Zomato, Swiggy Boost Festive Incentives as Gig Workers Stage Nationwide Strike

Food delivery majors Zomato and Swiggy have increased incentives for delivery partners ahead of New Year’s Eve, anticipating a surge in orders during the festive period—even as thousands of gig workers across India went on strike demanding better pay, social security, and improved working conditions. Zomato said the enhanced payouts announced for 31 December are part of its “standard annual operating protocol” for high-demand occasions, and not linked to the strike. The company highlighted that festive periods typically offer higher earning opportunities, with more than 23,000 partners reportedly earning over ₹1,500 on Christmas Day.

According to posts on Zomato’s official delivery-partner page, riders could earn up to ₹3,000 over the course of New Year’s Eve, with payouts of ₹120–150 per order during peak hours between 6 PM and 12 AM. The platform has also waived penalties on order cancellations and denials to minimise potential income loss during uneven order flow. Swiggy has rolled out similar incentives, stating that the practice is part of its regular festive-season framework. As per reports, the company is offering partners the chance to earn up to ₹10,000 across 31 December and 1 January, and is advertising peak-hour earnings of up to ₹2,000 during the six-hour evening rush window.

Meanwhile, unions such as the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) claim that lakhs of workers have joined the nationwide strike to press for fair wages and better working conditions. Industry sources warn that the protest could disrupt operations for food delivery and quick-commerce platforms — including Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto — on one of the busiest ordering nights of the year.

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