Fri Jan 17 23:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Zomato CEO Apologizes Publicly for “Vegetarian Tax” After LinkedIn Criticism
**NEW DELHI** – Zomato, a leading Indian food delivery platform, is facing backlash after introducing a controversial extra charge for vegetarian meal deliveries. The charge, described by some users as a “luxury tax,” sparked outrage on social media, leading to an unprecedented public apology from CEO Deepinder Goyal.
The controversy began when LinkedIn user Rohit Ranjan shared a picture of his Zomato bill highlighting the extra charge. Ranjan criticized the fee, stating that being vegetarian in India felt like a “curse” due to such practices. His post quickly gained traction, prompting a direct response from Goyal himself.
In a rare move, Goyal publicly apologized for the error, calling the charge “absolutely stupid” and promising its immediate removal. He further committed to reviewing internal processes to prevent similar incidents in the future. Goyal’s response included strong language expressing his dissatisfaction with the situation and vowing to address the issue within his team.
Another LinkedIn user, Raj Rupesh Bharadwaj, also criticized the policy, prompting a further response from Goyal confirming the fee’s removal within 45 minutes of Ranjan’s initial post.
This incident highlights the growing power of social media in holding companies accountable and the potential impact of direct engagement from top executives in addressing customer concerns. The swift response from Zomato’s CEO suggests a commitment to rectifying the situation and preventing similar issues from arising in the future.
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