Zomato has announced the launch of its order scheduling feature, providing customers with the flexibility to schedule food deliveries from two hours to two days in advance.  

The new service is available at more than 35,000 restaurants across 30 cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad.

The feature allows customers can plan meals and select preferred delivery times. Should the chosen time slot be full, an alternative will be suggested at the time of checkout.  

Customers have the option to cancel their order up to three hours prior to the scheduled time of delivery. 

The introduction of order scheduling is not only beneficial for customers but offers advantages for restaurant partners, potentially leading to incremental orders.  

Restaurants can maximise capacity by filling slower periods with advance orders, creating a stream of additional business without the need for extra training, as the feature integrates with current operations. 

Zomato has put measures in place to ensure the smooth running of the service. These include a curated selection of restaurants that adhere to kitchen preparation times consistently with high availability.  

Restaurants will receive proactive notifications ahead of scheduled orders to ensure they have sufficient time to prepare and deliver punctually.  

They can also control the availability of items or categories for scheduled orders, helping to prevent any issues with dish availability. 

Zomato launched its brand packs feature in July 2024, aiming to enhance customer loyalty. The initiative provides frequent customers with incentives such as special offers and discounts.