Online food aggregator Zomato has launched 'home-style mini-meals' to respond to an increasing demand for simple, nutritious meals sought by COVID-positive persons in home isolation. Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal on Tuesday tweeted that over the past few days there has been a surge in demand on the app for "home style food for people battling poor health". Responding to that, the company has "launched home style mini-menus" in partnership with "thousands of restaurants across the country". The new feature will be available in locations covering about 85 per cent of the company's order volume.
Over the last few days, one of the most requested features on @zomato has been – a selection of home style food for people battling poor health.
We just launched home style mini-menus along with thousands of restaurants across the country.#RestaurantsAgainstCOVID (1/3) pic.twitter.com/2JDqqtic5Y
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) April 27, 2021
Elaborating on the "ghar jaisa khana", Mr Goyal tweeted, "everyone whose parents are struggling with health, cannot cook, or have no help - please order for them".
Here's where you can find home style mini-menus (aka 'ghar jaisa khana') on the zomato app. For everyone whose parents are struggling with health, cannot cook, or have no help – please order for them, or even better, teach them how to use the zomato app. ???????? (2/3)
Pls RT pic.twitter.com/VoOcaF2P7k— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) April 27, 2021
The COVID-19-induced lockdown last year changed many people's relationship with food. With limited supermarket stocks, shuttered restaurants and an unbelievable amount of time at home, foodies, including kitchen noobs, were forced to make the best of whatever was available in the pantry. But, now, with the second wave of COVID-19 hitting India hard, cooking is no longer an adventure or pastime that it was a year ago. The pandemic has left an increasing number of people sick who need nutritious food as much as medication for a quick recovery.
Mr Goyal wrote in a third tweet, "We are adding more such mini menus to existing and new locations on a war-footing," said Mr Goyal in another tweet, while thanking all the "restaurant partners who were quick to respond and do this with us".
We have added this feature to locations covering ~85% of our order volume. We are adding more such mini menus to existing and new locations on war footing. To all our restaurant partners who were quick to respond and do this with us, a big thank you! ????(3/3)— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) April 27, 2021
Many users appreciated this gesture by Zomato. While Pallav Jain applauded the "simple" yet "great initiative", Sanjeet Rohilla felt this was "much needed" because he himself craved home-cooked food during his isolation days.
Only reason ordering 99% time from @zomatoin since years is because of this guy @deepigoyal . Simple and always comes out with great initiative.
This is not buttering, but genuine feedback from what we as customer experience with #Zomato. Keep up good work and win our stomach— Pallav jain (@pallavjain1985) April 27, 2021
This is really a very much needed move. I personally felt the same during my isolation days.— Sanjeet Rohilla (@sanjeet_0890) April 27, 2021
Recently, Zomato also added another feature on its app that enables priority delivery of food meant for COVID-related emergencies. Using this option, those ordering the food can alert the restaurants that the order is meant for COVID-related patients or their families. The restaurant will deliver such orders on priority.