Swiggy Introduces Platform Fee for Food Delivery Orders

Swiggy has added an extra charge to your online meal order by way of a "platform fee." This additional fee will only be applicable to food orders at the moment. The platform fee, priced at ₹2 per order, has been implemented in Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Platform Fee for All Swiggy Users?

Popular food delivery app Swiggy is currently charging users a platform fee of ₹2 for each order, regardless of the cart value. This new charge is only applicable on Swiggy food orders and not on other services like Instamart and Genie.

Swiggy explained in a statement, "The platform fee is a nominal flat fee charged on food orders. This fee helps us operate and improve our platform and enhance app features to deliver a seamless app experience."

As of now, the platform fee has rolled out to customers in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. It's unclear whether the new charge will make its way to Swiggy users residing in other cities in the future.

Swiggy Customers Unhappy With Platform Fees

Online food delivery apps have made it easy to order your favorite foods at the press of a button. Although delivery charges are applicable on each order, the fee is waived off if you purchase the Swiggy One membership.

As Swiggy stacks a new platform fee on top of government taxes and other charges, many disgruntled customers took to Twitter to express their discontent. One such user complained about being made to pay a platform fee even after purchasing the Swiggy One subscription.

Swiggy customer support replied to the tweet saying, "[The] platform fee is levied on all food orders to guarantee the provision of convenient services to customers by Swiggy. This fee also serves to facilitate service continuity and prevent technological disruptions."

It seems absurd that Swiggy is adding a small platform fee on all food orders, even for members paying for a Swiggy one subscription. To recall, the Swiggy One membership promises free delivery and exclusive discounts. It costs ₹399 for three months and ₹1,499 for a year.

This development follows reports of Swiggy incurring losses and laying off many employees. The company also shut down Handpicked, Swiggy's premium grocery delivery service, just six months after its pilot run in Bangalore. Other services such as Instamart and Genie are still operational.