{"id":6716,"date":"2025-06-05T22:55:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T17:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thirdeyesight.in\/?p=6716"},"modified":"2025-07-15T23:06:00","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T17:36:00","slug":"how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/","title":{"rendered":"How Zomato\u2019s Opaque Ad Model Is Squeezing Small Restaurants\u2019 Margins and Forcing Unsustainable Spending"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Aakriti Bansal, MediaNama
June 5, 2025 <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A restaurant owner recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to publicly slam Zomato for \u201cmystery charges\u201d and unauthorised ad placements, reigniting concerns over how the platform treats its small business partners. The tweet, accompanied by screenshots of the restaurant\u2019s earnings dashboard, claimed that despite months of listings, his restaurant received zero payouts, and Zomato allegedly ran ads without his consent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDear @zomato @deepigoyal I\u2019m finally pulling my restaurant off your platform. Congrats! Your mystery service charges, surprise ad placements (without consent), and a POC who ghosts like it\u2019s a talent show\u2014truly inspiring. Small outlets deserve better,\u201d restaurant owner Manish posted on X, under the username @maniyakiduniya.<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Zomato responded: \u201cWe hear you! As mentioned earlier, please share your restaurant ID with us via DM, so that our team can get in touch with you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The post has struck a chord among restaurant owners who say Zomato\u2019s ad model bleeds their business dry. In conversations with MediaNama over the week, two restaurant owners and a former manager with Zomato independently confirmed that the platform\u2019s advertising system leaves little room for transparency, choice, or sustainable profit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The names of the restaurant owners and the former Zomato manager have been withheld to protect their anonymity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Forced Ad Spending and Diminishing Returns<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Restaurant owners say visibility on Zomato is tightly tied to how much they spend on advertising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you don\u2019t run ads, your restaurant won\u2019t even show up unless someone searches for you by name,\u201d one owner told MediaNama. He further added, \u201cFrom what I\u2019ve seen, the top 10 restaurants you see when you open Zomato are all paying for that spot.\u201d<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Even ratings and reviews don\u2019t help. For instance, if a user searches for \u2018noodles\u2019, only those who have paid for the ad category will show up in the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Restaurant owners explained how the ad budget starts small, around Rs. 300\u2013400 per week, but grows rapidly. In one case, as seen by MediaNama in a restaurant\u2019s ad dashboard, spending jumped from Rs. 9,000 to Rs. 15,000 per week in just two to three weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSome are spending Rs. 18,000 to Rs. 20,000 weekly now on ads just to stay afloat,\u201d an owner explained, noting that these costs are hard to bear for restaurants with weekly sales as low as Rs. 2,500.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen everyone is pushed to advertise just to stay visible, it raises serious questions about how fair the competition is on the platform,\u201d they said. \u201cIt\u2019s not about food quality or ratings anymore, it\u2019s about who pays more,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A screenshot shared by a restaurant owner showing a decline in sales from ads, offers, and orders with applied discounts, highlighting concerns over the effectiveness of Zomato\u2019s advertising model.
