Small Restaurants Abandon Zomato Over Opaque Fees

Opaque fee structures combined with mounting ad expenses are eroding profits for small eateries, prompting many to leave the platform.

Overview

Manish has removed his Noida restaurant Saffroma from Zomato after receiving zero payouts for two months and finding ads placed without his consent.
Revanth Dinesh of Bengaluru’s Scoopful ice cream store reported that April sales of ₹17,000 were largely wiped out by 30% commission and ₹10,000 in ad spend.
Vandit Mallik of Gurgaon’s The Garlic Bread highlighted a disparity where major chains pay 8–9% commission while small restaurants are charged between 22% and 30%.
Owners say Zomato growth managers have encouraged heavier ad investments and steeper discounts, further shrinking already thin margins.
Zomato Care has asked affected restaurant owners to share their IDs via direct message but has not outlined a comprehensive solution.