A viral social media post has triggered a massive online debate after claiming that customers and restaurants may be bypassing Zomato’s platform fees and commissions using a simple “1 roti trick.” The alleged loophole, now widely discussed across social media and startup circles, could potentially impact the economics of food delivery platforms if used at scale.
How The Alleged ‘1 Roti Trick’ Works
According to the viral post shared by investor Prem Soni, a customer places a very small order on Zomato — such as a single roti worth around ₹40. After placing the order, the customer directly contacts the restaurant via phone or WhatsApp and orders additional food outside the platform.
The customer reportedly pays the restaurant directly through UPI, while the restaurant packs the larger off-platform order together with the small Zomato order. The Zomato delivery partner then delivers the entire package without knowing most of the food was never billed through the app.
Why This Could Hurt Food Delivery Economics
The alleged loophole effectively allows:
- Customers to avoid platform fees and surge charges
- Restaurants to bypass aggregator commissions
- Orders to use Zomato’s delivery network without full platform billing
Food delivery platforms like Zomato typically earn revenue through commissions charged to restaurants, platform fees paid by users, advertisements, and delivery charges. If large portions of orders move off-platform while still using delivery infrastructure, it could weaken profitability models.
The issue has gained attention at a time when Zomato has already been increasing platform fees to improve margins. Earlier this year, the company raised its platform fee to ₹14.90 per order from ₹12.50.
Debate Over Whether The Trick Is Actually Practical
While the loophole has gone viral online, many users questioned how scalable or practical the method really is. Critics argue that:
- Restaurants may refuse such requests
- Delivery partners could notice unusually large packages
- Wrong or missing items could create disputes
- Platforms may detect repeated low-value orders
Some analysts also believe food delivery companies likely already monitor unusual order patterns and package mismatches through data analytics.
Bigger Concern For Zomato And Swiggy
The controversy highlights a larger challenge for platform-based businesses — ensuring that logistics infrastructure is not used outside their monetization systems.
Experts say if such practices become widespread, companies may respond with:
- Stricter restaurant compliance checks
- Order weight verification
- Package scanning systems
- Higher platform fees
- Tighter delivery controls
However, over-regulation could also make food delivery slower and less convenient for genuine users.
Zomato Yet To Respond Publicly
As of now, Zomato has not officially commented on the viral claims or confirmed whether such misuse has been detected on its platform.
Still, the discussion has sparked wider conversations around platform economics, restaurant margins, rising delivery charges, and how food delivery companies balance convenience with profitability in India’s rapidly evolving online food market.
60-Word Summary
A viral “1 roti trick” post claims customers and restaurants may be bypassing Zomato’s commissions and platform fees by placing small app orders while paying for larger meals directly via UPI. The alleged loophole could impact food delivery economics if widely adopted. Zomato has not responded publicly, but the debate has intensified discussions around platform profitability and restaurant commissions.
