'Zomato's delivery partners earn ₹102/hour': Deepinder Goyal defends gig work
What's the story
Deepinder Goyal, the co-founder of Zomato, has defended the gig work model amid criticism and concerns for food delivery workers. He shared a five-point rebuttal after strikes on December 25 and 31. Responding to claims of low pay, Goyal said that Zomato's delivery partners saw an increase in their hourly earnings in 2025. The average earnings per hour (excluding tips) stood at ₹102 in 2025 as compared to ₹92 in 2024, a nearly 10.9% year-on-year increase.
Earnings potential
Goyal highlights potential for higher earnings
Goyal noted that while most partners work only a few hours a day for a limited number of days each month, full-time equivalent calculations show that earnings can be higher. He said if someone were to work 10 hours/day, 26 days/month, they could earn around ₹26,500/month in gross earnings. After deducting fuel and maintenance costs of about 20%, monthly net earnings would be around ₹21,000.
Extra income
Goyal emphasizes tipping as additional income
Goyal also emphasized that delivery partners earn 100% of tips given by customers, with zero deductions and instant transfers. He said gig work is meant to be supplementary income rather than a full-time job. According to data from last year, the average delivery partner worked just 38 days in the year, logging about seven hours per working day.
Safety measures
Addressing safety concerns and faster delivery promises
Addressing safety concerns, Goyal refuted the claim that faster delivery promises lead to reckless driving. He said delivery partners are not shown the customer-facing delivery timers and are not pressured to meet countdowns. According to company data, the average distance per order on Blinkit in 2025 was just over 2km with an average driving time of around eight minutes, implying an average speed of roughly 16km/h.
Welfare initiatives
Zomato's welfare measures for delivery partners
Goyal highlighted the welfare measures Zomato has taken for its delivery partners. He said that in 2025, Zomato and Blinkit spent over ₹100 crore on insurance coverage for their delivery partners. The coverage includes accident insurance of up to ₹10 lakh, medical insurance with hospitalization and OPD benefits, loss-of-pay coverage, and maternity insurance.