India, Dec. 21 -- 2025 was not the brightest year for food delivery giants in India. Amid macroeconomic pressures and soft consumer spending, food delivery platforms saw tepid revenue growth. The industry also faced a slowdown in the growth of transacting consumers. Growth plateaued due to sluggish customer acquisition and the absence of a meaningful increase in order frequency from existing users.

To compensate, both Zomato and Swiggy raised platform fees, which offered little respite, raising concerns around the sustainability of food delivery models.

The year also witnessed the sector face a regulatory headwind emerging from a new tax regime. Delivery services provided through ecommerce platforms are now taxed at 18%. Platforms like ...