Deepinder Goyal-led Zomato launches 'order scheduling' feature for pre-planned deliveries

Deepinder Goyal-led food delivery giant Zomato has launched a new feature called “Order Scheduling.” The tool allows users to plan their food orders up to two days in advance, bringing a new level of convenience for customers who need precise delivery timing.

The feature is particularly useful for situations such as office lunches, gatherings, or even daily coffee routines, giving users full control over when their food arrives.

The feature, which is available across 35,000 restaurants in 30 major cities, including Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Pune, aims to make food ordering more flexible and user-friendly, as per the company.

How does order scheduling work?

The Order Scheduling feature lets customers schedule delivery times from two hours to two days in advance, offering flexibility and convenience.

Users can access this feature under the ‘Schedule’ option in the Zomato app’s Delivery tab. Once a customer selects a preferred time, Zomato notifies them of available slots. 

If the chosen time slot is full, an alternative time slot is suggested at checkout. Customers can add their desired food items to the cart and confirm the scheduled delivery by selecting a time and date.

For changing plans, Zomato offers a cancellation window, allowing users to cancel their orders up to three hours before the scheduled delivery time.

Is it beneficial for restaurants?

The Order Scheduling feature is beneficial not only for customers but also for Zomato’s restaurant partners.

By allowing pre-scheduled orders, restaurants can better manage their capacity during slower periods, potentially increasing their steady stream of orders.

Zomato has structured the feature to fit seamlessly with the restaurant’s existing operations, so no additional training or process changes are required for staff.

Notably, restaurants can also choose which menu items are available for scheduled orders, allowing them to maintain efficient stock and preparation management. This helps reduce the chances of items being unavailable during peak or scheduled times, adding an extra layer of reliability to the service.

Ensuring smooth operations with checks and safeguards

To maintain reliability and punctuality, Zomato has implemented specific safeguards for Order Scheduling.

Only restaurants with a strong track record for on-time preparation and high availability have been included in this feature.

The Gurugram-based company provides proactive notifications to these restaurants before the scheduled delivery time, ensuring they have adequate time to prepare orders. Restaurants also have the option to control which items can be scheduled for pre-order, minimizing the risk of substitutions or last-minute shortages.

Zomato’s expansion strategy and customer-centric approach

Zomato started testing the Order Scheduling feature earlier this year, initially focusing on select cities and high-order values.

After successful trials, the feature is now available to a wider customer base across multiple cities and price points.

The launch reflects Zomato’s ongoing efforts to improve the customer experience by adding flexibility and convenience to food delivery.