Zomato Silently Shuts Down ‘Quick’ 15-Minute Delivery Service Just Four Months After Launch
In a quiet yet telling move, food delivery major Zomato has pulled the plug on its ultra-fast 15-minute food delivery service, ‘Quick’, just four months after its ambitious debut.
A Promising Start Ends Abruptly
Launched in early 2025 with great fanfare, Zomato’s ‘Quick’ was designed to cater to the fast-paced lifestyle of urban Indians by delivering freshly prepared meals within 15 minutes. The service was available in select metro cities including Bengaluru, Gurugram, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.
However, the feature has now mysteriously disappeared from the explore section of the Zomato app, with no official announcement made by the company. A report by Moneycontrol suggests the service may not be entirely shelved and could re-emerge in a revised format later.
Second Attempt at Quick Commerce Fizzles Out
This is not Zomato’s first venture into ultra-fast food delivery. In 2022, the company launched ‘Zomato Instant’, which promised 10-minute deliveries. That effort was rebranded and quietly shut down in early 2023 due to logistical challenges and lack of scalability.
The brief lifespan of ‘Quick’ marks Zomato’s second retreat from the quick commerce segment in food delivery, raising questions about the feasibility of such models in the Indian market.
Financial Strains Add to Pressure
The move comes amid increasing financial strain on Zomato’s parent company, Eternal. According to a recent Reuters report, Eternal’s Q4 profit dropped by 78% to ₹390 million. The decline was largely attributed to rising investments in Blinkit, Zomato’s quick commerce arm, which added 294 stores in the last quarter.
While Blinkit’s revenue more than doubled to ₹17.09 billion, its adjusted EBITDA loss widened to ₹1.78 billion, underlining the cost-heavy nature of scaling up ultra-fast delivery networks. Zomato’s traditional food delivery business also showed slower-than-expected growth, with a 17% year-over-year rise in revenue—falling short of the company’s own projections.
Key Stat: Blinkit’s revenue surged by 103% YoY, yet losses widened sharply—indicating high operational costs.
Source: Reuters
Concerns Over Health and Labor Conditions
The ultra-fast delivery model has drawn criticism from health professionals and labor advocates. Many experts warn that such services prioritize speed over nutrition, potentially encouraging consumption of highly processed, low-nutrition meals.
A December 2024 report by Business Today featured several healthcare professionals condemning the trend, labeling it “ultra-processed garbage” and calling on platforms like Zomato, Swiggy, and Zepto to rethink their approach.
Restaurant industry groups have also raised alarms about the stress these models place on kitchen staff, often requiring rushed preparation that can compromise food quality and safety.
“In the race to deliver fast, we risk delivering harm—both to customers and workers,” said a senior chef from a prominent restaurant chain in Bengaluru.
What’s Next for Zomato?
Despite its silent exit, Zomato may not have given up on the concept of quick food delivery altogether. Insiders suggest the company could return with a revamped model that better balances speed, quality, and operational feasibility.
In the meantime, Zomato continues to focus on strengthening Blinkit and optimizing its core food delivery operations, as the quick commerce sector faces increasing scrutiny and stiff competition.
Conclusion
Zomato’s decision to halt its 15-minute food delivery service underscores the ongoing challenges in India’s quick commerce space. While speed is a tempting value proposition, sustainability, profitability, and public health are proving to be formidable barriers.
Whether Zomato will revive ‘Quick‘ in a different avatar remains to be seen. For now, the feature stands as another bold but short-lived experiment in the high-stakes world of instant gratification
Last Updated on: Friday, May 2, 2025 10:15 pm by Pusha Kumari | Published by: Pusha Kumari on Friday, May 2, 2025 10:15 pm | News Categories: Business Saga News
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