In a surprising move, Zomato has pulled the plug on its 15-minute food delivery service, Zomato Quick, barely four months after its launch. The company, now rebranded as Eternal Limited, announced the shutdown in its Q4 FY25 shareholder letter. CEO Deepinder Goyal confirmed the decision, citing inconsistent customer experience as the primary reason for the abrupt termination.
Zomato Quick, which began operations in January 2025, aimed to offer lightning-fast food delivery to urban customers. The service curated a limited menu from select restaurants and deployed dedicated delivery fleets to ensure swift fulfilment. Despite this well-structured model, the offering failed to meet customer expectations.
Why the Service Failed
While Zomato promised 15-minute delivery, customer experience fell short on several occasions. CEO Deepinder Goyal admitted that the platform struggled to maintain a consistent and satisfactory experience. Additionally, operational complexities and delivery logistics made it difficult for the company to scale the model profitably.
Zomato’s decision to end the service highlights a growing realization that speed alone cannot compensate for inconsistent service quality. Despite deploying resources and technology to support Zomato Quick, the company could not overcome the limitations that emerged during the pilot.
A Pattern of Missed Attempts
This is not Zomato’s first attempt at hyper-fast food delivery. The company previously introduced Zomato Instant, a 10-minute delivery model, which it shut down in early 2023. That initiative faced similar challenges, including difficulties in achieving scale and profitability while maintaining quality service. These repeated closures indicate the difficulties involved in executing rapid food delivery models in India’s complex urban landscape.
Even though Zomato Quick contributed to the platform’s total food delivery volumes, the company did not see it as a sustainable venture. Therefore, the leadership chose to prioritize long-term efficiency and customer satisfaction over short-term experimentation.
Strategic Shift After Rebranding
Zomato recently rebranded itself as Eternal Limited, signaling a strategic shift in its business approach. Under this new identity, the company aims to expand beyond its core food delivery operations and invest more in adjacent verticals. This rebranding coincided with the company’s efforts to scale its quick commerce subsidiary, Blinkit.
Unlike Zomato Quick, Blinkit has gained significant traction in the quick commerce space. Its revenue more than doubled year-on-year, in Q4 FY25. However, the subsidiary continues to report losses.
Despite these losses, Eternal Limited remains optimistic about Blinkit’s long-term potential. The company views quick commerce as a critical pillar for future growth and is willing to invest in scale and infrastructure to support it.
Balancing Innovation and Execution
The closure of Zomato Quick reflects the challenges companies face in balancing innovation with operational execution. Speed alone cannot guarantee success, especially when customer satisfaction and service reliability are at stake. Eternal Limited has chosen to focus on core strengths and scalable opportunities, rather than continuing experiments that do not deliver consistent results.
Going forward, the company plans to refine its food delivery model while doubling down on profitable verticals such as Blinkit. The Q4 report clearly outlines Eternal Limited’s commitment to disciplined growth, operational efficiency, and improved customer experience.
Conclusion
With the shutdown of Zomato Quick, Eternal Limited demonstrates a willingness to pivot quickly based on customer feedback and operational realities. While the ambition to revolutionize food delivery remains intact, the company has chosen a more grounded path. By learning from its past missteps, Eternal Limited appears better positioned to build a sustainable future in the highly competitive delivery market.
