In a bold move to reclaim control over pricing and profits, hotel and restaurant owners in Namakkal district have collectively boycotted major food delivery platforms Swiggy and Zomato, opting instead for a homegrown alternative — Zaaroz.
Faced with rising hidden charges, fluctuating commissions, and opaque discount policies, the Namakkal Town and Taluk Hotel Owners Association ended their ties with the food delivery giants on July 1. Negotiations with the platforms — seeking an 18% cap on commissions and transparency on fees — failed, prompting the shift.
On Monday, 50 out of 250 member establishments officially registered with Zaaroz, an app founded by a Chidambaram-based entrepreneur. Unlike Swiggy and Zomato, which allegedly eat into 40–80% of restaurant earnings, Zaaroz charges fixed monthly subscriptions — ₹1,500 + GST for small messes and ₹3,000 + GST for larger outlets — along with delivery and platform fees that restaurant owners say are more predictable and affordable.
“Under other apps, we had to increase the price of an item like two idlis from ₹30 to ₹45 to stay afloat,” said N. Arulmurugan, association secretary. “Even then, we didn’t get the full amount. Zaaroz offers a better model — fair prices for customers and sustainability for us.”
Local businesses now hope the model will boost sales without exploiting either the vendor or the customer.