Restaurant owners in Guwahati say the economics of online food delivery have turned from opportunity to strain, alleging that commissions, mandatory discounts, promotional fees and other platform deductions are steadily eroding their margins. The complaints, raised to local trade bodies and media on Aug 13, name a mix of unexplained charges and heavy promotional costs that, owners say, can leave some orders with less than half the revenue after deductions.
Several hotel and restaurant operators told reporters that platform levies are often applied with little prior communication or clear explanation. Some claimed deductions on particular orders can exceed 50% of the bill, leaving scant funds to cover staff wages, utilities and routine upkeep. Owners also alleged that visibility on apps falls sharply for restaurants that do not buy paid promotions, effectively forcing them to keep advertising to remain competitive.
The All Assam Restaurants’ Association (AARA), which has been in talks with food delivery companies, accused the platforms of abusing market dominance and leaving eateries with no practical choice but to remain listed. “We are almost blackmailed into continuing business with these platforms because opting out is no longer a practical choice,” an AARA member told The Assam Tribune. He added that many regular patrons order only through apps, and severing ties risks those customers moving to competitors online.
An owner of a popular RG Baruah Road restaurant warned that the rising platform-related costs are already being passed to diners. “Ultimately, customers will bear the burden because restaurants are left with little option but to increase prices to sustain their businesses,” he said.
A senior official of a leading online delivery platform rejected the allegations, saying charges and policies are communicated transparently to partners and that communication gaps often stem from restaurants missing updates. He cited examples such as restaurants remaining closed without informing the platform, which can skew order acceptance and performance metrics, and denied any manipulation of ratings. The official said each partner has a point of contact and other support channels.
On commissions, the official blamed squeezed margins largely on rising input costs tied to recent geopolitical developments, saying the platforms had not increased their revenue share and suggesting restaurants may need to revise menu prices to offset higher raw-material costs.
The dispute is not limited to Assam. In Bengaluru, several hotel and restaurant associations have postponed a planned withdrawal from Swiggy and Zomato until Aug 31 after talks with the companies; those associations had earlier threatened to stop accepting orders via the platforms from Aug 15 if grievances over commissions, deductions and platform practices were not addressed.
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/guwahati/food-delivery-platforms-commissions-discounts-burden-guwahati-restaurants-1615571
Category: Guwahati,Featured
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Publish Date: 2026-08-13 10:22:00
