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Zomato, Swiggy Hike Incentives for Delivery Partners Ahead of New Year’s Eve Strike Call
New Delhi: Food delivery platforms Zomato and Swiggy have increased incentives for delivery partners ahead of New Year’s Eve, a move companies say is part of their standard festive-season practice, even as gig workers’ unions have called for a nationwide strike on December 31, 2025.
Gig worker unions — the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) — claim that lakhs of workers are set to participate in the strike, demanding better payouts, safer working conditions and dignity at work.
Industry sources warn that the strike could impact operations of food delivery and quick commerce platforms such as Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Instamart and Zepto on one of the busiest ordering days of the year.
Zomato boosts peak-hour payouts
Zomato has offered ₹120–₹150 per order during peak hours between 6 pm and 12 am on New Year’s Eve, with delivery partners able to earn up to ₹3,000 in a day, depending on demand and availability, people familiar with the matter said.
The platform has also temporarily waived penalties for order denials and cancellations during the period.
“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 told PTI. Eternal owns Zomato and Blinkit.
Swiggy offers year-end incentives
Swiggy has also rolled out enhanced year-end incentives, offering delivery workers earnings of up to ₹10,000 across December 31 and January 1, according to sources.
For New Year’s Eve, Swiggy is advertising peak-hour earnings of up to ₹2,000 during the six-hour window from 6 pm to midnight, aiming to ensure adequate rider availability.
Nationwide strike planned
In a joint statement, TGPWU and IFAT said that over 1.7 lakh delivery and app-based workers across India had already confirmed participation in the strike, with numbers expected to rise.
The unions said the protest follows a massive strike on December 25, when thousands of workers logged off platforms across Telangana and other regions.
“The December 25 action sent a clear warning about falling earnings, unsafe delivery pressure and loss of dignity at work. The lack of response from companies has made today’s strike unavoidable,” the statement said.
The Gig and Platform Service Workers Union has also called for a nationwide shutdown of work on December 31, urging workers to log off all apps to press for improved rights, welfare and working conditions.
