Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal recently invited a Bengaluru man to apply for a job after being impressed by his insightful suggestions on a new Zomato feature. The unexpected exchange took place on X (formerly Twitter) following Zomato’s announcement of a “Food Rescue” feature, aimed at reducing food waste by allowing users to buy cancelled food orders at a discounted rate. Goyal shared a post presenting the new feature, explaining that around 4 lakh perfectly good orders are cancelled on Zomato despite its no-refund policy.
Zomato’s New Food Rescue Feature: Reselling Cancelled Orders at Discounts Sparks Debate
Under the Food Rescue feature, cancelled orders will be listed for nearby customers, who can purchase them at discounted prices, in their original, untampered packaging. Goyal make cleared that Zomato will not profit from these sales, aside from the necessary government taxes, and the restaurant partners will get compensation for the original cancelled order, along with a portion of the amount paid by the new customer.
The announcement sparked a lively discussion among users, with many questioning the potential risks of reselling cancelled orders, even with tamper-proof packaging. Amid the mixed responses, a user named Bhanu, a Bengaluru-based product manager, shared several practical suggestions to improve the feature. He recommended that Zomato limit the Food Rescue option for non-cash-on-delivery orders, prevent order cancellations when a delivery partner is within 500 meters of the customer’s location, and allow users to cancel only up to two orders per day. Bhanu also raised concerns about potential wrong use, noting that customers could coordinate to repeatedly cancel and claim discounts on orders.
Zomato CEO Engages with Product Manager on Service Improvements, Expresses Interest in Potential Collaboration
Goyal answered positively, assuring Bhanu that Zomato had already carried out similar safeguards and expressed interest in learning more about him. Goyal’s reply read, “All this and more already in place. Good thinking, btw. Who are you and what do you do? Would love to know you more, and see if we can work together?”
Bhanu replied, identifying himself as a product manager who frequently shares service improvement suggestions on X, often tagging companies he interacts with, including Blinkit, which he uses regularly. Goyal’s energetic hiring approach reflects his dedication to building a strong team, with a focus on personally looking after talent acquisition at all levels within Zomato.
Summary
After a Bengaluru-based product manager provided an insightful suggestion to online food aggregator, Zomato, the CEO of the company invited him to apply for a job. After getting insightful suggestions on Zomato’s new “Food Rescue” feature, which resells cancelled orders at a discount, Deepinder Goyral asked the product manager to apply for the job. He also confirmed that sufficient precautions are put in place for the same and his interaction also highlights that company’s proactive approach to customer feedback and talent acquisition to enhance their services.