Click Charges with No Sales<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zomato charges restaurants based on clicks, not conversions. This means a restaurant is charged whenever a user taps on its listing after seeing a sponsored ad, regardless of whether the user places an order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One owner explained, \u201cA single click can cost around Rs. 6. Even if a customer just views the restaurant by clicking on it and doesn\u2019t buy, that money is deducted.\u201d He showed a dashboard with 4,877 clicks \u2013 most of which occurred before noon \u2013 but no conversions. \u201cThey exhaust our daily limit by 12 PM and then tell us to increase ad budgets,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another restaurant owner echoed similar concerns in a Reddit conversation reviewed by MediaNama. The owner stated that Zomato counts a \u2018visit\u2019 even when a user scrolls past an ad and places an order a day later. \u201cThat is on purpose,\u201d he wrote, calling the model \u201cscammy for sure\u201d. He also confirmed that restaurants receive no detailed data on who placed orders via ads versus organically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore, the owner noted that Zomato lacks a clear grievance redressal mechanism for ad-related issues, as complaints are often ignored by a restaurant owner\u2019s point of contact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no formal audit or independent review if an ad campaign fails,\u201d he said.<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
The Legal Escape Hatch: You Signed the Contract<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Restaurant owners say Zomato deducts ad spends automatically, citing terms buried in the onboarding agreement \u2013 terms many admit they didn\u2019t fully understand before signing. Once enrolled, there\u2019s no clear way to pause or cancel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no way to opt out once it starts, and no refunds either,\u201d one merchant said. \u201cZomato just says, \u2018You came to us,\u2019 whenever we raise concerns,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But is this consent truly informed? \u201cIt\u2019s a honeytrap,\u201d the merchant said. \u201cThere\u2019s no other option but to keep spending on ads if you want to stay relevant on the platform,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Price Parity, Platform Pressure, and Squeezed Margins<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another major source of concern is Zomato\u2019s price parity push. According to one owner, the company convinced restaurants to upload their table-rate menu on the platform by offering to lower commission fees. However, this strategy has backfired for many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey promised lower commission if we maintained the same prices online and offline. But now we pay Good and Services Tax (GST), high commissions, and ad spends on top of that. Our margins are cut down to 5\u201310%,\u201d he said. Commissions alone can go up to 35\u201340% every month, forcing smaller restaurants to comply just to remain competitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In effect, merchants are footing the bill for everything: discounts, ads, visibility, and commissions, while Zomato gains from each layer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Coupons and Data Obscurity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The dashboard Zomato offers shows data like clicks and visits, but it hides key financial insights that would help merchants make informed decisions. \u201cThey will show you how much you sold, but not how much you are paying to the platform,\u201d one owner said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Restaurant owners also said they have little to no control over how Zomato spends their ad budget. \u201cWe don\u2019t know when our ads are shown, or to whom. There\u2019s no data on which campaign worked better, or what to change,\u201d one merchant said. Without visibility into targeting and performance strategy, many feel they are blindly spending in hopes of visibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Coupon codes, too, are deducted from the restaurant\u2019s share, even if the platform offers them without informing the merchant. \u201cWhatever discount a customer sees, it\u2019s cut from our side. Zomato\u2019s share is tiny, about 15%. We bear the rest,\u201d the merchant added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If a platform issues discounts unilaterally but bills restaurants for them, is that a fair bargain?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Opaque Categories and Manipulated Targeting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Merchants also highlighted how Zomato divides ad rates by cuisine categories \u2014 North Indian, Chinese, etc. \u2014 and even by customer frequency. \u201cThere are eight to 10 customer categories, each with a different ad rate,\u201d an owner said. \u201cFrequent buyers are more expensive to target\u201d, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The platform nudges merchants to buy targeted ads by showing graphics and dashboards that suggest potential boosts. But when profits drop, and merchants reach out, they are told that competition has increased significantly since they last got in touch with Zomato and they should spend more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a vicious cycle. They\u2019ll say: \u2018Try a brand title ad or pay Rs. 300 extra to reach daily customers.\u2019 The game never ends,\u201d revealed the restaurant owner.<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Inside Zomato: How Ads Shape Visibility<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
