Today getting food at our place has become so easy that we need 10 minutes and our ordered food is on our doorstep. How has this become possible? Well, Swiggy and Zomato revolutionize the food delivery system in India by introducing a 10-minute delivery system. Although this service has saved a lot of time; but leaves concerns about food quality, data privacy, choice, convenience and rider safety.
5 Concerns regarding 10-minute delivery
1. Data Privacy concern
Both the companies Swiggy and Zomato marketed their 10-minute delivery system as the ultimate convenience for the fast-paced lifestyle of urban cities of India. However, we need to pay attention to understand the concerns regarding this delivery system. Suppose, sensitive information like our payment details, food habits, addresses and so on have been shared with third-party platforms and they misused that, then your privacy is in danger.
Henceforth, we need to be concerned about our data privacy. The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) proposed a draft for Rules of 2025, that highlighted the data privacy concerns that we need to be considered. DPDP has highlighted that consumers need to be highly conscious about how their data is collected, used and potentially shared with other third-party platforms.
Swiggy and Zomato, which deliver food within 10 minutes need to provide clear and standalone notice under these rules. Both companies need to explain everything about how and where the data is collected, and utilized and if they sharing the data with other platforms or not. Now consumers can demand assurance about where their data has been used and they can gain transparency if their data is misused or falling into the wrong hands.
2. Illusion of choices
If you are a daily user of Zomato and Swiggy, you must know about the fact that they offer you unlimited options according to your needs. But what if it is just on a surface level? Yes, a recent controversy also arose where it has been found that Swiggy and Zomato use algorithms to manipulate our visibility of food options while using the 10-minute delivery system.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is investigating the allegation that food delivery apps use algorithms to offer their customers only a few options by prioritizing exclusive partnerships with restaurants.
Although this allegation is being investigated, if it turns true, then this practice is limiting the customer’s choice of getting their favourite foods. Therefore, we need to be careful about these hidden biases and demand great transparency. These practices can also stifle competition. If food-delivering platforms make exclusive partnerships with restaurants, then small eateries will not be able to survive in the food market and the food ecosystem of India might get disrupted.
3. Question on price of convenience
Have you ever thought when you are availing a 10-minute delivery, are you paying a fair price? Several restaurants have raised concerns that food delivery platforms like Zomato and Swiggy charge a higher commission that can go up to 30% of the order value. Many eateries, to offset these higher costs, inflate menu prices for delivery orders. You might be shocked that, restaurants set the food price higher in the food delivery platforms than its actual price, and ultimately we are paying more for the same meal which might cost lower in in-store.
Are you thinking about only the prices? Well, we are getting our meal within 10 minutes, and think how much pressure the restaurants might feel to prepare an order within a few minutes. So, are food quality and hygiene standards maintained in these restaurants? This needs to be also investigated.
4. Concern about food chain fairness
The food delivery platforms are also accused of forcing small restaurants to become partners with the food delivery platforms with higher commission rates. If these small restaurants do not partner with these platforms, they might not stay in the competition and if they partner with them, then similar questions of convenience price, food quality and hygiene arise.
For this food chain unfairness, the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) also criticised Zomato and Swiggy for their private label food ventures. FHRAI argue that these food delivery companies have unfairly promoted their own brands and created unfair competition over independent restaurants.
5. Question on sustainability
A question also arises regarding the sustainability of the local food chain ecosystem. If large food brands like Zomato and Swiggy continuously promote their private label brands, then in the long-term we might not be able to avail ourselves of a diverse menu of foods. The independent and smaller restaurant might close their businesses and we might left with fewer choices where we might compromise the quality and hygiene in the name of convenient food delivery.
The dark secrets of 10-minutes delivery
Zomato and Swiggy always marketed the 10-minute delivery as a convenience option where they promise to deliver hot and fresh food to the customer’s doorstep within a record speed of 10 minutes. You might know about some dark secrets that these companies never want to share with you.
Swiggy owns around 557 dark stores and has planned to expand it to 741. Similarly, the quick commerce platform of Zomato, Blinkit, has around 791 dark stores. Now you might wonder what are these dark stores
. Well, the dark stores are generally small and strategically located centers where companies store high-demand items so that they can prepare them faster and deliver them within the promised time.
Now, what are the concerns about that? For 10-minute delivery, restaurants often store pre-cooked or semi-cooked meals in these dark stores for quick preparation and delivery. Henceforth, we can say that we are not getting fresh and hot meals but rather a pre-cooked meal which might not be healthy for us in the long-term.
The high pressure of meeting the deadline of 10-minute delivery might impact the food quality. Even poor working conditions might be faced by the chefs working in the restaurants. Besides the restaurant, rider safety is also under question. The promise of delivering the meal within a few minutes might increase the risks of accidents and here ethical concerns arise.
What customers can do?
Customers have higher power to change the landscape that has been used in the 10-minute delivery system in online food delivery platforms like Zomato and Swiggy. Customers can demand transparency from these platforms regarding how the restaurant ranking system is working and how we are displaying food options.
Customers can also take a significant step in supporting the local restaurants. If you are living in urban cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and so on, you can skip your online order and try local independent restaurants. Nowadays, several local restaurants have built their online websites, you can also create an order so that they can save their higher commission and your food quality and hygiene can not be compromised.
We can raise our voices and discuss the DPDP Rules 2025 and demand fairness and respect for our privacy from online food delivery companies. These steps can reshape the Indian food ecosystem which will be fair for all restaurants, platforms and ourselves as a consumers.
FAQ
How does the 10-minute delivery system impact food quality and hygiene?
The high pressure of meeting the deadline of 10-minute delivery might impact the food quality. Even poor working conditions might be faced by the chefs working in the restaurants.
What are dark stores, and how do they affect the freshness of delivered food?
For 10-minute delivery, restaurants often store pre-cooked or semi-cooked meals in these dark stores for quick preparation and delivery. Henceforth, we can say that we are not getting fresh and hot meals but rather a pre-cooked meal which might not be healthy for us in the long-term.
Are Swiggy and Zomato manipulating customer choices through algorithms?
A recent controversy also arose where it has been found that Swiggy and Zomato use algorithms to manipulate our visibility of food options while using the 10-minute delivery system. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is investigating the allegation that food delivery apps use algorithms to offer their customers only a few options by prioritising exclusive partnerships with restaurants.
Why do food prices on delivery platforms seem higher than in restaurants?
Several restaurants have raised concerns that food delivery platforms like Zomato and Swiggy charge a higher commission that can go up to 30% of the order value. Many eateries, to offset these higher costs, inflate menu prices for delivery orders.
How does the 10-minute delivery model affect small and independent restaurants?
The food delivery platforms are also accused of forcing small restaurants to become partners with the food delivery platforms with higher commission rates. If these small restaurants do not partner with these platforms, they might not stay in the competition and if they partner with them, then similar questions of convenience price, food quality and hygiene arise.
What are the data privacy concerns related to food delivery platforms?
Suppose, sensitive information like our payment details, food habits, addresses and so on have been shared with third-party platforms and they misused that, then your privacy is in danger.
What can consumers do to support fair food delivery practices?
Customers can demand transparency from these platforms regarding how the restaurant ranking system is working and how we are displaying food options. Customers can also take a significant step in supporting the local restaurants. If you are living in urban cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and so on, you can skip your online order and try local independent restaurants.
