India, Dec. 22 -- Inside 2026 Foodtech Factory

The year 2025 brought soft consumer spending, stagnant user growth and fresh tax burdens for India's food delivery giants. As a result, growth slowed, profitability remained stressed, and yet the sector kept experimenting. Amid this backdrop, what does 2026 look like for the sector?

The Urban Ladder: Order volumes are expected to grow only in the 'high' single digits in 2026, led almost entirely by metro users. Outside the top cities, tier III and IV markets are projected to remain sluggish, forcing platforms to prioritise defending urban share over chasing new geographies.

Efficiency Over Hype: Industry insiders see Zomato and Swiggy focus more on delivering efficiently and transparently,...