A restaurant owner’s social media post has started a strong debate on how much small food businesses actually earn from food delivery platforms. His complaint shows how big the gap can be between total sales and the final amount received after deductions.
Restaurant Owner Shares Disappointing Payout Details
Claims of “Robbery-Like” Deductions
The restaurant owner, Mahender Vaddepalli, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he earned ₹21,388 in sales through Zomato in one week but received only ₹9,839 as the final payout.
He said the deductions felt like “blood-sucking” and questioned how restaurants are expected to survive with such heavy cuts.
@zomato as a restaurant owner we are facing losses due to this kind of payouts it’s just sucking like our blood what kind of robbery is this ? pic.twitter.com/fCc0hdBlC5
— mahender vaddepalli (@mahendervaddep2) September 13, 2025
Breakdown Shows Huge Deductions
Service Fees Take a Big Chunk
According to the screenshot he shared:
- Service fee + payment mechanism charges: ₹6,036
- Government taxes: ₹2,125
- Growth services & misc deductions: ₹3,860
- Final payout: ₹9,839
- Even after adding a small adjustment credit, the restaurant received less than 50% of its original sales.
Hi Mahender, we’ve addressed your concern via email at v*******i@gmail.com. Please have a look and feel free to reach out to us for any further assistance.
— Zomato Care (@zomatocare) September 19, 2025
Why Small Restaurants Are Worried
High Charges Affect Profit Margins
Many small restaurants depend heavily on food delivery apps for orders. While platforms like Zomato and Swiggy bring customers, owners say:
- High commissions
- Advertisement charges
- Delivery support fees
- GST and platform taxes
…often leave them with almost no profit.
For smaller outlets, these deductions can make the business unsustainable.
Zomato Responds — But Users Call It “Template Reply”
Standard Answers Instead of Solutions?
Zomato replied to the post, saying they would “look into the concern.”
However, many users felt the responses looked automated and did not offer any real solution.
Several people commented that they had faced similar issues and that platforms must be more transparent about deductions.
Growing Debate on Food Delivery Economics
Is the Business Model Fair?
While delivery apps argue that their fees cover:
- Technology
- Marketing
- Delivery network
- Platform support
Restaurant owners say the deduction structure is too heavy, making it hard for them to stay profitable.
Industry experts say this issue is not new. Many small restaurants shut down because the operations cost often becomes higher than the income after platform commissions.
A Problem That Needs Attention
Restaurant Owners Want Transparency
Many people on social media supported Mahender and said food delivery apps must:
- Reduce heavy fees
- Provide clear breakup of charges
- Offer special support to small outlets
- Create fair partnership models
- The incident has restarted discussions about whether the current delivery ecosystem is sustainable for small businesses.
Conclusion
The restaurant owner’s viral post raises an important question — Are food delivery platforms helping small businesses grow or making them struggle even more?
With the high difference between sales and final payout, many owners feel the system needs immediate revision. The debate continues as customers, restaurants, and delivery companies look for a fair balance.
FAQs
What was the restaurant owner’s main complaint?
He said that despite earning over ₹21,000 through Zomato orders, he received less than half of it as final payout.
Why were the deductions so high?
Charges included service fees, payment mechanism charges, government taxes, and other platform-related deductions.
Did Zomato respond to his post?
Yes, but users felt the replies were standard template responses instead of a proper solution.
Do all restaurants face similar deductions?
Many small restaurant owners have shared similar experiences, saying commissions and fees leave them with low profits.
Is food delivery still profitable for small restaurants?
For some, it helps with visibility. But for many, the heavy deductions reduce profit margins significantly.