If you open the Zomato app and try to order using the 15-minute food delivery feature, you won’t find it anywhere! The company quietly removed the feature from the app months ago. However, there has been no official statement regarding discontinuing the 15-minute delivery service, and it’s still unclear whether the super-fast delivery model has been permanently shut down. Whether the move is part of a business strategy to reduce losses or a deliberate effort to address public health concerns, it remains a welcome and commendable decision. Considering the fast food style, this ultra-delivery has raised various health concerns.
Why 15-Minute Food Delivery Is Hazardous?
“Cook time: 2 minutes, delivery time: 8 minutes”- that’s the equation when it comes to delivering fresh food in 15 minutes. In reality, even a salad requires at least 10 minutes for preparation to ensure it’s healthy for us. If it is to deliver any traditional food in 15 minutes, it has to be prepared in advance; only then could it be delivered to the customer in 15 minutes. Amid the fast-paced city life, most customers may not mind what they’re eating, as they simply need to fill their stomachs and rush. However, this will have a long-term impact on their health.
Shantanu Deshpande, CEO of Bombay Shaving Company once posted, “Frozen purees and curries and old vegetables heated and garnished with dhaniya to look fresh and slammed in some 2 wheeler who rides like Mad Max to your door in 10 min cos you couldn’t wait another 15 min or you were too lazy to chadhao a cooker of daal chawal,” – This gives the actual picture of an ultra-fast delivery.
What Shantanu Said- Economic Impact
Deshpande highlights the direction of this approach, warning that it risks steering India toward emulating nations like China and the US without adequate economic support.
“Our junk food addiction, fuelled by 49 rs pizzas and 20 rs poison energy drinks and 30 rs burgers, is taking us down the path of China and US without the economic cover needed for health.” he wrote.
In his message, the CEO urged both the public and authorities to address this growing issue. He encouraged individuals to opt for home-cooked meals instead of relying on ultra-fast 10-minute food deliveries, highlighting the benefits of healthier and more mindful eating habits.
What Is This Ultra Fast Delivery
Zomato has removed its 15-minute food delivery feature, called “Quick,” from its main app in cities such as Bengaluru, Gurugram, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. This change happened just four months after the feature was launched. The removal was discovered in April and comes as Zomato is reassessing the feasibility of its ultra-fast delivery model, citing concerns about scalability and logistics.
The “Quick” feature, which was initially part of the Zomato Everyday program, provided ready-to-eat meals from specific kitchens within a two-kilometre radius. Users could access this service through the ‘Explore’ section of the app. However, the feature has now disappeared without any official announcement or notification in the app. Zomato has not commented on the matter when approached by the media.
Zomato’s Chief Financial Officer, Akshant Goyal, had previously minimised the financial significance of initiatives like the 10-minute delivery, stating during the Q3 FY24 earnings call that these efforts were still in their early stages and unlikely to have a major impact on the company’s overall performance. Despite this, reports indicate that the “Quick” feature accounted for about eight per cent of Zomato’s order volume in March.
Has Zomato Withdrawn Quick-Delivery Before?
Zomato has previously exited the quick-delivery market. In 2022, Zomato launched a service called Zomato Instant, promising 10-minute deliveries in Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR, but this initiative was shut down by January 2023. It was replaced by Zomato Everyday, which now also seems to be no longer active, following the removal of the 15-minute delivery feature. Other apps like Swiggy and Uber Eats should at least consider the impact on people’s health.
