Zomato Bill From 7 Years Ago Goes Viral, Reminding Users of Times Without Delivery Fees

A Reddit post showing a seven-year-old Zomato bill has gone viral, forcing many users to reflect on how delivery food pricing has changed over time.

The bill, dating to 2019, showed no delivery charge, no platform fee, and a steep coupon discount from a restaurant located nearly 9.6 km away. The user noted that the same order today would cost about Rs 300, with food prices having almost doubled over the years.

"This was the time when Zomato was truly affordable," wrote the Reddit user, adding that back then coupon codes meant actual discounts, unlike today's "gimmicks."

Zomato order from 7 years ago
byu/No-Win6448 inZomato

The viral post has fuelled discussions across social media about how food delivery apps have evolved and whether convenience now comes at too high a cost. Many cite added fees, delivery charges, and dynamic pricing as major pain points.  

"Well, every platform was affordable back then, but compare it with the living costs and wages. Cannot get everything for less now. Always remember there are costs everywhere. If you are getting paneer chilli at Rs 150, then who is even making a profit? Zomato takes 30%. 100 left with the restaurant. You'll obviously get fake paneer then. Not even enough to cover rent or salaries," commented a user.

"When I read 7 years ago. I automatically thought maybe 2013-14, then I saw 2019.damn," wrote another user.

"I get what you mean, brother, but I am someone who's worked in the catering industry for some time. The cost of raw materials has gone almost double (not everything, but I remember we used to buy amul ghee for Rs 5500 for a 15kg tin, and now it's near 9000), so that's another reason. Then Zomato & Swiggy used to give an almost 50 percent discount at that time on almost 90% of the restaurants," commented a third user.

While Zomato introduced delivery and platform fees gradually over time to support logistics, restaurant partnerships, and operational scale, critics argue the transformation has made what was once an affordable service inaccessible for many. The platform's expansion and changing business model also factor into the cost increases.