Food Delivery Platforms List Jantar Mantar as Protest Site, See Surge in Orders
Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart add 'Jantar Mantar Protest Site' to addresses amid increased demand for food, groceries, and medical essentials.
Quick Look
- Food delivery and quick commerce platforms like Swiggy and Zomato have added "Jantar Mantar Protest Site" as an address, experiencing a 70-80% surge in orders for food, groceries, and medical supplies.
- Brands are increasing supplies, and some outlets served as first-aid centers.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Food delivery and quick commerce platforms have seen a significant increase in orders at the Jantar Mantar protest site, prompting them and major food brands to increase supplies to meet demand.
New Delhi: Food delivery aggregators and quick commerce platforms Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart have added "Jantar Mantar Protest Site" to addresses on their apps, amid brisk business in orders of both food, grocery and medical essentials ranging from biscuits to bandages, at the site of ongoing protest led by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
Foods brands, including McDonald's, KFC and Burger King, as well as brands selling packaged water, beverages, snacks and other daily essentials have stepped up supplies to the aggregators as well as at their stores in and around Delhi's Connaught Place (CP) area, with orders for the students being placed till 3 am, executives said.
"Order values as well as frequency of orders at the protest site have surged at least 70-80% day-on-day, since Monday. The support of various celebrities to students has further brought in people wanting to support the students," said an executive at a quick commerce platform.
"We have been constantly receiving large orders on our platforms, well into the nights as well," said an executive at a large quick commerce platform. "We have ensured adequate stocks from our suppliers so we don't fall short of demand," he added.
Others reported on social platforms that several cab aggregators ferried students without charging them.
Meanwhile, a prominent Gen Z-focused cafe chain has postponed its event in Central Delhi scheduled for Thursday, while various students also called for Gen-Z focused brands to support them.
"Usually, brands disassociate themselves from political developments. But this involves students who are demanding bonafide reforms to education policies and corruption-free conduct of national competitive exams. Hence many brands are proactively wanting to show support -but anonymously," said an executive at a consulting firm, who has been approached by at least three big brands on whether they could openly support the protesting students.
Viral posts by students on social platforms said Blue Tokai and Domino's outlets in the capital's CP doubled up as "first-aid" centres when tear gas was fired. Students also wrote that Zomato and Swiggy riders have been delivering food even at 3 am at Jantar Mantar.
Emails sent to Swiggy, Zomato and Zepto remained unanswered.
Open Questions
- What specific education policies are students protesting?
- What is the full extent of celebrity support for the students?
