Rapido, the ride-hailing unicorn, is in advanced talks with the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) to enter the food delivery sector, aiming to become a significant alternative to dominant players Swiggy and Zomato. Rapido plans to offer restaurants lower commissions and a subscription-based model, challenging the existing 35–45% commission rates imposed by the leading platforms.
NRAI, which represents over 500,000 restaurants, has long advocated for a third major player in the food delivery space. While the association has also explored partnerships with the government-backed ONDC, a sustainable model has yet to be finalized. Rapido’s proposed zero-commission SaaS plan mirrors its successful switch to subscriptions in its auto and cab segments, which contributed to the company surpassing $1 billion in gross merchandise value.
The company already has experience in food delivery, as its bike taxi riders deliver orders for Swiggy and ONDC during idle time. Though Swiggy is an investor in Rapido, their agreement does not prevent Rapido from entering food delivery—only from supporting Zomato with fleet services. Rapido has also recently partnered with Zepto and Swiggy Instamart for quick-commerce deliveries.
This development comes as ONDC’s food delivery traction declines and amid NRAI’s concerns over Swiggy and Zomato using their own cloud kitchens (Snacc and Bistro) in ways that could conflict with restaurant partners’ interests.
