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Deepinder Goyal says Zomato, Blinkit delivered at 'record pace' on NYE despite gig workers' strike
Deepinder Goyal said Zomato and Blinkit hit record NYE orders despite a nationwide strike by gig workers.
Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal has said that Zomato and Blinkit recorded their highest-ever single-day order volumes on New Year’s Eve, claiming services remained largely unaffected despite calls for a nationwide strike by gig workers. His remarks came a day after several platform workers associated with food and e-commerce delivery platforms such as Zomato, Swiggy and Amazon staged protests demanding better pay and safer working conditions.
In a post shared on X, Goyal said both Zomato and its quick-commerce arm Blinkit “delivered at a record pace” on December 31. He added that support from local law enforcement “helped keep the small number of miscreants in check”, enabling more than 4.5 lakh delivery partners across the two platforms to complete over 75 lakh orders for over 63 lakh customers during the day.
“This happened without any additional incentives for delivery partners - NYE does see higher incentives than usual days and yesterday was no different than the past NYE days,” he clarified.
(Also Read: Zomato, Swiggy and other gig workers share struggles amid strike on NYE: 'Working 15-16 hours to make ends meet’)
Deepinder Goyal on ‘unfair’ system
Goyal further thanked local authorities and on-ground teams for “clear enforcement and swift coordination”. He also praised the delivery partners who “showed up despite intimidation, stood their ground, and chose honest work and progress.”
The Zomato chief concluded the post by sharing a “thought for everyone”. “If a system were fundamentally unfair, it would not consistently attract and retain so many people who choose to work within it. Please don’t get swept up by narratives pushed by vested interests,” he wrote.
Calling the gig economy one of India’s “largest organised job creation engines,” he said its real impact will be visible over time, when the children of delivery workers, supported by steady incomes and education, enter the workforce and help transform the country at scale.
Notably, Goyal’s statement comes a day after the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) coordinated protests across multiple cities, with workers seeking higher payments, social security coverage and improved safety measures.
