Zomato’s Food Rescue: Turning Canceled Orders into Affordable Meals, Minimizing Waste

In a groundbreaking move to address food wastage, Zomato has launched an innovative feature called “Food Rescue”. This initiative allows customers in close proximity to claim canceled orders at discounted prices, turning potential food waste into an opportunity for savings. The feature was announced by Deepinder Goyal, Zomato’s Co-Founder and CEO, on LinkedIn, where he shared insights into how the initiative works and its impact on stakeholders.

How the “Food Rescue” Feature Works

• Canceled orders appear on the Zomato app for customers within a 3 km radius of the delivery partner carrying the order.
• This ensures a quick transfer, maintaining the freshness of the food.

• To guarantee quality, customers have only a few minutes to claim these orders.

• Neither the original customer nor those in their immediate vicinity will see the canceled order as available.
• Customers with vegetarian preferences won’t see non-vegetarian orders.

• Payments from new customers are shared between the original customer (if the initial payment was made online) and the restaurant partner.
• Zomato retains no profits, aside from applicable government taxes.

• Orders containing temperature-sensitive or perishable items—like ice creams, shakes, and smoothies—are excluded from the program to ensure quality and safety.

Benefits for Restaurant Partners

An overwhelming 99.9% of Zomato’s restaurant partners have chosen to participate in Food Rescue. Here’s how it benefits them:

• Full Compensation:
  • Restaurants continue to receive the full payment for the original canceled order.
  • Additionally, they earn a share of the new customer’s payment if the order is claimed.
• Tracking Made Easy:
  • Food Rescue orders can be tracked in the Order History section of the Restaurant Partner app.
  • Details of these orders will also appear in the Weekly Payout Statement under the “Order Level” tab.
• Opt-Out Flexibility:
  • Restaurants can opt out of Food Rescue anytime via the Restaurant Partner app or dashboard.

How Delivery Partners Benefit

Delivery partners play a crucial role in making Food Rescue a success. To ensure fairness:

• Delivery partners receive full compensation for the entire trip, from the initial pickup to the new customer’s delivery location.
• This approach ensures they are rewarded for their effort without any financial losses.

The Future of Food Sustainability

Zomato’s Food Rescue feature is a bold step toward a more sustainable future. By creating a win-win situation for consumers, restaurants, and delivery partners, Zomato sets a precedent for the industry to prioritize sustainability without compromising business goals.