Rapido serves up new option with zero-commission food delivery “Ownly” in Bengaluru

INDIA – Indian ride-hailing leader Rapido has officially expanded its food delivery platform, Ownly, across the entire city after a successful pilot.

Launching with a refreshingly different model, Ownly positions itself as a zero-commission alternative for restaurants, with delivery costs fully covered by customers, a bold and potentially game-changing move in India’s bustling food delivery market.

A Welcome Change for Restaurants: Keep Your Full Profits

The most exciting part of Ownly’s pitch is its straightforward deal for restaurant partners.

Vivek Vashishta, heading new initiatives at Ownly, made it clear at a National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) forum: there are “absolutely no charges to restaurants.”

This means no hidden commissions, marketing fees, or subscription costs. Instead, the platform makes money by charging customers a simple per-kilometre delivery fee.

This approach directly tackles a major headache for eateries, who often see a significant slice of their revenue go to platform fees, costs that NRAI Vice-President Pranav Rungta notes are usually already factored into the menu prices customers see.

Gearing Up for Growth: A Clear Path Forward

With Bengaluru now fully live, Rapido is planning its next moves to attract customers and is already eyeing a bigger map.

Vashishta confirmed that expanding into other Tier-1 cities and selected smaller markets is “very definitely in the plan,” showing this is more than a local experiment.

The company is playing the long game, accepting it won’t be profitable at first.

The strategy is to build volume by charging customers just a small margin on top of the delivery fee.

To ensure reliable service, Ownly will use a dedicated fleet trained for food delivery and is integrated directly with popular restaurant POS systems like Urban Piper, taking responsibility for any delivery issues.

A Fresh Recipe for India’s Delivery Landscape

Ownly’s arrival adds a tasty new ingredient to India’s food delivery ecosystem. By eliminating the traditional commission structure, it hands back more control and potential profit to restaurants, which could encourage more local favorites to join the platform.

For food lovers, it introduces a new choice that supports local businesses more directly.

The big question is whether customers will embrace paying clearer delivery fees in exchange for this model.

It’s a fascinating experiment that could lead to a healthier, more sustainable recipe for everyone involved, restaurants, delivery partners, and hungry customers alike.

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