Is ONDC worth it for restaurants in 2026?
As an extra channel, yes. As a replacement for Swiggy and Zomato, no.
- The cost is low. Fees on ONDC orders are usually a fraction of aggregator commission.
- The demand is thin. Order volumes fell after the network cut the incentives that had funded customer discounts, and in most cities ONDC brings a small number of orders compared with the major apps.
List if setup is cheap and your kitchen can absorb the extra orders without slipping on the apps that pay the bills. Do not move ad budget or discounts to ONDC expecting it to replace aggregator volume.
What ONDC Is, in Restaurant Terms
The Open Network for Digital Commerce is a government-backed network that separates the app a customer orders from (the buyer app) from the app a restaurant lists on (the seller app). A restaurant listed once through a seller app can be found on every buyer app connected to the network.
| Role | What it does | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer app | Where the customer browses and pays | magicpin, Paytm |
| Seller app | Where the restaurant manages its menu and orders | Mystore and other ONDC seller platforms, including some POS providers |
| Logistics | Delivery, arranged through network logistics partners or your own riders | Varies by city and seller app |
The practical difference from Swiggy and Zomato: no single platform controls ranking, pricing rules and the customer relationship end to end.
What It Costs
Instead of one commission, an ONDC order carries several smaller fees:
- Seller app fee: often a low single-digit percentage or a fixed subscription.
- Buyer app fee: a commission the buyer app sets for bringing the customer.
- Network fee: a small per-order fee; ONDC was reported to have introduced ₹1.5 per transaction on orders above ₹250 from April 2025.
- Delivery: charged per order, and often the largest single cost.
- Payment and settlement charges, depending on the seller app.
Add these up for a typical order before listing. The total is usually well below an aggregator's 18–30% commission, but delivery can narrow the gap more than owners expect. Compare it against the real aggregator take rate, not the headline commission. How to read your payout statement shows how to calculate both.
Where Demand Stands
The weakness of ONDC for restaurants is demand, not cost. The network's early growth was driven by discounts funded by network incentives. When those incentives were sharply reduced, business press reported that retail orders across the network fell from about 65 lakh a month in October 2024 to about 46 lakh in February 2025. Some buyer apps have also pulled back; Ola, for example, paused food delivery on its app and on ONDC in late 2025.
Activity is concentrated in particular cities and buyer apps, so ONDC's value differs by location. Before listing, check which buyer apps are active in your delivery area and whether competitors near you report steady ONDC orders.
When ONDC Makes Sense
| Situation | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Your POS or existing software offers ONDC listing at little or no extra cost | List. The downside is small. |
| You have spare kitchen capacity at off-peak hours | List, and treat it as incremental volume. |
| You want a low-commission channel for customers who already know you | Useful alongside direct ordering. See direct ordering vs aggregators. |
| You are hoping to replace aggregator sales | Not yet. Volumes do not support it. |
| Your kitchen is already stretched at peak | Wait. Late or rejected orders on Swiggy and Zomato cost more than ONDC brings in. |
How to List Without Hurting Aggregator Performance
- Choose a seller app that connects to your POS. Separate tablets for every channel are how orders get missed.
- Keep prices consistent. Pricing ONDC far below your aggregator menu can create parity problems with your aggregator agreements and trains customers to expect lower prices everywhere. Check your contracts before you set ONDC prices.
- Use the same delivery menu. List only dishes that travel well, as on the apps.
- Protect peak hours. If ONDC orders start causing delays during peaks, pause ONDC first. Your Swiggy and Zomato ranking depends on acceptance and prep-time reliability. See how the Swiggy ranking algorithm works.
- Review after 60 days. Measure orders per week, net earnings per order after delivery and fees, and any effect on aggregator ratings. Keep it only if the numbers justify the effort.
Frequently Asked Questions
What commission does ONDC charge restaurants?
ONDC itself charges only a small network fee. The main costs are the seller app's fee, the buyer app's commission and delivery. Together they are usually well below aggregator commission, but they vary by app and city, so get the full cost for a typical order before you list.
Can I list on ONDC and Swiggy and Zomato at the same time?
Yes. Most ONDC restaurants also list on the major aggregators. Check your aggregator agreements for price-parity or exclusivity terms first, especially if you receive exclusivity benefits.
How many orders can a restaurant expect from ONDC?
In most cities, far fewer than from Swiggy or Zomato. Volume depends heavily on which buyer apps are active in your area and whether they are funding customer discounts, so treat early ONDC orders as a bonus rather than a forecast.
Working out your channel mix? Plateful Consulting helps restaurants decide where ONDC, direct ordering and the aggregators fit, based on real order and margin data. Book a consultation.