Zomato is ready to make a change that may disappoint many of its loyal gold members. From 16 May, the company would also start charging an additional rainfall fee for users taken membership of its gold membership plan – a cost that was earlier forgiven as part of allowances. Here is everything that we know about it.

The latest changes were declared quietly through the app, and we have received notifications about it, such as the monsoon season begins to make its way into many Indian cities. Rain surcharge – usually between Rs 15 to Rs 35 – has been implemented during prolonged bad weather, but gold users were already rescued. Now this will not happen.

So far, Zomato Gold has offered benefits such as free delivery from nearby fellow restaurants and rainy charges. But now, whereas free delivery under 7 km and food exemption of up to 30 percent remains, additional costs can make more expensive orders during the rains.

ZOMATO has explained the move, saying that the fee helps in providing better payments to the delivery partners working under difficult conditions. However, some users have questioned the lack of clarity as to how this money is distributed and whether the company is transparent about it.

Meanwhile, rival Swiggy also continues to levy equal fees during the rains, even for members of its own membership plan, showing that it can become ideal in platforms.

It is worth noting that Zomato Gold still includes unlimited free delivery from select outlets, including some dominos and others that manage their own logistics. These fellow restaurants carry a “free delivery” tag to help users users identify. It is worth noting that the company already charges a fee during the festive season, something that Zamato accepted, saying: “This fee helps us pay our bills to keep the zomato operational. To maintain services during the festive season, it has increased slightly,”

The removal of rain fee exemption can reduce the overall value of gold membership for many users – especially during the monsoon months when such allegations occur continuously. Do customers continue to look at membership because the value remains to be seen.