Deepinder Goyal reveals Zomato delivery partners' average income amid gig economy debate: Here's how much they earn

Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal shared a fact sheet detailing the average income of the company's delivery partners, among other details, following a recent exchange with popular YouTuber Dhruv Rathee on X (formerly Twitter).

The move came after Rathee questioned the company's pay practices and called for transparency around gig workers' earnings, prompting Goyal to publicly release the data amid a wider debate on gig worker pay and working conditions.

Goyal noted that in 2025, the average earnings per hour (EPH), excluding tips, for a Zomato delivery partner stood at ₹102, up from ₹92 a year back, reflecting a 10.9% year-on-year increase.

“Most delivery partners work for a few hours and only a few days in a month. But if someone were to work for 10 hours/day, 26 days/month, this translates to ₹26,500/month in gross earnings. After accounting for fuel and maintenance (20%), the net earnings for the partner are ₹21,000/month,” he wrote on X.

Deepinder Goyal on average tip collection in 2025

He also said that delivery partners receive 100% of the tips given by customers. According to Goyal, the average tip per hour on Zomato stood at ₹2.6 in 2025, up from ₹2.4 per hour in 2024.

“Tips are transferred instantly, with zero deductions. We absorb the payment gateway processing cost ourselves. About 5% of the orders get tipped on Zomato; 2.5% on Blinkit,” he noted.

Are Zomato employees overworked? Goyal clarifies

The top executive debunked claims that Zomato delivery partners are overworked. He noted that in 2025, an average partner worked 38 days in the year and about seven hours per working day.

He argued that since only 2.3% of partners worked more than 250 days annually, demands of full time employee benefits such as PF or guaranteed salaries does not align with the gig model.

According to Goyal, the workers have the flexibility to choose their geographies and working hours, including when to log in and log out. He said this makes gig work a reliable source of secondary income available year-round, serving as a flexible, stop-gap earning option, rather than a long-term commitment.

“Flexibility isn't incidental to the gig model, it is the whole point,” he said.

Zomato CEO on ‘work pressure’

Goyal also addressed one of the most frequently raised concerns — the safety of delivery partners on roads — particularly amid worries that the pressure to meet 10-minute delivery timelines could put workers at risk.

“Quick commerce’s 10-minute promise DOES NOT put pressure on gig workers, and it DOESN’T lead to unsafe driving,” he said, emphasising that there is no “10-minute timer” or countdown in the delivery app.

He said that 10-minute or faster deliveries are largely possible because Zomato and Blinkit stores are located closer to customers, and not due to delivery partners riding at higher speeds on the road.

What are the welfare benefits for gig workers?

Goyal also spoke about the welfare benefits and long-term support provided to the gig workers.

As per the chief executive, Zomato and Blinkit collectively spent over ₹100 crore on insurance coverage for delivery partners in 2025. The coverage included:

— Accident insurance with coverage of up to ₹10 lakh.

— Medical insurance with coverage of ₹1 lakh plus OPD coverage of ₹5,000.

— Loss of pay insurance of up to ₹50,000.

— Maternity insurance with coverage of up to ₹40,000.

Beyond insurance, the company has added other forms of support, according to Goyal. These benefits include:

— Period rest days of 2 days per month for women delivery partners.

— Support in filing income tax returns.

— Access to a gig-variant of National Pension Scheme.

— SOS Service for immediate support in case of emergencies, including accidents, vehicle breakdown, theft, etc.