In a bold expansion move, Rapido, widely known for its bike taxi and ride-hailing services, has officially entered India’s highly competitive food delivery sector with the launch of its stand-alone app ‘Ownly’. The new platform has set its sights firmly on affordability and a restaurant-friendly commission structure, positioning itself as a disruptive alternative to industry giants Swiggy and Zomato. With most food items priced around ₹150 and essentials like chapati, rice, and eggs available for under ₹100, Ownly’s pricing strategy directly targets cost-conscious consumers who are increasingly dissatisfied with rising delivery platform fees and restaurant markups.
A New Player with an Aggressive Pricing and Partnership Strategy
Ownly has initially rolled out operations in Bengaluru’s popular neighbourhoods of Koramangala, HSR Layout, and BTM Layout — areas known for their dense concentration of restaurants, tech professionals, and young residents. The app’s menu currently features offerings from notable brands including Faasos, Krispy Kreme, Wow! Momo, and EatFit, providing customers with a range of cuisines at accessible prices. At the heart of Rapido’s food delivery model is a zero-commission structure for eateries — a significant departure from the industry norm, where Swiggy and Zomato typically charge partner restaurants commissions ranging from 16% to 30% per order.
This move directly addresses long-standing grievances of restaurateurs who have frequently criticised major food delivery platforms for eroding their margins and allegedly offering preferential treatment to certain brands through paid listings and promotions. Complementing the zero-commission policy is a tiered, flat delivery fee model designed to ensure transparency and predictability for customers. Orders within a standard four-kilometre radius — as negotiated between Rapido and the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) — will see delivery costs covered by the restaurant partner, eliminating extra charges for the customer in most short-distance cases. For smaller orders valued at ₹100 or less, customers will pay a nominal ₹20 fee, while orders between ₹100 and ₹400 will incur a ₹25 delivery fee plus GST.
Orders exceeding ₹400 will have a delivery fee of ₹50. Rapido believes this simple, distance-aware fee structure will be more palatable than the fluctuating surcharges often applied by competitors during peak times or in high-demand zones. The company has also worked with NRAI to establish value-focused requirements for partner restaurants, including the mandate to list at least four dishes on Ownly that cost less than ₹150. This ensures that affordability is embedded into the platform’s core offering, rather than being limited to select items or promotional discounts.
Leveraging Rapido’s Established Network to Drive Speed and Cost Efficiency
One of Rapido’s biggest advantages in entering the food delivery space is its vast pre-existing network of riders, or ‘captains’, who already operate across more than 500 cities in India. With 30 million monthly active users and 4 million rides completed each month, Rapido has a strong operational foundation that it can repurpose to deliver meals without incurring the heavy infrastructure costs typically associated with starting a new delivery service. By utilising its existing pool of bike taxi captains, the company aims to maintain quick delivery times while keeping operational overheads low. Delivery zones have been strategically limited to ensure that riders can fulfil orders swiftly and efficiently, reducing both fuel expenses and waiting times for customers.
This hyperlocal approach mirrors Rapido’s successful bike taxi model, which focuses on short-distance, high-frequency trips within defined areas. The company’s strategy is being launched at a time when many consumers are increasingly conscious of the total cost of online food ordering. On major platforms, high platform fees, restaurant markups, and unpredictable delivery charges have led to growing dissatisfaction among price-sensitive users. Rapido’s proposition is straightforward: keep both menu prices and delivery fees low, while ensuring restaurants retain a larger share of each transaction. Industry analysts suggest that while Swiggy and Zomato continue to dominate India’s $8 billion food delivery market — collectively processing more than 4.5 million deliveries per day and commanding 95% of the order share — Rapido’s entry could force the incumbents to revisit their pricing and commission models. Restaurants, many of which have been vocal in their opposition to existing platform practices, may see Ownly as a welcome alternative that allows them to protect their margins while offering customers competitive prices.
For consumers, the draw will likely be the combination of affordability, reliability, and menu transparency. The inclusion of well-known food brands alongside smaller local eateries may also help Ownly quickly build user trust and brand recognition, especially in its pilot markets. If the Bengaluru launch proves successful, industry observers expect Rapido to accelerate its rollout into other urban hubs where the combination of dense populations, high food delivery demand, and a large base of existing Rapido captains could provide fertile ground for growth.
Rapido’s move into the food delivery sector represents more than just diversification — it is a strategic play to leverage an existing logistics network, tap into an adjacent but lucrative market, and address some of the most persistent complaints from both consumers and restaurants. In doing so, the company not only challenges the status quo set by Swiggy and Zomato but also positions itself as a potential catalyst for change in how food delivery economics work in India.
