<p>Bengaluru: After gig and platform workers raised concerns about food aggregator and quick delivery service platforms, consumers and restaurant owners are also sharing grievances about dark patterns used by these platforms.</p>.<p>A Local Circles survey found that over 90% of consumers nationwide have faced issues with packaging and food quality; 56% received damaged, spilt or distorted food due to poor handling.</p>.<p>Of the 79,000 responses from 359 Indian districts, 13,020 were from Bengaluru. About 97% of surveyed Bengaluru consumers reported issues including poorly maintained food temperature (30%), unsafe packaging (21%), stale or poor quality food (15%), and other problems with delivered food.</p>.<p>In the past year, 20% of city consumers reported their food was damaged, spilt or distorted by delivery agents at least 5 to 10% of the time.</p>.<p>Consumers also remain concerned about high pricing and hidden charges. Nationally, 55% of consumers found high taxes, delivery charges, and platform fees added to already inflated food prices. In Bengaluru, 51% found online prices higher than restaurant prices. Only 16% found pricing reasonable.</p>.<p>Despite frequent offers on platforms, 39% of city consumers said they could not avail both restaurant and bank discounts on orders.</p>.<p><strong>Restaurants in dismay</strong></p>.<p>Restaurants often inflate prices on delivery platforms to offset high commissions, usually ranging from 18 to 30%. Despite paying commissions, restaurateurs report losing money due to dark patterns used by aggregator platforms.</p>.<p>"It is a duopoly market, and no one can deny that. While Swiggy and Zomato continue to compete with each other, it is the restaurants that are being fleeced in the middle, and in turn, the consumers are getting affected," said Nikhil Agarwal, owner of Bamey's chain of restaurants.</p>.<p>Sharing an example, he added, "If I have introduced a new item on the menu, it is common practice to put out a discount on the item. But after some time, when you want to remove the discount, neither Swiggy nor Zomato will take it down unless the other takes it down first."</p>.<p>Five of eight restaurants interviewed shared instances of aggregator platforms advertising offers and discount codes without permission. The practice remains common for both chains and small eateries.</p>.<p>The Local Circles survey showed 51% of Bengaluru consumers and 37% nationwide have had at least one experience where the total charged by food aggregator platforms was less than the restaurant bill that came with the food. Multiple restaurants also reported delivery agents switching packaged food with lower quality food midway.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: After gig and platform workers raised concerns about food aggregator and quick delivery service platforms, consumers and restaurant owners are also sharing grievances about dark patterns used by these platforms.</p>.<p>A Local Circles survey found that over 90% of consumers nationwide have faced issues with packaging and food quality; 56% received damaged, spilt or distorted food due to poor handling.</p>.<p>Of the 79,000 responses from 359 Indian districts, 13,020 were from Bengaluru. About 97% of surveyed Bengaluru consumers reported issues including poorly maintained food temperature (30%), unsafe packaging (21%), stale or poor quality food (15%), and other problems with delivered food.</p>.<p>In the past year, 20% of city consumers reported their food was damaged, spilt or distorted by delivery agents at least 5 to 10% of the time.</p>.<p>Consumers also remain concerned about high pricing and hidden charges. Nationally, 55% of consumers found high taxes, delivery charges, and platform fees added to already inflated food prices. In Bengaluru, 51% found online prices higher than restaurant prices. Only 16% found pricing reasonable.</p>.<p>Despite frequent offers on platforms, 39% of city consumers said they could not avail both restaurant and bank discounts on orders.</p>.<p><strong>Restaurants in dismay</strong></p>.<p>Restaurants often inflate prices on delivery platforms to offset high commissions, usually ranging from 18 to 30%. Despite paying commissions, restaurateurs report losing money due to dark patterns used by aggregator platforms.</p>.<p>"It is a duopoly market, and no one can deny that. While Swiggy and Zomato continue to compete with each other, it is the restaurants that are being fleeced in the middle, and in turn, the consumers are getting affected," said Nikhil Agarwal, owner of Bamey's chain of restaurants.</p>.<p>Sharing an example, he added, "If I have introduced a new item on the menu, it is common practice to put out a discount on the item. But after some time, when you want to remove the discount, neither Swiggy nor Zomato will take it down unless the other takes it down first."</p>.<p>Five of eight restaurants interviewed shared instances of aggregator platforms advertising offers and discount codes without permission. The practice remains common for both chains and small eateries.</p>.<p>The Local Circles survey showed 51% of Bengaluru consumers and 37% nationwide have had at least one experience where the total charged by food aggregator platforms was less than the restaurant bill that came with the food. Multiple restaurants also reported delivery agents switching packaged food with lower quality food midway.</p>