Canceling an Order on Zomato: What to Do When the Restaurant Has Already Started Preparing

Online food delivery platforms like Zomato have made it incredibly easy to order food from a wide range of restaurants at the touch of a button. However, there may be times when you need to cancel an order, perhaps due to a change in plans or an error in the order. But what happens if the restaurant has already started preparing your food? Is it still possible to cancel your order on Zomato? Let’s delve into this issue and provide some clarity.

Understanding Zomato’s Cancellation Policy

Zomato’s cancellation policy is designed to be fair to both customers and restaurants. As per their policy, you can cancel an order on Zomato, but the ability to do so depends on the status of the order. If the restaurant has not yet accepted the order, you can cancel it without any charges. However, once the restaurant has accepted the order and started preparing the food, cancellation becomes a bit more complicated.

Can You Cancel an Order Once the Restaurant Has Started Preparing?

Technically, once the restaurant has started preparing your order, Zomato discourages cancellations. This is because the restaurant has already invested time, effort, and resources into preparing the food. However, Zomato understands that there may be genuine reasons for needing to cancel an order even at this stage. In such cases, you can still attempt to cancel the order, but it may be subject to cancellation charges.

How to Cancel an Order on Zomato

To cancel an order on Zomato, follow these steps:

  • Open the Zomato app and go to the ‘Orders’ tab.
  • Select the order that you want to cancel.
  • Click on ‘View Order Details’.
  • Scroll down and click on ‘Cancel Order’.
  • Select a reason for cancellation and confirm.

Please note that the ‘Cancel Order’ option may not be available if the restaurant has already started preparing your order. In such cases, you will need to contact Zomato’s customer support.

Contacting Zomato’s Customer Support

If you are unable to cancel the order through the app, you can reach out to Zomato’s customer support. You can do this by clicking on the ‘Support’ or ‘Help’ option in the app. Explain your situation and they will guide you through the process. However, please remember that cancellation at this stage may incur charges, and in some cases, cancellation may not be possible at all.

Conclusion

While Zomato strives to offer flexibility and convenience to its users, it also has to consider the interests of the restaurants on its platform. Therefore, while order cancellation is possible, it becomes more difficult once the restaurant has started preparing the food. It’s always best to double-check your order before confirming to avoid any need for cancellation.