A former Zomato manager told MediaNama that restaurants not running ads don\u2019t get deliberately penalised, but they do end up losing visibility. \u201cThose who run ads automatically rise in rankings. So the others fall behind,\u201d he said. Even a high-rated restaurant may slip if competitors outspend it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For context, how much a restaurant pays for ads often depends on their rapport with the specific Zomato account manager and their business goals. \u201cIf a restaurant wants aggressive growth, we push it to the top line: high spend, high return. Others stay in the down line: lower investment, slower scale,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ad pricing, he said, is not standardised. \u201cIt varies depending on what the manager thinks the client can afford and how much they are willing to push.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that Zomato\u2019s discovery algorithm changes every five to six months, which makes it difficult for restaurants to adapt or plan long-term. \u201cThe idea is to keep the system rotating so one client doesn\u2019t dominate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Performance tracking for restaurants, he said, is mostly transparent except for one missing piece: acquisition data. \u201cZomato doesn\u2019t show how many customers came through advertising. That\u2019s where it becomes murky.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He admitted Zomato doesn\u2019t intervene if a restaurant complains about bad ad results. \u201cIt depends on the manager\u2019s willingness but hardly anyone did it because of too many internal disputes on this issue.\u201d
Why Ad Revenue Matters So Much<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ad revenue, the former Zomato manager said, is especially crucial in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn big cities, order values are high, so aggregators can survive on commissions. But in smaller cities, ad income is the main driver as the order values are comparatively low\u201d, the former manager added.<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Zomato\u2019s Q4FY25 Shareholders\u2019 Letter reflects this reliance: the company\u2019s advertising and sales promotion expenses rose to Rs. 1,972 crore on a consolidated basis in FY25, up from Rs. 1,432 crore in FY24. While these are expenses borne by the platform, they highlight how advertising has become a structural lever in both customer acquisition and revenue generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elsewhere, an HDFC Securities report states that quick commerce companies have theoretical levers to improve margins, such as increasing take rates, including higher ad income. It also observes that Blinkit would need to improve its take rates from 18.5% to 22% to reach a 5% adjusted EBITDAM (Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, Amortisation, and Management Fees), with ad revenue identified as a key lever to meet that target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the report notes that heightened competition may keep some of these levers non-operational.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zomato\u2018s Response<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response to MediaNama\u2019s queries, a Zomato spokesperson shared the following statement:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll marketing collaborations such as ads, promotions, and discounts etc., as well as commercials, are mutually discussed with our restaurant partners before being switched on, switched off or modified. Our multi-factor authentication system ensures that partners retain full control and give explicit consent which is registered before any changes go live. We also maintain robust escalation mechanisms, allowing partners to raise concerns and receive prompt, satisfactory resolutions through the Restaurant Partner App as well as centralised helpline numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We continue to see restaurants having confidence in our partnership and are taking a proactive step to improve and enhance our interactions and processes. For our smaller restaurant partners, we work extra hard to make it easier for them to grow with us. There are always opportunities to improve and we are committed to working on them, on-time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While Zomato says it maintains robust escalation mechanisms and explicit partner consent, restaurant owners who spoke to MediaNama described a different reality: one of automatic deductions, limited control, and opaque ad operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Zomato\u2019s Policy Says and Doesn\u2019t<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Zomato\u2019s Sponsored Listing Service terms, merchants are expected to make full payments in advance. Refunds are not guaranteed, and Zomato has full discretion on ad placements, sizes, and category changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The company \u201cassumes no liability or responsibility for any\u2026 click frauds, technological issues or other potentially invalid activity that affects the cost of Service.\u201d It also \u201cdoes not warrant the results from use of Service, and the Merchant assumes all risk and responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Sponsored Listing Service terms grant Zomato broad rights to use merchant content, brand names, and logos, while limiting the company\u2019s liability to the amount of fee paid during a term. These terms become legally binding once the Service Request Form (SRF) is signed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While Zomato offers a merchant dashboard to track visits, it does not disclose the full breakdown of how ad money is being spent or how much value is being returned. One merchant noted that visibility data only started appearing in the last five to six months. Before that, they had no metrics at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Swiggy\u2019s Self Serve Ads: A More Transparent Model?