Zomato, the popular food delivery platform, marked its 16th anniversary with a unique celebration that involved a comedy roast featuring prominent comedians poking fun at the company’s policies and practices. The event, attended by Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal, Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa, and enthusiastic employees, took a lighthearted approach to addressing some of the platform’s recent controversies.
Comedian Swati Sachdeva seized the spotlight with sharp observations about Zomato’s operational decisions, including the recent hike in platform fees and the contentious surge pricing during inclement weather. Sachdeva humorously thanked Goyal for the opportunity to perform, quipping, “Now I just hope you don’t charge a platform fee for this as well.”
She humorously criticized Zomato’s practice of applying rain surge pricing even in the absence of rain, joking that product managers rush to the terrace to check for clouds before implementing the surcharge. The audience responded with laughter, while Goyal himself enjoyed the good-natured ribbing.
Turning her attention to Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa, Sachdeva questioned the logic behind adding handling charges to grocery orders, reasoning that delivery personnel naturally handle groceries as part of their job.
The comedy roast by ace comedians Gaurav Kapoor and Samay Raina was a part of Zomato’s larger 16th-anniversary celebration. The platform said it was also celebrating in its own unique way with a creative full page ad reminiscent of political pamphlets. This advertisement garnered praise for its novelty and signified Zeemato’s continued growth and influence in the food delivery realm.
As funny and carnival-ish as Zomato’s promotion sounds, the foodtech giant is still being grilled for it pricing policies and customer deliverybruises. This has led to user discontent over changes such as a higher platform fee and shorter free delivery distances. The challenge to keep the company’s innovation in-line with consumer expectations continues as they operate for an expected IPO amid a competitive and rapidly evolving food delivery market.
