Food delivery apps have become second nature for most of us. A few taps, and dinner arrives at the doorstep – no traffic, no waiting, no small talk with the cashier. But while the convenience is hard to beat, the cost of that comfort has been raising eyebrows lately. Many users have noticed that what they pay online does not always line up with what the same food costs when bought directly from restaurants. One such example recently came from Coimbatore. A local resident, Sunder, decided to check the difference for himself. He ordered food from a nearby outlet through Swiggy and later bought the same dishes directly from the restaurant, which was just about two kilometres away.
Also Read:KFC Chicken Burger With Jalebi? UK Vlogger's Bizarre Food Combo Gets Flak From Internet
The numbers, according to him, were eye-opening. Sharing a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “Hey @Swiggy, please explain. Why does ordering food in the app, 81% expensive than buying the same food from the same outlet, just 2kms away. Is this the real cost of convenience? The extra that I have to pay to get the food delivered is INR 663.”
To back his claim, he shared screenshots of both bills. His Swiggy order added up to ₹1,473. The same items, picked up in person, cost him only ₹810. That is a difference of ₹663 for the same meal.
The post didn't go unnoticed. It quickly picked up momentum and gained almost 3 million views.
We reached out to Swiggy for a comment, but they are yet to respond
The complaint coincides with another round of platform fee hikes by Swiggy and Zomato during the festive season. As per reports, Swiggy has increased the fee three times in the last three weeks and now charges ₹15 per order with GST. Zomato has raised its fee by 20% to ₹12 per order, without GST.
Also Read: Watch: Street Vendor's Viral 'Chicken Dosa' Divides The Internet
For context, the platform fee appears separately in the bill. It comes on top of food prices, delivery charges, restaurant fees, packaging, surges and GST. The fee supports logistics, covers daily running costs, boosts margins and helps recover losses from services like quick commerce.