Food delivery major Zomato has increased its platform fee to ₹14.90 per order, up from the earlier ₹12.50, marking a hike of ₹2.40 or about 19.2%.

The revised fee will be applicable across orders on the app, with Goods and Services Tax (GST) continuing to be charged as per existing norms. This means customers will see a slightly higher final bill for each order placed through the platform.

The hike in platform fee is on a pan-India basis in all markets where Zomato operates. It had last hiked its platform fee in September last year.

It is a fixed charge added to every order, separate from delivery charges, restaurant pricing, and other applicable costs. While the increase may appear modest per order, it could impact frequent users over time.

Rival Swiggy has been charging a platform Rs 14.99 inclusive of GST from its users.

Meanwhile, magicpin, the third-largest food delivery player, which currently charges a platform fee of Rs 14.20 per order, ruled out a hike at least for the time being.

Anshoo Sharma, CEO & Founder, magicpin, said, "At a time when the food delivery ecosystem is navigating a tough phase with rising costs, we have consciously decided not to increase our platform fee to support our restaurant partners and keep food delivery accessible for customers".

The increase in platform fees by Zomato comes at a time when crude oil prices are rising due to the West Asia conflict. Higher fuel costs are expected to drive up the cost of delivery operations.