Zomato, online food delivery platform, has stopped signing up new users or renewing old subscriptions for its loyalty dining membership programme called 'Pro', as the Deepinder Goyal-run firm is working with customers and restaurant partners to craft a new programme, IANS said.
According to the report, the move comes as fine-dine restaurants are now open across the country after facing a turbulent time in the pandemic, and people now prefer going out with families for dinners. The online food aggregator launched Zomato Pro in 2020 and Zomato Pro Plus in 2021, in a bid to let users enjoy extra perks like priority delivery, money-back guarantee and more.
The food tech unicorn had renamed its Gold subscription programme as Zomato Pro. The company has already shut its premium a Pro Plus' programme.
In a statement to IANS, a Zomato spokesperson said that while Zomato Pro and Pro Plus have been loved tremendously by its customers and merchants, "we want it to be even more beneficial, especially for the most engaged customers and merchant partners".
"We are taking feedback and working closely with our customers and restaurant partners to craft a new programme. Meanwhile, we are not onboarding new members and merchant partners to Zomato Pro and Zomato Pro Plus," the company spokesperson added.
While active members can continue to get their benefits as promised, they will not be able to extend/renew their memberships once their membership tenure expires. Zomato said it promises "to come up with a bigger, better experience very soon".
Zomato's competitor Swiggy also has its own loyalty programme called Swiggy One that allows its members unlimited free deliveries from select restaurants and unlimited free delivery from quick commerce service Instamart on orders more than Rs 99.
Zomato reported Rs 185.7 crore in consolidated loss for the quarter ending June 30, compared to a loss of Rs 359.7 crore in the previous quarter.
The consolidated revenue saw 67 per cent increase at Rs 1,413.9 crore from Rs 844.4 crore (same quarter last year), and 16.68 per cent up from Rs 1,211.8 crore in the last reported quarter. "Our focus on profitability has sharpened over the past few months with the change in market context, without compromising our focus on growth," said Zomato Founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal.
He said that the company is focused on spending wisely and continually reinforcing a lean cost culture, "particularly in a business like ours which is currently loss making".