Food App Users Split Over Additional Unspecified Expenses

Hyderabad: Users of food delivery apps are divided about the legitimacy of additional charges the platforms are charging, including platform fees and mandatory tips, in some instances. While many said they do not mind paying a few extra rupees, they questioned the lack of clarity on what the charge was for.

The premise of any service is safety and trust and Swiggy's lack of accountability is sad. The fact that the victim wanted to give up saddens me further and I wish women come out and report to the police to ensure strict action is taken against the perpetrator. Thanks to incidents like these, I would not trust an app like this to bring anyone justice. This also raises serious concerns about the absence of a sexual harassment policy at Swiggy.
Deepthi Ravula, WeHub

Abhinav, a consumer, said: “The year 2022, for a delivery app, saw 1.5 million annual orders. So, this will generate almost ₹100 crore per year. A bummer for the customer yet great for business.”

Ajitesh C.H., an IT professional said that the major cost for app-based food delivery companies is tech and customer service, but people tend to see only the cost of delivery partners and publicity. “I feel this is a last-ditch attempt to make the company profitable,” he said.  

I’m not very surprised with such a reaction from either Swiggy or the helpline not wanting to escalate the issue. Our statistics are proof of how cases against such issues fare. I am sure Swiggy will come out tomorrow apologising about the issue… Not limited to just food delivery apps, companies need to do strict background checks and monitoring to ensure the safety of customers.
Madhumita Choudhury, deputy general manager, Cognizant

Others said that while they do not mind paying additional platform charges, tips should not be made mandatory. “For some of us, who ensure to tip delivery executives, it makes us worry if the tip, when directly added to the bill, genuinely reaches the delivery partners,” said Marri Ramanath, a consumer.  

“If petrol prices are high, they can go ahead and increase delivery fee. If cooking gas prices are high, they can charge it to the menu/restaurant. A sudden platform price makes one question, because why should one pay the app. Only if cost of maintaining the app goes up can one levy such charges,” said another consumer, not wishing to be named.  

Such a reaction from an app like Swiggy is least expected. This raises a lot of questions about the kind of security checks done before they hire or even the kind of measures taken to act on such a huge crime. Such a terrible reaction on their part makes me wonder if they ignored it only because of the status of the victim. Had it been a star or anyone with a social media influence, I doubt if this is how they would react.
Mounika Vadde, UPSC aspirant

“It sure could get that it might end up being expensive but it is their prerogative to charge whatever they want for the service they are providing and it is up to the consumer to decide if it is cost-effective or not. In short, one doesn't need to use the application if they think they are being ripped off, it's convenience and not a priority,” said Preeti Katragadda, an IT professional.

Vikas Dodle, who stays alone in the city, said: “For some of us bachelors, it's the only option for food as our job leaves us no time to that leaves no time to make food from scratch every night.”  

This makes me indignant. The delivery executive still being on the loose is dangerous, knowing he can do something like this and get away with it again. I don’t see it as powerful versus the powerless. For me, this is corporate stupidity and a laid-back attitude about such a serious matter. I know these apps deal with a lot of things daily, like delivery person deaths, but this is just as serious as any incident.
Sheetal Reddy, senior program manager of an IT company

Another user said that payment apps too toyed with the idea of randomly charging platform fees for users who recharge their mobile phone packages, etc. “What we don't realise is that these companies are sitting on a treasure trove of user data they are unwilling to share with restaurant partners. They know who orders what when and the demand. That's their intangible asset and charging platform fees is just a careless move,” the user said.