Zomato just rolled out 'Zomato Now' food vending machines in Gurugram corporate offices. This moves food closer to the customer, a stark pivot from its long-standing focus on simply speeding up delivery networks. It's an obvious play to cut down high delivery costs and perhaps mend fences with disgruntled restaurant partners.
How We Got Here
For months, restaurants have openly protested Zomato and Swiggy over commission structures and promotional fees. This pilot follows Zomato’s recent push into new models like Zomato Instant, Everyday, and Ritual to diversify its offerings.
The Numbers
- Vending machines are installed in corporate offices in Gurugram.
- They are branded 'Zomato Now' and partner with existing restaurants.
- Zomato's food delivery business generated ₹606 Cr adjusted EBITDA in Q1 FY27.
- Platform fees alone accounted for ₹154 Cr of that Q1 FY27 revenue.
- Parent company Eternal's consolidated net profit surged 3.7X YoY to ₹92 Cr in Q1 FY27.
What Happens Next
🇮🇳 Why This Matters for India
For F&B founders in Bangalore and Mumbai, this offers a potential new offline distribution channel with predictable volumes from corporate campuses.
The Take
The real winners here are Zomato, by shedding delivery costs, and the restaurant owners who gain a fixed, high-volume revenue stream without platform marketing spends. Expect Swiggy to pilot a similar B2B office-centric model in Bengaluru within 90 days.
Source:
Inc42 ↗