Why Zomato and Swiggy's 2026 Commission Changes Should Be Your Wake Up Call
The aggregator model is getting more expensive. Here is how restaurants with their own delivery teams are fighting back.
The first quarter of 2026 has brought some uncomfortable news for Indian restaurant owners.
Zomato's platform fee has climbed to Rs 14.90 per order before GST. Both Zomato and Swiggy have rolled out tiered commission structures where your rates depend on your location, order volume, and which plan you are on. They have also introduced paid priority listings, creating a system where restaurants that pay more for advertising get more visibility in search results.
For restaurants already operating on thin margins, this is a significant hit.
What the numbers actually look like
Aggregator commissions in India typically range from 15% to 35% per order. But the effective cost is higher when you add GST on commission, payment processing charges, mandatory discount contributions, and now the additional platform fees.
On a Rs 300 order, a restaurant can lose over 35% of revenue before accounting for food cost, rent, or payroll. In many cases, the final profit margin on an aggregator order falls below 10%.
For context, Zomato's platform fee started at Rs 2 per order in August 2023. It reached Rs 12.50 by September 2025. Now it is Rs 14.90. That trajectory tells you everything about where this is heading.
The direct ordering alternative
Restaurants that have set up their own ordering channels, a branded website, a QR menu for dine-in, and a mobile app for delivery, are seeing a fundamentally different P&L on those orders.
When a customer orders directly, there is no 25% commission. No paid listing fee. No forced discount. The restaurant keeps the full order value minus payment processing (typically 2%).
For restaurants with their own delivery drivers, the economics improve even further. You are not paying for third-party logistics. You control delivery time, food quality in transit, and the customer experience from kitchen to doorstep.
How Menuthere fits into this
Menuthere was built specifically for this moment.
We provide restaurants with a complete direct ordering stack: QR-based digital menus for dine-in, a branded ordering website for delivery and takeaway, a dedicated mobile app for your brand, and zero commission on every order.
Everything integrates with Petpooja POS so orders flow directly into your kitchen. No extra tablets. No manual entry. No operational chaos.
For restaurants that have their own delivery team, Menuthere gives you the technology to manage orders, track drivers, and serve customers without giving up 25 to 35% of every order to a platform.
Our model is a flat annual subscription. No per-order fees. No hidden charges. The more orders you get, the more you keep.
The shift is already happening
Globally, 70% of US restaurants now use in-house drivers. In India, Rapido's Ownly just launched with a zero-commission model. The NRAI has been advocating for restaurant independence from aggregator platforms. 35% of Indian restaurants have expressed interest in leaving Zomato and Swiggy.
The restaurants that build their direct ordering channel now will have a massive advantage in 12 to 18 months when the next round of fee hikes inevitably arrives.
Next steps
If your restaurant uses Petpooja and has its own delivery drivers, you are already set up to benefit from direct ordering. Menuthere can get you live in days, not weeks.
Visit menuthere.com or reach out to us to see how much you could save by moving even 30% of your delivery orders to a direct channel.