New Delhi: A missing Rs 100 dosa and uthappam combo led to Zomato being ordered to pay Rs 15,000 after a district consumer commission held the food delivery platform accountable for an incomplete order, despite Zomato’s assertion that it was merely an intermediary, according to a Times of India report.
A Chennai resident placed an order for several food items, including a dosa and uthappam combo from a local restaurant, through Zomato, in August last year. Upon receiving his order, which totalled Rs 498, the man discovered that dosa and uthappam were missing. He made several attempts to contact customer support, but received no assistance.
Frustrated, he filed a complaint with the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Thiruvallur, seeking compensation for Zomato’s failure to deliver the complete order.
Zomato, in its defence, claimed that it was only a facilitator between customers and restaurants and was not responsible for the completeness or quality of the food.
The commission, however, disagreed with it’s stance, saying that the company had charged Rs 73 as a delivery fee, which indicated its responsibility for providing a complete service.
After considering arguments from both sides, Latha Maheswari, the commission president, concluded that Zomato’s terms and conditions gave it full authority to place orders on behalf of customers, making it accountable for ensuring the order was complete. The commission also rejected Zomato’s argument that the restaurant should have been included in the proceedings, stressing that the contract was directly between Sekar and Zomato, as Zomato had collected the service fees.
The commission then ordered it to refund the Rs 498 spent on the order and pay Rs 10,000 as compensation for the mental distress and inconvenience and Rs 5,000 for litigation costs.