Flipkart is preparing to enter India’s online food-delivery market with Eat-in by Minutes, a new service designed to compete with Zomato and Swiggy. The Walmart-owned e-commerce company has expanded its internal trial in Bengaluru to more than 8,000 employees and is reportedly targeting a public launch by the end of October 2026. The company also plans to expand the service to five or six cities by the end of the year, according to reporting by TechCrunch and Inc42.

The proposed service combines Flipkart’s existing shopping app, restaurant partnerships through the government-backed Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), and a dedicated delivery fleet operated by its logistics arm, Ekart. Flipkart is also pitching lower restaurant commissions, reportedly around 10% at the base level, as a way to attract food businesses dissatisfied with the costs of established platforms. The launch timeline and commission structure have not been formally confirmed by Flipkart, but the move signals a new attempt to challenge the concentration of India’s food-delivery market.

Key Takeaways

  • Service name: Eat-in by Minutes, Flipkart’s reported new food-delivery offering.
  • Launch target: Public launch by the end of October 2026, according to industry reporting.
  • Pilot scale: More than 8,000 Flipkart employees are reportedly testing the service in Bengaluru.
  • Expansion plans: The company aims to reach five or six cities by the end of 2026.
  • Restaurant commissions: A base commission of around 10% has been proposed, according to the National Restaurant Association of India president.
  • Delivery infrastructure: Flipkart plans to use a dedicated Ekart rider fleet and onboard restaurants through ONDC and direct partnerships.
  • Main competitors: Zomato, Swiggy and newer challengers such as Rapido’s Ownly.

What Is Flipkart’s Eat-in by Minutes?

Eat-in by Minutes is Flipkart’s reported entry into restaurant food delivery, extending the company’s consumer-commerce strategy beyond shopping and quick commerce.

The service appears as a separate tab inside the main Flipkart app, alongside Flipkart Minutes and travel-booking options. This setup could allow the company to introduce food ordering to users who already visit its platform to purchase groceries, electronics, fashion and other products.

The internal pilot in Bengaluru has reportedly expanded from a smaller employee group to more than 8,000 participants. Testing with employees can help a company identify problems with restaurant discovery, order placement, payment, delivery coordination and customer support before opening the service to the public.

However, an employee-only trial does not establish that the service is ready for every neighbourhood or city. Restaurant availability, delivery times and the ability to handle peak-hour demand will need to be tested at a broader scale.

The reported October-end launch is therefore a target, not a confirmed nationwide release date. Initial public availability could be limited to selected locations before the company considers a wider expansion.

How Flipkart Plans to Deliver Food

Flipkart is expected to draw on infrastructure it already operates rather than build an entirely separate delivery network from scratch.

Its logistics arm, Ekart, has reportedly deployed a dedicated fleet for food orders. These riders are separate from those handling Flipkart’s quick-commerce deliveries, helping the company manage food delivery as a distinct operation.

That distinction matters because restaurant orders have different requirements from packaged goods. Food must be collected at the right time, transported carefully and delivered while it is still suitable to eat. Delays at restaurants, traffic conditions and order peaks can affect the customer experience.

Flipkart’s existing logistics expertise may help with route planning, delivery coordination and operational scale. But food delivery also requires a reliable network of restaurants, accurate preparation times and the ability to manage cancellations or missing items.

The company will need to demonstrate that its logistics arrangements can provide consistent service, especially during lunch and dinner periods when order volumes can rise sharply.

ONDC and direct restaurant partnerships

Flipkart is reportedly onboarding restaurants through ONDC as well as signing direct partnerships with food businesses.

ONDC is a government-backed digital commerce network designed to connect buyers and sellers across different applications. Instead of requiring every transaction to take place within one vertically integrated marketplace, the network allows participating applications and service providers to interact through shared protocols.

For Flipkart, ONDC could help broaden restaurant selection without relying exclusively on individually negotiated relationships. Direct partnerships can complement that approach by giving the company more control over the restaurant relationships and commercial terms it establishes.

The effectiveness of this model will depend on the restaurants available in each area, menu accuracy, order acceptance rates and delivery reliability. A large potential network does not automatically guarantee a dense, dependable selection in every neighbourhood.

Why Flipkart Is Offering Lower Restaurant Commissions

Restaurant commissions are central to Flipkart’s reported strategy. National Restaurant Association of India president Sagar Daryani told TechCrunch that Flipkart had proposed a base commission of around 10%, compared with the 20%–25% restaurants typically pay established platforms, according to his account.

Lower commissions could appeal to restaurants that want to retain a larger share of their online sales revenue. For a business operating on thin margins, even a modest reduction in platform charges can make a difference.

Consider a hypothetical restaurant order worth ₹500. A 10% base commission would amount to ₹50, while a 25% commission would amount to ₹125. The difference is ₹75 before accounting for other fees, taxes, discounts, delivery arrangements or other costs.

Hypothetical order valueAt 10% commissionAt 25% commission
₹300₹30₹75
₹500₹50₹125
₹800₹80₹200

These are illustrative calculations, not confirmed final charges under Flipkart’s service.

The base commission is only one component of a restaurant’s overall cost of selling online. Advertising, promotional campaigns, discounts, packaging and other services can increase the total expense. Restaurants will need to evaluate the complete commercial terms rather than compare headline commission rates alone.

