Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal Goes Behind the Wheel for a Day, Delivers Food as a Delivery Agent
In an effort to gain a firsthand perspective of the everyday operations at Zomato, the company’s co-founder and CEO, Deepinder Goyal, swapped his corporate office for a delivery bike this past week. Goyal took to the streets of Gurugram, dressed in a Zomato uniform, and delivered food orders himself—giving him a glimpse into the life of the very people who make up the backbone of his company: delivery agents.
In a series of Instagram posts, Goyal documented the experience, sharing candid moments from his day as a Zomato delivery agent. The day was made even more personal with his wife, Grecia Munoz, who recently changed her name to Gia Goyal, joining him on the ride. The couple looked every bit the part, riding a Zomato-branded bike and navigating the city streets as they delivered meals to customers.
In one of the posts, Goyal wrote, “Went out to deliver orders a couple of days ago, teaming up with Grecia Munoz.” He also shared a short reel of him riding through the bustling streets of Gurugram, captioning it, “Loving delivering food to our customers, and enjoying the ride.” The reel showed him navigating traffic, checking his phone for delivery locations, and chatting with customers along the way.
The posts garnered a lot of attention, with over 28,000 likes on his main post and nearly 12,000 likes on the reel. Many people praised the CEO for his hands-on approach, with some even calling him "down-to-earth" for taking the time to experience life from the perspective of a delivery agent. It’s not every day you see a CEO jump on a delivery bike and hit the road, and that genuine effort to understand the operational side of the business clearly struck a chord with many of his followers.
But, as with most things in the public eye, not all reactions were positive. Some social media users seemed to view the gesture with a bit of skepticism, hinting that this might be more of a publicity stunt than a real attempt to engage with the challenges delivery workers face. One user quipped, “Bro, deliver to Old Gurugram area too rather than Cyber City areas,” implying that Goyal’s delivery route might have been in more affluent, high-profile areas, which are often seen as more convenient or safer for such activities.
Another user pointedly commented, “Not sure about this. But you definitely love the whooping platform fee you charge from your loving customers. Nice PR stunt.” This comment alluded to Zomato's controversial platform fees and delivery charges, suggesting that while Goyal’s gesture was appreciated, it didn’t address the more significant concerns many users and delivery agents have about the company's pricing structure.
While these critiques certainly surfaced, they didn’t seem to overshadow the positive reception. Many applauded Goyal for taking a day to get involved in the operation, something that often seems far removed from the lofty offices of CEOs. For a company that has faced its share of scrutiny—especially regarding the working conditions and fees imposed on customers and partners—this gesture felt refreshing, albeit not without its fair share of questions.
In the end, Goyal’s foray into the world of food delivery gave people a glimpse into the demands of the job and sparked a conversation about how those at the top of a company can sometimes benefit from a little time spent with their frontline workers. Whether it was a PR move or a genuine learning experience, it certainly sparked engagement and reflection on the challenges of the gig economy.
As for the larger conversation, it seems the experience may have helped open a dialogue about Zomato's role in the food delivery ecosystem and how they could better support both their customers and delivery agents. Whether or not Goyal will implement any significant changes in response to the feedback remains to be seen—but for now, his ride through Gurugram is still making waves online.
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