Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal Apologizes for Veg-Mode Fee, Promises Immediate Removal

Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal has publicly apologized after the company introduced an additional fee for vegetarian meal deliveries. The controversial "veg-mode" fee came under scrutiny following a complaint on LinkedIn. Goyal responded quickly, promising to remove the fee and make necessary internal changes.

Details of the Issue:
The issue was brought to light by Rohit Ranjan, Assistant Vice President of E-commerce at Route To Market, who shared his frustration on LinkedIn. Ranjan criticized Zomato for charging an extra fee on vegetarian deliveries, referring to it as a “luxury tax” for vegetarians. In his post, Ranjan wrote:

"Being a vegetarian in India these days feels like a curse. Zomato's latest masterstroke—introducing an 'extra charge' for the veg enablement fleet—has officially turned us into a premium subscription plan. So, fellow herbivores, brace yourselves! We've gone from 'green and healthy' to 'green and pricey.'"

CEO’s Apology and Response:
Goyal swiftly responded to the complaint, admitting that the extra charge was a mistake. He wrote on LinkedIn:
"This is absolutely stupid on our part. I am super sorry for this. This charge will be removed today itself. Will also fix what's needed to fix in the team so that such s**t doesn't happen again."

Ranjan's Reaction and Community Response:
Ranjan thanked Goyal for addressing the issue promptly and for taking action to resolve it. The LinkedIn conversation sparked an influx of comments from users, some of whom expressed their surprise at the situation. One user commented, "Someone at Zomato got an earful." Another added, "Looks like Zomato is learning from 'someone' to tax everything."

Conclusion:
Zomato’s quick response has helped mitigate some of the backlash, but the issue has raised important questions about pricing practices and fairness in the food delivery industry. The incident adds to the ongoing discourse around ethical pricing and consumer rights.

Call to Action:
What are your thoughts on ethical pricing practices in the food delivery industry? Let us know in the comments below.