Food-delivery giant Zomato has started piloting a feature that lets customers voluntarily share their phone numbers with restaurants for marketing and promotional purposes, signaling a significant shift in how the platform handles user information. The company stated that the feature is currently in a limited testing phase, giving users full control over whether their contact details are shared.
This move comes amid ongoing discussions between Zomato and the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) regarding giving restaurants greater access to their own customer information — a long-standing request from the industry and a key point of tension between restaurants and food-delivery platforms.
“We at Zomato are in the early stages of launching a feature on the app which gives customers the option to opt-in to receive marketing and promotional updates directly from restaurants. If and when consent is provided – only phone number will be shared with the restaurant. No other information will be shared. There’s nothing sneaky or automatic about it,” said Aditya Mangla, CEO of food delivery at Zomato.
Privacy risks
The introduction of this feature comes while Zomato and Swiggy are under investigation by the Competition Commission of India (CCI). The NRAI’s antitrust complaint accuses these platforms of anti-competitive practices, including preferential treatment of platform-owned brands, exclusive partnerships, and restrictions that limit how restaurants can independently connect with and retain their customers.
A key concern highlighted in the NRAI’s case is information asymmetry, particularly restaurants’ lack of access to even basic customer details. While Zomato has emphasized that only phone numbers will be shared with consent, privacy advocates may still raise questions about the potential for misuse or overreach if such features are scaled up.
Political Opposition
The regulatory scrutiny and antitrust complaints have also drawn attention from policymakers and industry bodies who are keen on ensuring a level playing field for restaurants. As debates around data access and consumer privacy intensify, initiatives like Zomato’s opt-in feature could face political and legal pushback if not implemented with transparency and strict safeguards.
Zomato has not revealed the scale of the pilot or a timeline for a wider rollout. Swiggy has also not indicated whether it plans to introduce a similar consent-based system for its restaurant partners.
Although the feature does not resolve all disputes between aggregators and restaurant associations, it represents one of Zomato’s most tangible operational steps toward easing tensions with partners amid ongoing regulatory scrutiny.
