A Bengaluru-based techie, Sunny Gupta, recently shared his unique experience of ordering food through Zomato while traveling on a train. On his journey from Mumbai to Pune, Gupta decided to try Zomato’s new feature after he saw a prompt asking him to enter his Passenger Name Record (PNR). Intrigued by the idea, he placed an order for Triple Schezwan rice and documented the entire process in a viral thread on X (formerly Twitter).
Gupta explained that Zomato allows passengers to order food for delivery to upcoming stations, and he chose Panvel as his delivery location. Passengers can also place orders up to four days in advance and have the option to cancel before the preparation begins. Gupta ordered a meal worth ₹465 to be delivered directly to his berth on the Mumbai-Pune train.
Decided to skip ordering from the attendant and give Zomato on Train a chance.
Found this hotel serving Triple Shezwan Rice. I have an option to choose delivery an any upcoming station. Picked Panvel! pic.twitter.com/8FZkKC9MAZ
— Sunny R Gupta (@sunnykgupta) November 27, 2024
However, things didn’t go exactly as planned when the train was delayed. “The train is running delayed and Zomato says my food is prepped and waiting at the station,” Gupta wrote on X. He humorously added, “This is probably the first time I am taking revenge on Zomato. Food delivery guy is waiting for me and I’m running late.”
Gupta went on to share a video capturing the moment his food was delivered by a “polite guy,” expressing his overall satisfaction with the service. However, there was one issue he pointed out: the restaurant had failed to send any cutlery, despite Zomato’s instructions to provide plates and spoons, especially since passengers were on a train.
Alright so he is here!
Smooth handover. Polite guy. pic.twitter.com/AVQP13sQ3d— Sunny R Gupta (@sunnykgupta) November 27, 2024
His post quickly went viral, racking up more than 8 lakh views on X, with many users sharing their own experiences. One respondent praised the service, writing, “This meals on train by Zomato is really a great feature. I have ordered it many a times, better than trains and you get direct hotel-made food which you can choose. Great initiative by Zomato.” Another user chimed in, “I tried a couple of times… Worked like a charm.”
However, not all feedback was positive. One user shared their disappointment, recalling, “I ordered a medium-sized pizza last time I was on the train which cost me about ₹460 something. The train was running late for about 2 hours. The pizza was cold and the experience was not so good.”
Gupta’s humorous yet informative post has sparked a broader conversation about food delivery options for train travelers, with many applauding Zomato’s initiative, while others remain cautious about potential delays.