A Bengaluru-based social media user has sparked discussion online after comparing the cost of ordering food through popular delivery platforms, revealing significant differences in pricing across apps.
The comparison, shared online by Shreya Jha, analysed the cost of ordering the same pizza through Swiggy, Zomato and a newly launched delivery platform called Ownly.
Ownly is a standalone food delivery application launched by Rapido and officially introduced in Bengaluru on March 3.
The platform promotes itself as a zero-commission food delivery service, claiming that users will pay only the listed price of the food without hidden platform charges or inflated menu prices.
According to the app's description on the Apple App Store, Ownly promises: 'What you see is what you pay', highlighting a pricing model without additional service fees.
However, during attempts to test the app, some users reported technical issues such as failure to receive login OTPs.
Shreya Jha compared the cost of ordering a corn pizza priced at ₹119 from Pizza Hut in JP Nagar across the three delivery platforms.
On Zomato, the base price of ₹119 increased significantly after additional charges were added, including:
This brought the total order value to ₹191.37.
On Swiggy, the pizza had a ₹50 discount on the listed price, but after including delivery charges and taxes, the total cost reached ₹180.
According to the comparison, the same pizza ordered through Ownly cost ₹125, with only ₹5.95 GST added to the base price.
The absence of additional platform or delivery charges made it significantly cheaper than both Swiggy and Zomato in the comparison.
Jha suggested that the lower pricing could attract many customers to the new platform.
However, she also questioned whether a zero-commission model could remain sustainable in the long term.
The comparison triggered a discussion on social media platforms, with users sharing mixed opinions about the business model.
Some users noted that many food delivery platforms initially operate with low commissions and heavy subsidies to attract customers before scaling up pricing.
Others argued that sustainability would depend on large order volumes and operational efficiency.
The experiment, though based on a single order comparison and user-generated content, highlights the growing competition in India's food delivery market and consumers' increasing sensitivity to hidden charges.