Restaurant India News: Rapido Launches Ownly Food Delivery App with Zero Commission Model in Bengaluru

Rapido has officially launched its standalone food delivery application, Ownly, marking its entry into the online food ordering segment. The service is now operational across Bengaluru, signalling the company’s expansion into the food marketplace with a model centred on zero commission and transparent pricing.

Over the past decade, online food ordering has reshaped consumption patterns across India, driven by aggregator platforms that streamlined discovery and delivery. However, the model has also drawn criticism over rising menu mark-ups, platform commissions and layered fees. Ownly is positioned as a response to these concerns.

The platform operates on a zero commission structure, charging no fees to restaurant partners. Instead, consumers are billed a delivery fee designed to cover logistics costs. According to the company, this approach allows restaurants to maintain stable menu pricing without relying on deep discounting structures or promotional offsets to manage commission burdens.

The move reflects growing friction between restaurants and aggregators over commission models and profitability pressures. By eliminating platform commissions, Ownly is attempting to shift bargaining power back to restaurant operators while retaining delivery economics through consumer-paid logistics charges.

To support the launch, the company has introduced a campaign titled the “Food promise campaign.” The associated video commercial adopts a courtroom setting to address what it describes as current industry challenges, including hidden platform fees, inflated pricing and discount-led consumer confusion. The film uses satire to highlight these concerns and positions Ownly as an alternative built on transparency. The commercial has been released on the platform’s YouTube channel.

Aravind Sanka, Founder - Rapido and Ownly, said: “Indian consumer habits are changing rapidly. Food ordering has become an integral part of everyday life across India, not just in metros but in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities as well. At Ownly, we see a strong opportunity to build a restaurant-first model that supports small and big partners to cater to the evolving needs of their customers. We believe that transparency, honesty and fairness are key drivers of long term growth for the sector and hope that Ownly can enable more people to enjoy the convenience of ordering in.”

Industry observers note that the food delivery market in India is largely dominated by commission-based aggregator platforms, making Ownly’s zero commission stance a structural departure from established models. The long-term viability of such a model will depend on delivery efficiency, user adoption and sustainable logistics cost management.

The Bengaluru roll-out follows a pilot phase conducted across Koramangala, HSR Layout and BTM Layout, where the company tested operational frameworks and gathered consumer feedback. Over the past year, Ownly has also engaged with restaurant partners to understand operational and commercial challenges within the existing aggregator ecosystem.

Leveraging Rapido’s hyperlocal logistics infrastructure, the new service aims to optimise last-mile delivery while keeping pricing structures simple. As competition intensifies within India’s online food ordering space, Ownly’s entry introduces a differentiated proposition built on commission-free partnerships and direct cost recovery through delivery fees.

The launch presents an alternative marketplace structure. For consumers, the proposition hinges on transparent billing without hidden markups. The success of the model will be closely watched across the hospitality and food-tech sectors as Bengaluru becomes the first full-scale testing ground for Rapido’s food delivery ambitions.