 per cent, so using Rapido or Porter would be a lot cheaper.” Another person wrote: “I too tried this and it’s very low cost compared to commissions of Zomato.”
Others welcomed the approach as a practical response to the rise in hidden charges. “It’s a smart approach to cut down on hidden costs. The key is balancing savings with convenience, and if your local spots provide reliable service, this method makes perfect sense,” one individual commented. Another added: “Smart hack, you basically recreated your own food delivery app at lower cost.” A further post read: “This is actually the cheapest premium plan.”
The comments section also included suggestions for additional cost-cutting measures, with some recommending bypassing delivery platforms altogether. One contributor said: “The restaurant guy himself delivers in my case, making it much cheaper.” Another wrote: “Rather directly call restaurants if they are in 5–10 km in range, with a minimal delivery fee they charge some, or even none, and prices are less than shown on Zomato and Swiggy.”
A separate comment advised: “Ordering from a restaurant website or app will also save money.”
Not all reactions supported the workaround, with some pointing out that delivery platforms still offered value in terms of convenience. “Zomato and Swiggy’s fees are annoying, but at least they handle the mess… your method shifts it all to you,” one user observed. Another asked: “Smart move, but isn’t convenience part of what you’re paying for with apps?”
A few responses also carried a humorous tone. “There is something known as a kitchen, if you use that, you can save more and eat healthier food,” a commenter wrote.
The discussion followed a separate post that recently went viral, in which a user detailed the various charges that appeared on their order receipt. The breakdown listed restaurant GST of Rs 14.75, a rain surcharge of Rs 25 plus Rs 4.50 GST, packaging costs of Rs 20 and a platform fee of Rs 14.99.
In Mumbai, another user explained that his local restaurant maintained two portion sizes: one for orders through delivery apps and another for direct customers. He said that ordering directly saved both money and provided larger servings.
Further comments accused the platforms of raising their charges in ways that offset reductions in GST. One individual wrote: “Agreed. Zomato and Swiggy are looting customers. Yesterday I analysed and found out that pre GST rate cut food was cheaper than post GST rate cut as they have increased Delivery Partner fee, Packaging fees etc. This was not expected from you.”
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