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Swiggy says its ad platform puts control in the hands of restaurant partners. Through the Self Serve Ads tool, restaurants can create their own campaigns, adjust daily spends, and track how those campaigns perform. The company promotes the tool as flexible and cost-effective, with no upfront payments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The onboarding process is laid out step-by-step: restaurants upload documents like GST and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) certificates, complete Know Your Customer (KYC), and sign a Partnership Agreement after a verification visit from a Swiggy representative, As per Swiggy, commissions are based on location and whether a restaurant opts for extra promotions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Compared to Zomato\u2019s Sponsored Listings model, which some restaurant owners say they didn\u2019t fully understand when signing up, Swiggy\u2019s approach looks more structured and consent-driven, at least on the surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But that clarity doesn\u2019t always hold up. One of the restaurant owners told MediaNama that Swiggy\u2019s model isn\u2019t entirely different from Zomato\u2019s. \u201cYou have to pay them if you want your restaurant to show up in search. It\u2019s the same thing, just framed differently,\u201d the owner said, suggesting that visibility on the platform often comes at a cost, regardless of how the ad system is marketed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Advertising as a Structural Lever in Quick Commerce<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Restaurant owners have flagged the rising costs and opacity of advertising on platforms like Zomato. But industry research shows that this isn\u2019t just a revenue stream but it\u2019s central to how delivery platforms, especially in quick commerce, are designed to operate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A September 2024 report by CLSA, titled App-racadabra- Magic Behind Instant Delivery Liberating Customers, found that ad revenue makes up around 3.5% to 4.5% of gross merchandise value (GMV) on Zepto. That figure is only expected to grow as more brands start recognising the significance of quick commerce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Interestingly, Zepto doesn\u2019t just run ads for brands that sell on its platform. It also allows companies to advertise even if they aren\u2019t listed, using spaces like the order tracking page, according to the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Quick commerce platforms can also use past purchase data to deliver more targeted ads and push higher-value products \u2013 what the report calls driving \u201cpremiumisation\u201d of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zomato\u2019s quick commerce arm, Blinkit, is expected to lean heavily on ads to hit profitability targets. CLSA notes that Blinkit\u2019s margins could eventually exceed those of food delivery, given the larger potential for ad revenue and the shift toward higher-margin categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report adds that quick commerce is especially useful for smaller or direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands. These businesses can tap into a pan-India audience without having to build their own distribution networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The CLSA findings reinforce how advertising isn\u2019t just about visibility, but it is baked into the business model. As margins tighten, discovery on these apps is no longer organic but paid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Expert View: Power, Visibility, and Platform Dependence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
These patterns mirror broader trends across retail and platform ecosystems, not just food delivery.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Devangshu Dutta, the Founder and Chief Executive of specialist consulting firm Third Eyesight, told MediaNama that these dynamics are not unique to Zomato or even food delivery.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAdvertising and promotion focussing on specific brands or products is standard across various platforms and formats. It is an outcome of the balance of power between the platform and the supplier brand, and is equally true of physical retail chains, online marketplaces and aggregation platforms such as Zomato,\u201d he said.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brands or restaurant chains with deeper pockets tend to secure greater visibility\u2014whether through premium shelf space in physical stores or prominent placements like sponsored listings and banners on delivery platforms.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDemand-side concentration inevitably favours larger suppliers and brands who can fund visibility, whether it is through endcap displays in a retail aisle or sponsored banners or top-of-search-list positions on an app,\u201d Dutta stated.<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
However, he noted that some established brands may choose to bypass platform dependence altogether.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf brands are well-established or have other means to ensure that their message and product reaches the target consumer, they may choose to opt out of the channel, as many restaurants have done with Zomato and Swiggy,\u201d Dutta explained.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
How Can Restaurants Push Back?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the context of restaurants displaying resistance to food delivery apps, one of the restaurant owners said that small restaurants need to come together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere should be local unions who can stand up to Zomato. And there should be a blanket rule on how much ad spend is allowed, so merchants don\u2019t fall into this trap,\u201d the owner said.<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
He added that Zomato seems to earn more from merchants than from customers. \u201cWhatever we pay to be visible, it all goes into the platform\u2019s pocket\u201d, he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Further, he argued that without collective action, individual pushback rarely works. \u201cThe minute we stop ad spend, our listings drop to the bottom. So we need to walk together. If even 30% of merchants stop ads at once, it will force a reaction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why This Matters<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
