ood delivery companies Zomato and Swiggy have announced extra payments for delivery partners on New Year’s Eve. They say this is a normal step taken every year because many people order food on this day. However, delivery workers’ unions have still planned a nationwide strike on December 31, 2025, demanding better pay and safer working conditions.
💰 What Zomato is offering
Zomato said that delivery partners will get ₹120 to ₹150 for each order during peak hours from 6 pm to 12 midnight on New Year’s Eve.
Some workers can earn up to ₹3,000 in one day, depending on how many orders they complete.
The company has also removed penalties for rejecting or cancelling orders for that day.
Zomato is owned by Eternal, which also owns Blinkit. A company spokesperson said this is part of their normal festive-season plan, when demand is very high.
🚴 What Swiggy is offering
Swiggy has also increased payments for delivery partners.
Workers can earn up to ₹10,000 over December 31 and January 1.
On New Year’s Eve alone, Swiggy is offering up to ₹2,000 during peak hours (6 pm to 12 am).
✊ Why delivery workers are striking
Delivery workers’ unions, including TGPWU and IFAT, have called for a nationwide strike on December 31.
They say more than 1.7 lakh workers have already agreed to take part.
They are unhappy because:
- Their earnings have gone down
- They face too much pressure to deliver very fast
- They do not get enough respect and safety at work
These unions warn that the strike may affect companies like Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart on one of the busiest days of the year.
🗓️ What happened earlier
On December 25, many delivery workers went on strike in Telangana and other places.
The unions say the companies did not listen to their problems after that protest, which is why they are now going for a bigger strike on New Year’s Eve.
📢 Workers’ main demands
Union leader Shaik Salauddin said workers want:
- The old payment system to be brought back
- The 10-minute delivery option to be removed
- Better safety and working conditions
He also asked the state and central governments to step in and help solve the issue.
