Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal Apologizes After Backlash Over Extra Charge For ‘Pure Veg Mode’

Zomato introduced its 'Pure Veg Mode' in March last year to cater to vegetarian users by exclusively displaying vegetarian restaurant options

Zomato recently faced widespread backlash as it introduced a fee for its 'Pure Veg Mode' feature, which filters search results to show only vegetarian restaurants. This was brought to attention by a viral LinkedIn post, which led to an apology from Zomato’s CEO Deepinder Goyal, and he immediately took the corrective measure and removed the fee.

Zomato introduced its 'Pure Veg Mode' in March last year to cater to vegetarian users by exclusively displaying vegetarian restaurant options. However, the recent introduction of an additional fee for activating this feature sparked significant backlash.

A LinkedIn post by Rohit Ranjan, expressing his frustration over the charge, went viral. He referred to the fee as a "luxury tax" on vegetarians, sharing a screenshot of his bill. He wrote in the post, “Being a vegetarian in India these days feels like a curse! Zomato’s latest masterstroke—introducing an 'extra charge' for the veg enablement fleet—has officially turned us into a premium subscription plan. So, fellow herbivores, brace yourselves! We’ve gone from ‘green and healthy’ to ‘green and pricey.’ Thanks, Zomato, for proving once again that being veg is now a luxury tax! Thanks, Swiggy, for treating us equally.”

The post quickly gained traction, prompting a response from Zomato CEO, Deepinder Goyal. Goyal expressed his regret over the mistake and assured users that the fee would be removed immediately. “This is absolutely stupid on our part. I am super sorry for this. This charge will be removed today itself. Will also fix what’s needed to fix in the team so that such s**t doesn’t happen again. Thank you for pointing this out,” Goyal wrote.

Goyal updated users shortly thereafter, confirming that the issue had been resolved. "Removed 45 minutes ago," he posted, confirming the removal of the additional charge. Ranjan thanked Goyal for his prompt response. 

Several internet users also commented on the whole situation, one user wrote, "Should being vegetarian cost extra? Zomato recently introduced a “Veg Mode Enablement Fee,” and it upset a lot of users.  But why we had to pay extra just to filter vegetarian options. To his credit, Deepinder Goyal quickly acknowledged the mistake, apologized publicly, and assured the charge would be removed. While it’s great to see accountability and swift action. But the important point is to Listening to customers before rolling out changes is key. A seemingly small fee can impact trust and brand perception significantly."

He added, "As companies innovate, they must balance creative ideas with what truly adds value for their users. Sometimes, simplicity and transparency win over complex monetization strategies. Thankfully, Zomato realized this and they probably saved themselves from losing more “veg” customers than they bargained for!"