As India\u2019s online food delivery market continues to grow, so does the reliance of small businesses on platforms like Zomato. However, these platforms are acting as gatekeepers by deciding who gets seen, how often, and at what price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By tying discovery to opaque algorithms and costly ad spends, they tilt the playing field in favour of businesses that can afford to pay more. In such a system, can small restaurants survive?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And the issue goes beyond advertising. Zomato recently paused its 50:50 refund-sharing policy after public backlash and partner complaints. Restaurant owners said the company auto-enabled the policy and deducted money without consent or clear explanation. As with ads, there was no transparent opt-out process or formal appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Together, these practices raise broader concerns: Should platform-led monetisation come with stricter disclosure norms? Can regulators step in to ensure pricing fairness and transparency in merchant contracts? And what role can merchant collectives play in counterbalancing this power?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For now, many restaurant owners feel caught in a system that offers visibility and participation at a cost they cannot afford and exit without impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Published in MediaNama<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Aakriti Bansal, MediaNama June 5, 2025 A restaurant owner recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to publicly slam Zomato for \u201cmystery charges\u201d and unauthorised ad placements, reigniting concerns over how the platform treats its small business partners. The tweet, accompanied by screenshots of the restaurant\u2019s earnings dashboard, claimed that despite months of listings, his restaurant […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6717,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[249,631,60,3,43,46,302],"tags":[97,661,102,600,226,214,291,216,292,217,59,191,69,548,120,166,70,785,718,230,714,65,489,301,316,405,205,358,317,206,66,762,311,763],"class_list":["post-6716","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-e-commerce","category-food-service-restaurants","category-india","category-press-quotes","category-retail","category-strategy","category-technology","tag-advertising","tag-competition","tag-consumer-markets","tag-ecommerce","tag-fast-food","tag-food","tag-food-beverage","tag-food-grocery","tag-food-and-grocery","tag-food-service","tag-india","tag-indian-market","tag-indian-retail-sector","tag-margin","tag-marketing","tag-modern-retail","tag-organised-retail","tag-profitability","tag-quick-commerce","tag-quick-service-restaurants","tag-restaurants","tag-retail","tag-retailer","tag-retailing","tag-small-business","tag-small-retail","tag-small-retailer","tag-small-retailers","tag-small-scale-industry","tag-small-medium-enterprises","tag-supply-chain","tag-swiggy","tag-technology-2","tag-zomato"],"yoast_head":"\nHow Zomato\u2019s Opaque Ad Model Is Squeezing Small Restaurants\u2019 Margins and Forcing Unsustainable Spending - Third Eyesight<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Restaurant owners say visibility on Zomato is tightly tied to how much they spend on advertising.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index,follow\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Zomato\u2019s Opaque Ad Model Is Squeezing Small Restaurants\u2019 Margins and Forcing Unsustainable Spending - Third Eyesight\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Restaurant owners say visibility on Zomato is tightly tied to how much they spend on advertising.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Third Eyesight\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/facebook.com\/thirdeyesight\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-06-05T17:25:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-15T17:36:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Zomato-Helmet-1.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"613\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"551\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@thirdeyesight\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@thirdeyesight\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/185f0e11ac1a68314697808a31fffddc\"},\"headline\":\"How Zomato\u2019s Opaque Ad Model Is Squeezing Small Restaurants\u2019 Margins and Forcing Unsustainable Spending\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-05T17:25:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-15T17:36:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":2786,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/07\\\/Zomato-Helmet-1.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Advertising\",\"competition\",\"consumer markets\",\"ecommerce\",\"fast food\",\"food\",\"Food & Beverage\",\"Food & Grocery\",\"food and grocery\",\"food service\",\"India\",\"Indian market\",\"Indian retail sector\",\"margin\",\"Marketing\",\"modern retail\",\"organised retail\",\"profitability\",\"quick commerce\",\"Quick Service Restaurants\",\"restaurants\",\"Retail\",\"retailer\",\"retailing\",\"small business\",\"small retail\",\"small retailer\",\"small retailers\",\"small scale industry\",\"small-medium enterprises\",\"Supply Chain\",\"Swiggy\",\"technology\",\"Zomato\"],\"articleSection\":[\"e-commerce\",\"Food Service \\\/ Restaurants\",\"India\",\"Press Quotes\",\"Retail\",\"Strategy\",\"Technology\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\\\/\",\"name\":\"How Zomato\u2019s Opaque Ad Model Is Squeezing Small Restaurants\u2019 Margins and Forcing Unsustainable Spending - Third Eyesight\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/07\\\/Zomato-Helmet-1.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-05T17:25:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-15T17:36:00+00:00\",\"description\":\"Restaurant owners say visibility on Zomato is tightly tied to how much they spend on advertising.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/07\\\/Zomato-Helmet-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/07\\\/Zomato-Helmet-1.png\",\"width\":613,\"height\":551},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How Zomato\u2019s Opaque Ad Model Is Squeezing Small Restaurants\u2019 Margins and Forcing Unsustainable Spending\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/\",\"name\":\"Third Eyesight\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Third Eyesight\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/1Third-Eyesight-Logo_small.