Food delivery platforms Zomato and Swiggy have rolled out higher payouts and incentives for their delivery partners ahead of New Year’s Eve, a move they say is part of routine festive-period operations, even as gig workers’ unions have called for a nationwide strike demanding better earnings and working conditions.
Unions including the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) have claimed that lakhs of workers are expected to participate in the strike on December 31, which could disrupt food delivery and quick commerce services at a time when demand typically peaks.
Platforms that may be impacted include Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Instamart and Zepto, industry sources said.
Zomato has offered delivery partners payouts ranging between Rs 120 and Rs 150 per order during peak hours from 6 pm to midnight on New Year’s Eve.
The company has also indicated that delivery partners could earn up to Rs 3,000 over the course of the day, depending on order volumes and availability, according to people familiar with the matter.
Penalties for order denials and cancellations have been temporarily waived, they added.
“This is part of our standard annual operating protocol during festive periods, which typically see higher earning opportunities due to increased demand,” an Eternal spokesperson said. Eternal owns Zomato and quick commerce platform Blinkit.
Swiggy, too, has announced higher incentives during the year-end period. According to people aware of the development, the platform is offering delivery workers earnings of up to Rs 10,000 across December 31 and January 1.
For New Year’s Eve, Swiggy is advertising peak-hour earnings of up to Rs 2,000 for the six-hour window between 6 pm and 12 am to ensure adequate rider availability during one of the busiest ordering periods of the year.
Meanwhile, unions have escalated their protest following a strike on December 25, when thousands of delivery workers reportedly logged off platforms across Telangana and other regions.
In a joint statement, TGPWU and IFAT said over 1.7 lakh delivery and app-based workers across India had confirmed participation in the December 31 strike, with numbers expected to rise further.
“The December 25 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 said.
The Gig and Platform Service Workers Union has also announced a nationwide strike on December 31, calling on gig and app-based workers to shut down work-related applications and refrain from providing services to collectively press for improved rights, welfare and working conditions across India.
