Zomato is under fire again as frustrated users report receiving wrong food orders, shaking public trust and raising questions about the platform’s reliability. A recent incident where a customer received chicken instead of the paneer dish he ordered has only added fuel to the fire.
Social media has become the go-to space for aggrieved users to share their experiences, often accompanied by images and videos as proof. One such user, Debanjan Chakraborty, publicly called out Zomato on X, writing:
“@zomato @zomatocare I ordered paneer but instead received chicken. I have no idea how this can happen!! Totally unacceptable!”
Debanjan also shared images showing the order summary and the actual food he received, which clearly showed chicken — not the vegetarian dish he had ordered. In a country like India, where a large section of the population follows a vegetarian diet for religious or ethical reasons, such mistakes are seen as deeply offensive and disrespectful.
Zomato responded to the backlash with an apology, stating:
“Hi Debanjan, this is truly shocking for us as we take your dietary preferences very seriously and would never intend to disrespect them. Please share your order ID via DM so we can resolve this at the earliest with the restaurant partners.”
However, customers say that the response process is far from smooth. In another tweet, Debanjan expressed his frustration with Zomato’s customer support:
“In this situation, it’s very tough to see how the customer care team asks you so many questions and instead of helping or addressing the concern, adds an additional pressure on you.”
This is not an isolated case. There have been several past instances where customers have received non-vegetarian food despite ordering vegetarian meals. A customer in Bengaluru once received mutton biryani instead of veg pulao, and a Jain customer was served a non-vegetarian thali — leading to a public apology from the platform.
These recurring issues have sparked serious concerns about Zomato’s food handling protocols and the accountability of their restaurant partners. As mix-ups continue and apologies pile up, many users are beginning to lose faith in the platform’s ability to deliver correctly — a trust that’s critical in the food delivery business.