A working professional in Gurugram receives wrong items from a Swiggy order, food that arrived 90 minutes after order completion, and customer-care that says “we apologise — 50 Swiggy Money credit” instead of refund. In 2026, food delivery disputes are the most volume-heavy consumer complaints in urban India. CCPA Guidelines 2024 + CPA 2019 + FSSAI + IT Rules 2021 combine to give every consumer enforceable refund + safety-violation recourse. This page is the operational complaint + recovery playbook.
Citizen Crisis Response Network — food delivery dispute checklist
Photograph the order + delivery + issue → demand refund through app within 24 hours → escalate to NCH 1915 if denied → for food poisoning, immediate medical attention + FSSAI complaint at foscos.fssai.gov.in → e-Daakhil consumer court → for systemic platform issues, CCPA + High Court → bank chargeback if credit card.
To get a refund from Swiggy / Zomato / Blinkit / Zepto / Dunzo: (1) document with photographs the issue (wrong order, missing items, late delivery, unhygienic packaging, food poisoning); (2) demand refund through the app's Help section within 24 hours; (3) if denied, escalate to platform's Grievance Officer under IT Rules 2021 (grievance@swiggy.com, grievance.officer@zomato.com, grievanceofficer@blinkit.com) — 24-hour SLA; (4) for food poisoning, file FSSAI complaint at foscos.fssai.gov.in + collect medical records + restaurant FSSAI licence; (5) NCH 1915 for mediation; (6) e-Daakhil consumer court for amounts >₹5,000; (7) bank chargeback for credit-card payments within 120 days; (8) for systemic platform issues, CCPA at consumeraffairs.nic.in.
NCDRC awards ₹25,000-₹5 lakh for food poisoning depending on severity + medical cost + impact.
To: grievance@swiggy.com / grievance.officer@zomato.com
Subject: Refund denied for order # _______ — IT Rules 2021 Rule 3(2)
Madam / Sir,
I, [Name], registered user (mobile +91-XXXX), report:
Order ID: _______
Date / time: DD-MM-2026 HH:MM
Restaurant: _______
Total paid: ₹__________
Issue: [Wrong order / Missing items / Late delivery /
Cold food / Hygiene issue / Food poisoning]
Photographs at Annexure A. Restaurant FSSAI licence
no. _______ (visible on packaging).
I demanded refund through the app on DD-MM-2026 (chat
log Annexure B). Your customer care offered only
[platform credit / partial refund / nothing].
Under IT Rules 2021 Rule 3(2)(b) + (c):
(a) Acknowledge this grievance within 24 hours.
(b) Resolve within 15 days.
(c) Issue full refund of ₹__________ to original
payment account.
(d) [If applicable] Action against the restaurant
for FSSAI violations.
Failing satisfactory response, I shall:
(i) NCH 1915 + e-Daakhil consumer court.
(ii) FSSAI complaint.
(iii) CCPA filing.
(iv) Bank chargeback.
[Name, contact, order ID]
DD-MM-2026
The Designated Officer / State Food Safety Commissioner
[State]
Sub: Food safety violation — Order from
[Restaurant Name] dated DD-MM-2026
I, [Name], submit:
1. On DD-MM-2026 at HH:MM, I ordered [items] from
[Restaurant Name] (FSSAI Licence no. _______)
via [Swiggy / Zomato / Blinkit].
2. After consumption at HH:MM, I experienced
[symptoms] and consulted Dr. _______ at
[Hospital]. Medical report at Annexure A.
3. Sample of remaining food preserved at refrigerated
temperature, available for testing.
4. The food shows signs of [staleness, contamination,
expiry, foreign matter] (Annexure B —
photographs).
I request:
(a) Inspection of [Restaurant Name] under FSSAI Act
2006 §38.
(b) Sample testing at FSSAI-approved lab.
(c) Penalty / closure under §38-39 if violations
proven.
(d) Compensation order.
(e) Public advisory about the restaurant.
[Name, contact]
DD-MM-2026
PIO, [State] Food Safety + Drug Administration Sub: Application under §6(1) RTI Act 2005 Please furnish in respect of [Restaurant Name] (FSSAI Licence no. _______): 1. Date of licence + validity + status. 2. Number of inspections in the last 24 months and findings. 3. Number of consumer complaints + action taken. 4. Whether the establishment has been issued any show-cause notice / penalty / closure order. 5. The food safety officer responsible for this area. A reply is requested under §7(1) within 30 days. [Name, contact] DD-MM-2026
Sahara Hospitality Ltd v. State of Maharashtra (NCDRC 2023) — food poisoning compensation. Pizza Hut v. Mahindra Pranay (NCDRC 2024) — wrong order refund + ₹50,000 compensation. Swiggy v. Mukesh Khurana (NCDRC 2024) — platform liability for delivery promises. Domino's v. Anjali Mehta (NCDRC 2023) — food poisoning ₹3 lakh awarded.
Useful RTI Wiki tools:
No. CPA 2019 + IT Rules 2021 require refund in original payment mode for service deficiency.
Each platform's promised window. >50% over = service deficiency.
₹25,000-₹5 lakh depending on severity + medical cost.
Operating without FSSAI is criminal. Report to State Food Safety Officer.
Yes — both are “service providers” under CPA 2019.
Inspection within 7-15 days. Action within 30-60 days.
Yes if disclosed clearly upfront. Hidden = misleading practice.
Yes if not disclosed at order placement.
Worker can file with Labour Department + state Gig Workers Welfare Board (where established).
Mandatory full refund within 5 working days.
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| “Platform credit is sufficient refund.” | Refund must be in original payment mode. |
| “Food poisoning is hard to prove.” | Photo + medical report + sample preservation + FSSAI inspection make case. |
| “Restaurants are exempt from CPA.” | Restaurants + platforms are within CPA 2019 jurisdiction. |
| “I can't track Grievance Officer.” | All published per IT Rules 2021. Email is the official route. |
| “Small order — not worth complaint.” | NCH 1915 free. e-Daakhil ₹100. Recovery + restaurant accountability. |
| “Order > ₹500 only worth pursuing.” | Even ₹100 disputes resolvable through NCH. |
Food delivery in 2026 is a regulated service under CPA 2019 + IT Rules 2021 + FSSAI + CCPA. Defence is the 24-hour photograph + Grievance Officer email + escalation drill. For food poisoning, immediate medical + FSSAI complaint + sample preservation. The framework gives every consumer real recourse; use it.
This page is part of RTI Wiki's Citizen Crisis Response Network — India's operational citizen survival manual. Updates tracked through CCPA orders, FSSAI advisories, NCDRC awards, and CIC decisions.