As debates over gig-worker rights intensify across India, Zomato founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal outlined the company’s stance on delivery-partner earnings, work flexibility and safety concerns linked to rapid deliveries, aiming to clarify how the platform’s gig ecosystem operates amid calls for greater worker protections.
Average hourly earnings have risen, company says
Goyal said Zomato’s average hourly payout to delivery partners has increased from ₹92 last year to about ₹102 now, an almost 11% year-on-year rise. He added that customer tips are passed to delivery partners in full and credited instantly.
Using typical working patterns, Goyal estimated that a delivery partner working roughly 10 hours a day for 26 days could earn around ₹26,500 gross per month. After accounting for fuel and maintenance, he suggested net monthly take-home pay would be near ₹21,000—figures the company describes as competitive for flexible gig work.
Emphasis on flexibility, not traditional employment
Responding to demands for fixed salaries and employee-style benefits, Goyal reiterated that gig work is distinct from full-time employment. Delivery partners are not subject to compulsory shifts or long-term contracts and can choose when and where to work.
Zomato data, he said, shows many partners use the platform intermittently: on average, a delivery partner logged in about 38 days in the year, working nearly seven hours on active days. Only a small proportion worked consistently throughout the year, indicating that for many people app-based delivery serves as supplementary income rather than primary employment.
Goyal warned that enforcing conventional employment structures on gig work could reduce flexibility and potentially limit earnings for those who rely on platforms for part-time income.
No countdown timers for riders, company asserts
Addressing criticism of the 10-minute delivery target and concerns it might encourage reckless riding, Goyal said delivery partners are not shown countdown timers or explicit deadlines that would pressure them to speed.
He attributed faster deliveries mainly to denser warehouse networks and closer partner stores rather than increased riding speeds, and stressed that rider safety is a priority. The company maintains that delivery time expectations are driven by infrastructure efficiency rather than urging risky behaviour by partners.
Welfare measures and insurance coverage
Goyal highlighted several welfare initiatives, saying Zomato and its quick-commerce arm have invested over ₹100 crore in insurance, covering accident protection, hospitalisation support and compensation for income loss.
Other measures cited include maternity benefits, designated rest days for women delivery partners, tax assistance programmes and pension-linked benefits. The company framed these steps as efforts to build a support system without compromising the flexibility many gig workers seek.
Worker groups remain sceptical
Despite the company’s clarifications, several gig-worker unions and labour representatives continue to dispute Zomato’s portrayal. Unions point to fluctuating incentives and variable demand that produce unpredictable incomes, arguing that workers are often compelled to stay logged in longer to secure earnings.
These groups describe the existing model as unsustainable and continue to press for regulatory oversight, minimum earning guarantees and stronger social-security provisions for platform-based workers.
Context: balancing autonomy and protection
India’s gig economy is expanding rapidly, heightening tensions between platform business models that emphasise flexibility and scalability and the growing demand—by workers and policymakers—for stable incomes and safety protections.
The debate now centres on how to craft policies that preserve the autonomy gig workers value while ensuring predictable pay, workplace safety and access to social-security benefits as digital labour markets mature.