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/1Third-Eyesight-Logo_small.jpg\",\"width\":300,\"height\":168,\"caption\":\"Third Eyesight\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/facebook.com\\\/thirdeyesight\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/thirdeyesight\",\"https:\\\/\\\/linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/third-eyesight\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/185f0e11ac1a68314697808a31fffddc\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/e68934500e53f3662c63eedee4d0149b5ca37f966bf317abf79b7bfdf52d4136?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/e68934500e53f3662c63eedee4d0149b5ca37f966bf317abf79b7bfdf52d4136?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/e68934500e53f3662c63eedee4d0149b5ca37f966bf317abf79b7bfdf52d4136?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/thirdeyesite.in\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/myechoproject.com\\\/TES\\\/author\\\/admin\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How Zomato\u2019s Opaque Ad Model Is Squeezing Small Restaurants\u2019 Margins and Forcing Unsustainable Spending - Third Eyesight","description":"Restaurant owners say visibility on Zomato is tightly tied to how much they spend on advertising.","robots":{"index,follow":"index,follow"},"canonical":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"How Zomato\u2019s Opaque Ad Model Is Squeezing Small Restaurants\u2019 Margins and Forcing Unsustainable Spending - Third Eyesight","og_description":"Restaurant owners say visibility on Zomato is tightly tied to how much they spend on advertising.","og_url":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/","og_site_name":"Third Eyesight","article_publisher":"https:\/\/facebook.com\/thirdeyesight","article_published_time":"2025-06-05T17:25:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-07-15T17:36:00+00:00","og_image":[{"width":613,"height":551,"url":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Zomato-Helmet-1.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@thirdeyesight","twitter_site":"@thirdeyesight","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/#\/schema\/person\/185f0e11ac1a68314697808a31fffddc"},"headline":"How Zomato\u2019s Opaque Ad Model Is Squeezing Small Restaurants\u2019 Margins and Forcing Unsustainable Spending","datePublished":"2025-06-05T17:25:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-15T17:36:00+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/"},"wordCount":2786,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Zomato-Helmet-1.png","keywords":["Advertising","competition","consumer markets","ecommerce","fast food","food","Food & Beverage","Food & Grocery","food and grocery","food service","India","Indian market","Indian retail sector","margin","Marketing","modern retail","organised retail","profitability","quick commerce","Quick Service Restaurants","restaurants","Retail","retailer","retailing","small business","small retail","small retailer","small retailers","small scale industry","small-medium enterprises","Supply Chain","Swiggy","technology","Zomato"],"articleSection":["e-commerce","Food Service \/ Restaurants","India","Press Quotes","Retail","Strategy","Technology"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/","url":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/","name":"How Zomato\u2019s Opaque Ad Model Is Squeezing Small Restaurants\u2019 Margins and Forcing Unsustainable Spending - Third Eyesight","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Zomato-Helmet-1.png","datePublished":"2025-06-05T17:25:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-15T17:36:00+00:00","description":"Restaurant owners say visibility on Zomato is tightly tied to how much they spend on advertising.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Zomato-Helmet-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Zomato-Helmet-1.png","width":613,"height":551},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/how-zomatos-opaque-ad-model-is-squeezing-small-restaurants-margins-and-forcing-unsustainable-spending\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How Zomato\u2019s Opaque Ad Model Is Squeezing Small Restaurants\u2019 Margins and Forcing Unsustainable Spending"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/#website","url":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/","name":"Third Eyesight","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/#organization","name":"Third Eyesight","url":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/1Third-Eyesight-Logo_small.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/1Third-Eyesight-Logo_small.jpg","width":300,"height":168,"caption":"Third Eyesight"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/facebook.com\/thirdeyesight","https:\/\/x.com\/thirdeyesight","https:\/\/linkedin.com\/company\/third-eyesight"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/#\/schema\/person\/185f0e11ac1a68314697808a31fffddc","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e68934500e53f3662c63eedee4d0149b5ca37f966bf317abf79b7bfdf52d4136?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e68934500e53f3662c63eedee4d0149b5ca37f966bf317abf79b7bfdf52d4136?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e68934500e53f3662c63eedee4d0149b5ca37f966bf317abf79b7bfdf52d4136?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/thirdeyesite.in"],"url":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/author\/admin\/"}]}},"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6716","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6716"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6716\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6719,"href":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6716\/revisions\/6719"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6717"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6716"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6716"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myechoproject.com\/TES\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6716"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}