Zomato Tests AI Voice Bot for Effortless Food Ordering

Zomato, the food delivery arm of Eternal, is currently piloting an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered voice bot designed to enable users to place food orders using voice commands. This initiative was observed in select areas of Bengaluru and is reportedly available to a limited user base.

The voice bot feature aims to enhance user experience by allowing discussions about food preferences and offering personalized recommendations. The product description highlights its conversational capabilities, stating, “Conversation mode. Ordering made easy with a voice bot that understands you.”

This pilot program is part of Zomato’s ongoing exploration of generative AI (GenAI). The company previously launched an AI chatbot in 2023 to assist customers with food and restaurant suggestions. In the subsequent year, Zomato introduced ‘Nugget,’ an AI-native, no-code customer support platform for external use, featuring AI agents to manage inquiries and streamline support processes.

Earlier this year, Zomato partnered with Google to integrate restaurant reservations into Google’s AI Mode. Furthermore, Zomato’s internal logistics team utilizes a voice bot to guide delivery partners through order fulfillment. The company also reported that its internal AI tool, Gavel, has significantly reduced the cost of evaluating voice bot calls by 98%, from ₹450 to ₹10 per evaluation.

The introduction of the voice bot follows Zomato’s recent rollout of new features, including “Healthy Subscriptions” for pre-planned healthy meals and adjustments to its Gold program, such as lowering the free-delivery threshold. These developments occur as Zomato aims to strengthen its position in the Indian foodtech market, a sector projected to reach $46 billion by 2034.

Financially, Zomato’s parent company, Eternal, reported a substantial increase in net profit for Q4 FY26, rising 4.5 times year-over-year to ₹174 crore, with operating revenue surging 196% year-over-year to ₹17,292 crore. Zomato itself saw a 33% year-over-year increase in operating revenue to ₹2,737 crore and a 24% year-over-year rise in adjusted EBITDA to ₹532 crore during the same quarter.