Swiggy has rolled out its affordable food-ordering app, Toing, in Delhi NCR, stepping up competition with Zepto Cafe and Rapido’s Ownly as it looks to drive incremental demand through sharper pricing in a market weighed down by rising convenience and surge fees.

With its Delhi NCR rollout, Toing is now operational across Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad and Ghaziabad — marking its entry into one of India’s most fiercely contested food delivery markets.

The expansion takes the platform’s footprint to 11 cities, including Pune, Agra, Vadodara, Guwahati, Nashik and Nagpur. Launched in the second half of 2025, Toing has scaled rapidly in under a year, widening its presence across Tier-II cities and key education hubs even as the broader sector shifts focus from growth to profitability.

A contrarian pricing model

Toing’s differentiation rests on a simple proposition: no packaging charges and zero platform fees, with item prices that it claims match or beat restaurant dine-in menus. The app guarantees to match or undercut restaurant table prices, with select dishes — including biryanis, burgers and bowls — priced under ₹99.

The move comes at a time when leading food delivery platforms have tightened discounting and leaned more heavily on subscription programmes and delivery charges to protect margins. By contrast, Toing is positioning itself as a low-cost marketplace targeting Gen Z consumers, college students and first-time earners. The company says its pricing model has resonated strongly with first-time jobbers and students, accelerating its expansion into newer cities.

“Delhi NCR has a large base of Gen Z and college-goers and offers the perfect landscape for Toing,” said Sidharth Bhakoo, chief business officer at the company. He added that Swiggy had recently launched Toing in Guwahati, Nashik and Nagpur — three key educational hubs — as part of its youth-focused strategy. “Toing is creating a new category of food customers targeting the Gen Z, college-goers and the value-conscious customers and it guarantees lowest prices to its customers,” he said.

Testing economics in a high-cost market

Delhi NCR represents one of India’s largest and most mature food delivery markets, characterised by dense order volumes but also high logistics costs and intense competition. The zero-fee structure compresses revenue levers, making operational efficiency and commission structures critical.

The company claims over 1 million downloads nationwide and a 4.5 app rating. While downloads signal initial traction, sustaining repeat usage without heavy discounting will determine long-term viability.

In NCR, Toing has onboarded a mix of regional favourites and national chains, including Punjabi Anghithi, Om Sweets & Snacks, Bikanervala, La Pino’z Pizza, Mithaas, Hira Sweets, Rollsking, KFC, Behrouz Biryani, Bakingo and California Burrito. The app offers a wide range of cuisines, including North Indian, Biryani, Chinese and desserts, along with fast-food staples such as pizzas, burgers and momos. The portfolio suggests a strategy of pairing recognisable QSR brands with strong local players to drive early adoption.

Expanding the addressable base

The key question is whether Toing is expanding the market by tapping highly price-sensitive consumers — particularly in student-heavy clusters — or merely redistributing demand in an already crowded ecosystem.

Over the past two years, India’s food delivery sector has pivoted from hyper-growth to disciplined monetisation. Against this backdrop, Toing’s zero-fee model stands out as a counter-cyclical bet.

If the company can maintain cost discipline while driving volumes, it could carve out a defensible niche in value-led delivery. If not, Delhi NCR may prove to be a costly proving ground.

For now, Toing’s NCR entry signals that even as the sector matures, pricing innovation — not just speed and assortment — remains a powerful competitive lever.