Flipkart’s challenge will be to offer attractive terms while also covering delivery operations, technology, customer support and customer acquisition.

Can Flipkart Challenge Zomato and Swiggy?

India’s online food-delivery market has long been dominated by Zomato, operated by Eternal, and Swiggy. Both platforms have built extensive restaurant networks, established consumer habits and large delivery operations.

Flipkart will enter with a different set of advantages. It already has a large e-commerce user base, a recognised consumer app and logistics infrastructure. These assets could reduce the need to acquire every customer from scratch and create opportunities to introduce food delivery to existing shoppers.

The company could also use promotions, loyalty benefits and cross-category discovery to encourage customers to place their first orders. However, the effectiveness of these tactics will depend on the cost of incentives and whether customers continue ordering after introductory offers end.

Food delivery is a repeat-purchase business. Consumers tend to return when they find convenient ordering, dependable delivery, good restaurant choices and competitive final prices. A strong brand or large user base can help bring customers to a new service, but it cannot substitute for consistent execution.

Flipkart must also contend with newer competitors. Rapido’s Ownly has been expanding its restaurant-first, zero-commission approach, while other services are experimenting with lower-priced meals and alternative operating models. The competition is therefore not limited to the two established platforms.

What the Entry Means for Restaurants and Customers

For restaurants, a new platform could create another route to reach customers and reduce dependence on existing aggregators. If Flipkart offers lower overall selling costs, some restaurants may be willing to allocate menus, promotional budgets and delivery capacity to the service.

Yet restaurants will also have to consider order volumes. A lower commission is less valuable if a platform generates very few orders or requires substantial spending on advertising and discounts. Restaurant partners will likely assess the balance between lower fees and the number of incremental customers they receive.

Customers could benefit from additional restaurant choices and stronger price competition. Flipkart may offer promotions to encourage trial, although introductory discounts should not be confused with permanently lower prices.

The biggest test will be whether the company can provide enough value to change established ordering habits. Customers who already use Zomato or Swiggy may not switch simply because another app is available. They will need a compelling reason, such as better final prices, preferred restaurants, reliable delivery or benefits connected to their existing Flipkart account.

The Economics of Entering Food Delivery

Food delivery is operationally demanding because each order combines restaurant preparation, payment processing, customer support and last-mile logistics. The platform must coordinate these elements while managing cancellations, delivery delays and demand that fluctuates throughout the day.

Flipkart’s existing e-commerce and quick-commerce businesses may provide some infrastructure advantages. However, food delivery has distinct economics and cannot automatically be made profitable by sharing a brand or app with other services.

The company must balance customer acquisition costs with repeat ordering, delivery expenses and the revenue earned from restaurant partners. Lower commissions may attract restaurants, but they also reduce the revenue available per order unless higher volumes or other revenue streams compensate.

A public launch will provide an early indication of customer interest, but meaningful conclusions about the business will require more evidence on order volumes, repeat usage, average order value, delivery costs and restaurant retention.

The Bigger Picture

Flipkart’s planned food-delivery launch reflects a wider effort by Indian consumer-technology companies to expand beyond their original businesses. The company is seeking to use its existing audience, logistics capabilities and ONDC partnerships to enter a market where restaurant commissions and platform costs have become important points of debate.

The opportunity is substantial, but the established players have years of experience, broad restaurant coverage and familiar consumer products. Flipkart’s long-term position will depend on whether lower commissions can attract restaurants, its customer base converts into regular food orders, and its operations can deliver a consistently good experience without creating unsustainable costs.

Looking Ahead

The immediate milestones are the reported public launch by the end of October and the planned expansion to five or six cities by December 2026. The actual schedule, initial service areas and final restaurant commission terms remain subject to confirmation from Flipkart. Early indicators to watch will include restaurant onboarding, geographic coverage, delivery performance and whether the platform offers customers a meaningful price advantage.

Over time, the service will need to demonstrate repeat demand and sound unit economics. A large customer base can help Flipkart introduce food ordering, but sustained growth will depend on execution, restaurant relationships and competitive pricing. The launch could increase pressure on Zomato and Swiggy, particularly around merchant commissions, although its effect on market shares will only become clear after the service begins operating publicly.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Flipkart’s new food-delivery service called?

The reported service is called Eat-in by Minutes. It is being tested internally in Bengaluru before a planned public launch.

2. When will Flipkart launch food delivery?

Industry reports say Flipkart is targeting a public launch by the end of October 2026. The company has not publicly confirmed that date.

3. How many cities will Flipkart enter?

The company is reportedly aiming to expand to five or six cities by the end of 2026, following its Bengaluru pilot.

4. What commission will Flipkart charge restaurants?

A base commission of around 10% has been reported by the National Restaurant Association of India president. Final terms and additional costs have not been fully confirmed publicly.

5. How will Flipkart deliver food?

The company is reportedly using a dedicated delivery fleet operated by Ekart and onboarding restaurants through ONDC as well as direct partnerships.

6. Will Flipkart’s entry make food delivery cheaper?

It could increase competition and create more pricing options, but lower prices are not guaranteed. The final cost to customers will depend on menu prices, delivery fees, platform charges, promotions and restaurant availability.

Sources and further reading

Related coverage: Curefoods’ MegaBite pilot in Bengaluru.

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