Zomato Adds Rs 21 ‘Pay On Delivery Fee’ To Food Bill; Internet Says ‘Ridiculous Ways To Charge Customers’

Zomato users may now have to pay extra for the convenience of paying in cash. A customer’s post claiming the food delivery platform has introduced a separate fee for cash-on-delivery orders has gone viral, sparking a heated debate online.

The discussion began after an X user, @jassneetsingha, shared a screenshot of a food order showing a separate “Pay on Delivery Fee”. According to the post, the customer was charged Rs 21 for choosing to pay for the order upon delivery.

The user questioned why customers were being asked to pay extra for selecting cash as their payment method and wrote, “Zomato has now introduced a “Pay on Delivery Fee” 😅 ₹21 if you choose to pay cash, Wow ! How do they keep coming up with these ridiculous ways to charge customers and increase

their profits?”

The screenshot accompanying the post showed an item total of Rs 850, along with a Rs 21 pay-on-delivery fee, a Rs 14 platform fee and Rs 51 in GST. The additional charge appeared as a separate line item, adding to the overall cost of the order.

Reports circulating online suggest that the cash-on-delivery fee is generally around Rs 7.50, although the amount may vary depending on the order. In some cases, users have reportedly seen a charge of up to Rs 21 or around 2% of the order value, with a cap of Rs 30.

The fee is displayed alongside other charges such as platform, packaging and delivery fees. Some orders have reportedly also carried a message encouraging customers to switch to online payment to save the additional amount.

Prepaid orders, meanwhile, do not attract the reported pay-on-delivery fee. The development has nevertheless left some customers frustrated, particularly those who prefer paying in cash or remain hesitant about making advance payments because of concerns around delayed deliveries, incorrect orders or difficulties with refunds and customer support.

As the post gained traction, social media users offered sharply divided opinions. One user defended Zomato’s decision, saying, “It’s their business, they can charge 210 also, nothing work, no one are forced to order.”

Another user suggested that the charge could be intended to reduce losses associated with cash handling and encourage customers to pay digitally. The user wrote, “The pay on delivery fees is usually to prevent leakage. It’s equivalent to a lot of online D2C stores giving you an additional discount on pre payment.”

However, another commenter questioned the legality of such charges and tagged Zomato, Zomato Care and government authorities, writing, “@Zomato @zomatocare As per the @RBI guidelines cash handling charges are illegal and could be penalised for such activities. @FinMinIndia please look into these kinds of fraudulent activities by these food delivery apps or ecommerce sites.”

Some users took a different approach altogether and advised customers to avoid food delivery platforms. One comment read, “Stop using Zomato, Swiggy. Step out and get your food. If you cant, call up restaurant directly and book a rapido. Much cheaper – zomato, swiggy reliability is also not guaranteed anyway.”

Others questioned why customers would choose cash payment when discounts and coupons are available for online orders. One user wrote, “Why did you not use available coupons? Also cash payment involves effort and time and should be discouraged.”

Zomato has now introduced a “Pay on Delivery Fee” 😅

₹21 if you choose to pay cash, Wow !

How do they keep coming up with these ridiculous ways to charge customers and increase their profits? pic.twitter.com/kcR6FBJXzh

— Jassneet Singh (@jassneetsingha) September 12, 2026

Meanwhile, another commenter criticised the additional fee in view of complaints surrounding food delivery services, saying, “This is ridiculous, especially when there is a lot of fraud done by delivery drivers and Zomato customer care sucks.”

Disclaimer: This article is based on user-generated content. The claims made in the original post have not been independently verified by News18.