Food delivery apps like Zomato, Swiggy, and Snacc have become a big part of our daily lives, bringing meals to our doorsteps with just a few taps. But users say things have changed a lot over the years, especially when it comes to the extra fees added to every order today.

If you place an order on Zomato now, you’ll likely notice multiple charges, from delivery partner fees and platform fees to restaurant packaging costs, handling charges, and GST. But a recent Reddit post has reminded everyone that this wasn’t always the case.

Old Zomato bill goes viral

A Reddit user shared a seven-year-old Zomato bill that quickly caught everyone’s attention. Dated 2019, the bill showed no delivery or platform charges, and even included a big coupon discount for a restaurant located almost 9.6 km away.

His post read:

“This was the time when Zomato was actually affordable to order, I guess Swiggy was not made back then. Not sure about this one? But the coupon code’s discount (back when coupons actually meant discounts, no gimmick) and that too from an outlet currently 9.6 km away from my home, and no delivery charges in sight… those were the days of affordable eating."

The user mentioned that if he ordered the same food today, it would cost around ₹300, adding that food prices have nearly doubled since then.

Zomato order from 7 years ago
byu/No-Win6448 inZomato

Social media reactions

The post quickly went viral, sparking discussions about how food delivery apps have evolved. Many users shared similar memories of when ordering food online was far cheaper and simpler.

One Reddit comment read:

“Well, every platform was affordable back then, but compare it with the living costs and wages. Cannot get everything for less now. Always remember there are costs everywhere. If you are getting paneer chilli at Rs 150, then who is even making a profit? Zomato takes 30%. 100 left with the restaurant. You’ll obviously get fake paneer then. Not even enough to cover rent or salaries.”

Another wrote:

“When I read 7 years ago. I automatically thought maybe 2013-14, then I saw 2019. Damn.”

“Moments that no one would believe if they weren’t recorded,” commented another.

A user who had worked in the catering industry explained the rise in costs:

“I get what you mean, brother, but I am someone who’s worked in the catering industry for some time. The cost of raw materials has almost doubled (not everything, but I remember we used to buy Amul ghee for Rs 5,500 for a 15 kg tin, and now it’s near 9,000). Then Zomato & Swiggy used to give an almost 50 percent discount at that time on almost 90 percent of the restaurants.”

Another person summed up the sentiment by saying:

“Look how simple that bill is, no convenience fee, no platform fee, no extra restaurant charges, Just a well-priced food getting delivered at your doorstep.”

And one more user added:

“Damn bro!! Literally, this made me look at my 7-year-old order, and this is what I got. Just GOATED at that time.”

Zomato, founded by Deepinder Goyal and Pankaj Chaddah, started as Foodiebay before being rebranded in 2010. What began as a simple restaurant discovery platform later grew into one of India’s biggest food delivery startups.

As the company expanded, it introduced delivery, platform, and handling fees to manage logistics, partner restaurants, and operations across cities. While this shift helped the business grow, it also drew criticism from users, who feel food delivery has become much costlier than before.