Stalemate continues as restaurant body lashes out against Zomato Gold on delivery

After Zomato launched its Gold on delivery service programme this week, the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) said that it will continue to stay logged out. Zomato Gold is a paid programme that offers 1+1 discounts on food and 2+2 on beverages at partner restaurants.

This dine-in programme will now transcend to delivery as well. The company said that it has 13,000 restaurants on board already across India to be part of this offering. But over 2600 restaurants are still logged out of Gold for their dine-in discounts.

But NRAI president, Anurag Katriar said the launch of Zomato Gold on delivery is a "desperate attempt" by Zomato to shore up the sinking fortunes of their flagship Zomato Gold programme.

"Zomato is changing the goalpost. Gold was originally launched as a tool to promote the culture of dining out but now it is being extended on deliveries too. Essentially, it is now a programme that merely promotes deep discounts on both dine-in and delivery verticals, the cost of which is borne solely by the restaurant partners," he said.

The NRAI said it continued to remain firm in its belief that Zomato Gold in its current form is an unacceptable proposition.

Katriar added that it was "utter disregard to the viability of the restaurant fraternity" and that this will be calamitous to the business in the delivery segment and that the body appeals to all restaurants and cloud kitchens entrepreneurs to stay away from it.

Zomato also revised its terms of use for Zomato Gold on dine in along with the launch of this. It said has now reduced to a maximum of two Gold unlocks on the table and a maximum of one unlock per user one day.

Source:- https://retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/food-entertainment/food-services/stalemate-continues-as-restaurant-body-lashes-out-against-zomato-gold-on-delivery/71231440