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Delhi man sees Zomato agent eating customer's food, realises the story is different: 'Thank you Deepinder Goyal'
A social activist’s post about a Zomato delivery agent eating an unclaimed order went viral, sparking debate on gig worker policies.
A Delhi-based social activist’s encounter with a Zomato delivery agent has gone viral, sparking an emotional conversation online. Kiran Verma, while parking his car in Noida, noticed a delivery partner eating on his bike. Initially, he assumed the food belonged to a customer, but a conversation with the rider—whom he referred to as “Vishal” (name changed)—revealed a different story.
(Also read: Kunal Kamra vs Zomato 2.0: Comedian shreds Deepinder Goyal’s company over post on ratings of delivery partners)
In his LinkedIn post, Verma wrote, “Thank you Zomato for this sweet unethical act! Yesterday, I was parking my car in Noida, when I saw this biker eating on his bike. As that was the only place to park the car nearby, so I thought to wait for him. That’s when I clicked the first picture and I thought he would be another delivery guy eating someone’s food.”
How vishal got the food
Vishal explained that he had picked up an order at around 2 pm but found no one at the delivery location. As per Zomato’s alleged policy, he was instructed to mark the order as “delivered,” a practice reportedly used to avoid multiple attempts and operational costs. Once marked as delivered, the food became his to keep.
Verma reflected on this practice, saying, “It may sound unethical or wrong, but it is good practice, because that’s how delivery partners save little money on their food and wastage can be controlled.”
A thank you to Zomato’s CEO
Ending his post on a hopeful note, Verma addressed Zomato’s CEO Deepinder Goyal, expressing appreciation for the impact such policies have on gig workers. “Thank you Deepinder Goyal for building hope in such an impactful way. Hope you all are close to your families celebrating the festival and not like millions of gig workers, who are supporting us to creating those moments into memories.”
Check out the post here:
However HT.com has reached out to Zomato for a statement. This report will be updated when the company responds.
(Also read: Class 8 student writes letter with ‘heart full of gratitude’, Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal shares photo)
Social media reactions
The post quickly gained traction on LinkedIn, with users sharing their thoughts on Zomato’s policy and the plight of gig workers.
One user commented, “This was really heartwarming.” Another added, “A very touching post—insightful too about Zomato’s policies regarding their gig workers.” Others appreciated Verma’s gesture, with one saying, “This was pleasing,” while another wrote, “Amazing gesture, sir. Thank you.”
