Rapido has finally unveiled the contours of its plans to disrupt the food delivery space with the launch of its platform “Ownly,” which aims at disrupting the duopoly of Zomato and Swiggy. The company, known for its bike taxi and logistics services, is preparing a Bengaluru pilot that aims at re-hauling the manner in which meals are priced and delivered online, by eliminating the steep markups and layered fees that have become the norm on incumbent platforms.
According to its plans shared with restaurateurs, Rapido’s key pitch is simple but radical, which is, that online food should not cost more than offline food. To back this, Ownly will not levy charges like delivery fees, packaging fees, and long-distance surcharges. Unlike Zomato and Swiggy, which bundle such charges inflating the final bill, in th case of Ownly the base price of a dish, excluding GST, will be the final price that a customer will have to pay. Rapido calls it, “offline price = online price”.
This approach is based on a zero-commission model, where Rapido will not charge restaurants a percentage of the order value. Instead, the delivery fee will be borne by the restaurants, not the customers. For food orders above Rs 100, the delivery cost will be a flat Rs 25 plus GST; for orders below Rs 100, it will be Rs 20; and for larger orders exceeding Rs 400, the fee goes up to Rs 50. These charges apply within a standard 4-kilometre delivery radius.
According to industry observers, this model could significantly lower operating costs for restaurants, who currently pay commissions as high as 30% on each order on existing platforms. By doing away with commissions, additional charges, and mandatory discounts, Rapido wants to position Ownly as a lean, transparent platform designed to be friendlier to small and mid-sized eateries.
Beyond pricing, Rapido is also addressing one of the most persistent complaints restaurant partners have had with current platforms, that is data opacity. Accordingly, Ownly will share customer data with restaurant partners, allowing them to better understand and market to their clientele. This is a departure from the practices of the incumbents and aligns with long-standing demands raised by the National Restaurants Association of India.
The company at a later stage is looking at charging a fixed monthly subscription fee from restaurants to access its technology and delivery network, which is similar to its model in ride-hailing. This software-as-a-aervice (SaaS) structure will allow Ownly to remain commission-free while generating predictable revenue, although it has yet to demonstrate profitability in Rapido’s core business.
Rapido is betting that its affordable food-first strategy will appeal to price-sensitive users. Restaurant partners will be required to list at least four meals under Rs 150, reinforcing the platform’s value-centric positioning. Rather than chasing higher average order values, Rapido is looking for volume, targeting a broader customer base, especially in smaller cities and underserved markets.