Delivery earnings on Zomato rose sharply in 2025, but the debate over whether gig work in India offers a sustainable livelihood has intensified rather than eased.
According to a fact sheet shared by Eternal founder and chief executive Deepinder Goyal, average hourly earnings for Zomato delivery partners increased to Rs 102 in 2025, compared with Rs 92 a year earlier, marking a 10.9 percent year-on-year rise. The calculation is based on total logged-in hours, including waiting time, not just active delivery minutes.
At these rates, a partner working 10 hours a day for 26 days a month could earn around Rs 26,500 in gross income. After deducting estimated fuel and vehicle maintenance costs of about 20 percent, monthly take-home earnings would be close to Rs 21,000, the company said.
The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union disputed the interpretation of these numbers, arguing that net earnings translate to roughly Rs 81 per hour for workers putting in close to 260 hours a month. The union said such income levels cannot be classified as decent work, particularly in the absence of paid leave, provident fund benefits, or guaranteed social security.
Goyal noted that delivery partners retain 100 percent of customer tips, with average tips per hour rising marginally to Rs 2.6 in 2025. The union countered that tips apply to a small fraction of orders, limiting their impact on overall earnings.
The data also highlighted the short-term nature of most platform engagement. In 2025, the average delivery partner worked 38 days in the year, clocking about seven hours per working day. Only 2.3 percent of partners worked more than 250 days.
Eternal maintained that flexibility is central to the gig model, with no fixed shifts or assigned locations. The union argued that flexibility does not offset income uncertainty or replace labour protections.
The exchange has widened the national conversation around gig work, as platform growth accelerates while questions over wages, safety, and worker rights remain unresolved.
