Behind the orders: Unpacking the realities of New Delhi's food delivery gig workers

This study examines the dual impact of New Delhi’s gig economy, focusing on Zomato’s food delivery platform. It investigates how such platforms provide income for those ex-cluded from formal work while raising concerns about working conditions and well-being. Guided by the question—How does Zomato simultaneously create employment opportunities and perpetuate social hierarchies through economic sorting? —this research explores whether gig work in India mitigates or reinforces socio-economic inequalities. Based on original fieldwork (85 surveys, 20 interviews, and 3 group discussions), findings reveal that while Zomato appears inclusive, it directs marginalized workers into precarious roles, subtly sustaining social stratification through implicit market mechanisms and exposing the ‘myth of freedom’ within the gig economy. Despite these issues, platforms like Zomato provide critical income within India’s informal economy, where alternatives are scarce.