ONDC, a new platform built by the Indian government, is emerging to be a tough competitor for Zomato and Swiggy and is offering food at cheaper prices
There is no doubt that India has one of the best fooddelivery services available for its users. Within the comfort of our homes, weget to enjoy our favourite food from restaurants within a couple of minutes.Until now, the food delivery tech space was dominated by Zomato and Swiggy. Thetwo platforms remain neck-to-neck in competition and offer competitive offersfor users. However, a new platform, built by the Indian government, is emergingto be a tough competitor for Zomato and Swiggy. Say hello to ONDC (Open Networkfor Digital Commerce), which lets restaurants sell food directly to consumers,without the need for a third party (like Zomato and Swiggy).
The food delivery tech platform has been around sinceSeptember 2022 but is now gaining popularity. As per reports, it has recentlysurpassed the 10,000 daily order mark and is being more widely used by people.Over the last couple of days, a lot of people have posted screenshots in whichthey are comparing the food delivery prices offered by ONDC, Swiggy and Zomato.And ONDC costs relatively cheaper. Paytm, Meesho, Magicpin, Mystore, Spicesmartand Shop are the buyer apps for ONDC.
What is ONDC
As already stated earlier, the Open Network for DigitalCommerce (ONDC) has been developed by the Government of India and allowsrestaurants to sell their food directly to consumers. Moreover, it alsodelivers groceries, home décor, cleaning essentials, etc much like Swiggy’sInstamart, Zepto, and Blinkit.
Bengaluru was the first city to use ONDC back in September2022. And now, the platform is available in multiple cities and people areusing it to get the best of deals.
According to a government release, ONDC was incorporated asa non-profit, Section-8 company on December 31, 2021. The company was incubatedat the Quality Council of India, an autonomous organization with the Departmentof Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce.
ONDC allows sellers and local businesses to compete withe-commerce giants such as Flipkart and Amazon through its platform. The networkmakes them discoverable online to customers increasing their reach. ThroughONDC, buyers and sellers don't need to be on the same application to carry outa transaction. A seller also doesn't have to be governed by the specific policiesof an e-commerce platform and can use any ONDC-compatible application to dobusiness.
The Centre said it will make the e-commerce landscape moreinclusive, accessible and experience-driven for all consumers and sellers.
Cheaper food than
other platforms
Some influencers also tried out the latest platform in thefood tech space and the results were quite impressive. According to the report,there is quite a difference in the prices offered between ONDC and otherplatforms like Swiggy and Zomato. For instance, an order that costs Rs 209 onSwiggy and 212 on Zomato costs only Rs 147 on the platform.
In another instance, the price of four burgers and fourlarge fries from the popular restaurant chain Mcdonald's also had a massivedifference. The total bill amount in Zomato and Swiggy was Rs 702 and Rs 768respectively, while in ONDC, the bill amount was Rs 639.
How to use ONDC
You can use ONDC via the Paytm app. Simply head over toPaytm and type ‘ONDC’ in the search bar. You will then see a variety of optionsranging from groceries and cleaning essentials to the food store. If you aretrying to order food from a restaurant, head over to ONDC Food and check outthe cuisine that you are trying to order. You will then see a number ofrestaurants and can order your favourite food online just the way you do withother food delivery platforms.
It is to be noted that, since ONDC is relatively new, notall restaurants are selling food through this platform.
