Zomato, Blinkit delivered over 75 lakh orders on New Year's eve with no extra incentives to gig workers: Deepinder Goyal

Amid gig workers' calls for strikes, Zomato and Blinkit delivered over 75 lakh orders at a record pace on New Year's Eve, founder Deepinder Goyal said on Thursday, adding that this was achieved without any extra incentives for delivery partners besides higher payouts on NYE compared with other days.

“Zomato and Blinkit delivered at a record pace yesterday, unaffected by calls for strikes that many of us heard over the past few days,” Goyal said.

He stated, “Support from local law enforcement helped keep the small number of miscreants in check, enabling 4.5 lakh+ delivery partners across both platforms to deliver more than 75 lakh orders (all-time high) to over 63 lakh customers during the day”, noting that “this happened without any additional incentives for delivery partners - NYE does see higher incentives than usual days and yesterday was no different than the past NYE days.”

Goyal expressed his gratitude to local authorities nationwide and to company teams for their prompt coordination and effective enforcement. He also thanked delivery partners for showing up despite intimidation, emphasising their commitment to honest work and progress.

He mentioned that if a system were fundamentally unfair, it would not consistently attract and retain so many workers willing to operate within it, and urged people not to be influenced by narratives promoted by vested interests.

Goyal highlighted that the gig economy is one of India’s largest sources of organised job creation, and its true impact will be seen over time, as the children of delivery partners, who have benefited from stable incomes and education, enter the workforce and contribute to large-scale transformation in the country.

Gig workers' strike

The Gig and Platform Service Workers Union also announced a nationwide strike on 31 December 2025, to collectively press for demands related to the rights, welfare and dignity of gig and platform workers across India.

While issuing a call to action, it stated, "All gig workers, platform workers, digital platform workers, app-based workers, and online freelancers are earnestly requested to participate in the national strike by shutting down all work-related applications and abstaining from providing services on 31 December 2025, thereby making the strike united and effective."

A report by PTI cited people familiar with the developments stating that following the large-scale strike on 25 December, during which thousands of delivery workers logged off platforms across Telangana and other regions, gig workers announced an escalated nationwide strike on 31 December 2025, as stated in the joint statement by Telangana Gig and Platform Workers' Union (TGPWU) and Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT).

“The 25 December action sent a clear warning to platform companies about falling earnings, unsafe delivery pressure, and loss of dignity at work. However, companies responded with silence -- no rollback of reduced payouts, no dialogue with workers, and no concrete assurances on safety or working hours. This continued indifference has made today's strike unavoidable,” the statement added.

Hike in incentives for delivery partners

Zomato offered its delivery partners payouts ranging from ₹120 to ₹150 per order during peak hours between 6 PM and 12 AM on New Year’s Eve.

According to people familiar with the matter, the platform also assured potential earnings of up to ₹3,000 per day, depending on order volumes and workforce availability. Moreover, Zomato temporarily waived penalties related to order rejections and cancellations.

Livemint earlier reported that Zomato said the incentive hike was unrelated to the strike. The company stated the enhanced payouts announced for 31 December are part of its standard operating process. “This is part of our standard annual operating protocol during festive periods, which typically see higher earning opportunities due to increased demand,” a spokesperson for Eternal, Zomato's parent company, said in the statement.

Similarly, Swiggy ramped up incentives during the year-end period, offering delivery partners the opportunity to earn up to ₹10,000 across 31 December and 1 January, according to people aware of the development.

“At Swiggy, we are committed to empowering our delivery partners. As part of our standard process, enhanced incentives are offered on special occasions such as festivals, allowing delivery partners to benefit from increased earning opportunities during peak demand periods across the year,” PTI quoted the company as saying.

On New Year’s Eve, Swiggy advertised peak-hour earnings of up to ₹2,000 for the six-hour window between 6 PM and 12 AM, aimed at ensuring sufficient rider availability during one of the busiest ordering periods of the year. They also maintained that higher payouts during such times were a routine practice.