Zomato Commission on Restaurants: How It Works

Any article that states "Zomato charges X% commission" as a single fixed number is oversimplifying — commission rates vary by restaurant, city, order type, and individual partner agreements, and the platform has revised its rates and fee structures over time. This article explains how the structure works so you can find and understand your own actual rate, rather than relying on a number that may already be outdated by the time you read it.

Why Restaurant Commissions Vary

By restaurant — larger chains and high-volume partners often negotiate different terms than a single independent outlet.

By city and market — commission structures can differ between metro and non-metro markets based on local delivery economics.

By order type — commission on a delivery order and commission on an order fulfilled through a different fulfillment model can differ.

By contract terms and promotional participation — restaurants that opt into visibility-boosting promotions or discount programs may have different effective commission depending on how those promotions are funded.

This is exactly why the delivery commission calculator doesn't hardcode a rate — it asks for yours.

What Else Gets Deducted Beyond the Headline Commission

• GST on commission — typically charged on top of the base commission amount
• Payment gateway or processing charges, where applicable
• Any restaurant-funded discounts or promotions you've opted into
• Delivery charges, depending on the specific fulfillment arrangement

The number that actually lands in your bank account per order is your order value minus all of these — not just minus the headline commission percentage.

How to Find Your Actual Rate

Check your restaurant partner dashboard's payout or settlement report — it should break down commission, GST, and any other deductions per order or settlement cycle. This is the only reliable source for your current rate; third-party articles (including this one, if it doesn't include a live number) can go stale as soon as terms change.

Modeling the Real Impact on Your Menu

Once you know your actual rate, the practical next question is what it means for pricing. If commission and packaging cost together consume a meaningful share of order value, dine-in-priced items may not carry the same margin when sold through delivery — see How to Price Cafe Menu Items and Restaurant Delivery Profit for how to think about delivery-specific pricing.

Negotiating Leverage

Independent restaurants generally have limited room to negotiate commission individually, though high-volume or strategically valuable partners sometimes have more leverage than single-location operators. Beyond negotiation, the more reliable lever most restaurants have is reducing dependence on commission-based channels by growing direct ordering — QR-based dine-in/takeaway ordering carries no third-party commission at all.

Comparing Against Other Platforms

If you list on multiple platforms, comparing your actual take-home per order (not just the headline commission rate) matters more than which platform "charges less" in the abstract — GST treatment, packaging requirements and promotional participation can shift the real number. See Swiggy Commission on Restaurants for the equivalent breakdown, and run both through the delivery commission calculator's side-by-side comparison.

FAQ

What commission does Zomato charge restaurants? It varies by restaurant, city and contract terms, and has changed over time — check your own current payout statement rather than relying on a fixed number from an article.

Is GST charged in addition to commission? Typically yes — GST is commonly applied on top of the commission and other platform fees, adding to the total deducted from the order value.

Can restaurants negotiate their commission rate? Some higher-volume or strategically valuable partners have more negotiating leverage than single-location independent restaurants, but it's not guaranteed for every partner.