Popular food delivery and dining out platform Zomato has introduced a new feature. The company’s CEO Deepinder Goyal announced on X that Zomato now allows cash payments for orders, along with the option to instantly credit the balance amount to a customer’s Zomato Money account for future use.

“For cash on delivery orders, sometimes it can be inconvenient to get the exact amount. Starting today, our customers can pay the delivery partner in cash and ask for the balance to be added to their Zomato Money account instantly. This balance can be used for future delivery orders or dining out,” Goyal explained.

This new feature is designed to solve the common problem of handling exact change during cash transactions. By crediting the balance directly into the Zomato Money account, the platform ensures that customers have a hassle-free experience. This credited amount can be used for any upcoming delivery order or dining experience, adding an extra layer of convenience.

Goyal also acknowledged the inspiration behind the feature, pointing to another major platform. “Thanks to @bigbasket_com for the inspiration for this solution, and our delivery partners (three of them are working with us as product managers) for insisting that we develop it as quickly as possible,” he said. While the feature is an important step, it remains to be seen if Zomato will impose any time limit for using the balance. We will get better clarity on this in the times to come.

Moreover, it was recently reported that online delivery platforms like Swiggy, Zomato and BigBasket may soon start delivering low-alcohol beverages like beer, wine and liqueurs, according to The Economic Times. Citing industry officials, the report states that several states, including New Delhi, Karnataka, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Kerala, are considering pilot projects for the initiative. They revealed that officials are currently assessing the pros and cons of allowing alcohol delivery.

In 2020, Swiggy and Zomato launched online alcohol delivery in non-metro areas to diversify their services during the Covid-19 lockdown when their core business was significantly affected. Swiggy launched its alcohol delivery service in Ranchi after receiving the necessary approvals from the Jharkhand government. Zomato followed suit, launching in Ranchi and planning to expand to seven other cities in Jharkhand. At the time, both companies were in talks with authorities in major metros to expand their services, though approvals were expected to take a few weeks to a month.