If you’ve ordered from Blinkit’s quick food app, Bistro, lately, you may have noticed something new on your bill—an unexpected INR 5 “convenience fee”. But you wouldn’t have seen it upfront. The fee pops up sneakily at the final checkout screen, without any prior heads-up from the app. No push notification, no banner, not even a fine-print update. Just a quiet INR 5 addition, waiting for you at the end of your order.
Eternal, which owns Blinkit and launched Bistro late last year, hasn’t made any public announcement or in-app clarification yet. Inc42 has reached out to the company for comments on the matter.
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Bistro is the latest player to quietly roll out extra charges—a now common tactic in the food delivery business as platforms look for creative ways to boost revenue without raising menu prices. It’s not alone.
Over the past year, Swiggy and Zomato have experimented with various fees of their own: small cart charges, packaging costs, surge-based pricing, and of course, convenience fees that can run as high as INR 30 depending on when and where you order. Zepto has also leaned into this model, with multiple add-ons that push up the final bill on smaller or peak-hour orders.
The Fast-Food Sprint Is Getting Crowded
Bistro was launched in December by Blinkit to offer fast, ready-to-eat food—snacks, beverages, and meals delivered within 15 minutes. Starting in Gurugram, the service has been quietly expanding to more areas, going up against rivals like Zepto Cafe and Swiggy’s SNACC.
But the rush to dominate the 15-minute food game hasn’t been without its hiccups.
Just last month, Zepto Cafe pulled out of several North Indian cities—Agra, Chandigarh, Meerut, Mohali, Amritsar—citing supply chain headaches. Around 400 workers were reportedly affected by the move. Zepto later said it plans to reopen in those cities in the coming quarter and is also trimming staff at some outlets to control operational costs.
Still, the segment is heating up. BigBasket quietly launched its own quick food delivery pilot in Bengaluru earlier this month. The plan? Roll out 40 dark stores for this offering by July.
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Others are racing in too. Swish, which snagged INR 122 Cr in funding in March, and Zing, launched around the same time as Bistro, are also vying for a slice of India’s growing instant meals market.
Even with delays, layoffs, and sneaky fees, the 15-minute food fight is far from cooling down. If anything, it’s just getting spicier—with every click, sip, and charge.
