“I use Pet-Pooja to manage Swiggy and Zomato together. I hate switching apps.”
WantsOne place for every order
01 / About the project
Restaurant owners on Zomato struggle with scattered orders, little visibility into performance and complex advertising. This project reimagines the Partner app as a command centre.
What is Zomato
Zomato is one of India's largest food delivery apps. Founded by Deepinder Goyal and Pankaj Chaddah, it started as Foodiebay, a restaurant listing site, and is based in Gurugram. Its parent company was renamed Eternal in 2025.
CustomersFind food and order it
Connects all threeRestaurantsRun orders, menus and ads in the Partner appThis project
Delivery partnersPick up and deliver
Focus
- Order trackingAct on orders from anywhere
- Actionable analyticsInsights that say what to do
- Simple campaignsAds set up in a minute
The brief
Design processFive stages, three loops
- EmpathizeWatched real kitchens
- DefineFramed four problems
- IdeateSketched quick access
- PrototypeWireframes to flows
- TestValidated with owners
Looped back from testing to research three times
Project timeline
23 days, with research, design and testing overlapping.
- Primary researchDays 1–6
- Ideation and rapid prototyping, cycle 1Days 3–12
- Ideation and prototyping, cycle 2Days 7–14
- Ideation and prototyping, cycle 3Days 11–18
- Design development and testingDays 17–23
- Hand-offDays 21–23
02 / Introduction and initial research
Running a restaurant during peak hours is organised chaos. Right at the centre stands the manager, juggling platforms and numbers that never add up.
The reality
Orders fly in, chefs shout across the kitchen, staff rush between tables, and the manager battles cluttered dashboards across multiple delivery platforms, trying to make sense of numbers that never seem to add up.
This is where Zomato Partner, a platform meant to simplify operations, often creates more confusion. When I began, I wanted to understand one simple question.
“What does a restaurant manager actually need to run operations effortlessly?”
Primary researchUnderstanding the reality on the ground
To cook up the perfect solution, I first had to understand the ingredients. I spoke to owners, managers and cashiers across different cities and business sizes. These weren't formal interviews; they were real conversations in noisy kitchens, at billing counters and during the evening rush.
- Survey
- Interview
- Observational study
What users said
From 5 staff to 26, every restaurant named the same four problems.
“I don't understand the analytics feature. I just do manual reports when my owner asks.”
WantsInsights without manual reports
“Apart from Instagram, we don't do any advertising. I didn't even know Zomato had ad tools.”
WantsAd tools he can find and trust
“I don't see how it will change things. Why bother learning so much?”
WantsProof that learning pays off
Customer journeyA manager's day
Four moments in the day, and how each one feels.
-
Awareness · 9 AMMorning chaos - Logs into several apps
- Tracks sales by hand
- Zomato
Swiggy- Notebook
- Confusion
- Wasted time
OpportunityUnified, real-time dashboard
-
Consideration · 1 PMMidday rush - No peak-hour alerts
- Kitchen falls behind
- Order tracking
- Staff
- Stress
- Delays
OpportunityAI demand prediction
-
Decision · 5 PMMarketing confusion - Ad tools feel too complex
- Falls back to Instagram
- Zomato Ads
- Hesitation
- Wasted budget
OpportunityOne-click AI ads with ROI
-
Retention · WeeklyBusiness growth - Can't decode analytics
- Menu changes by gut feel
- Sales reports
- Meetings
- Missed chances
- Decision fatigue
OpportunityAI menu tips, gamified goals
03 / Secondary research
These weren't isolated complaints. Market reports, industry trends and food-tech data told the same story.
- $189.7BGlobal online food delivery market in 2022, growing at an 11% CAGR from 2023 to 2030.
- 70%+of restaurant owners consider digital platforms essential for day-to-day operations.
- 78%of restaurant operators report difficulty managing multiple software solutions.
Sources: Grand View Research, Online Food Delivery Services Market; Toast, Restaurant Technology Trends Report 2023
- 30%loss in customer satisfaction comes from delays and errors in processing online orders.
- 80%of customers expect restaurants to offer online ordering and real-time order tracking.
- 50%of restaurant owners say their tools aren't fully optimised for mobile.
Source: Economic Times, Restaurant Aggregators Under Scrutiny
- 10%of revenue is what small and mid-sized restaurants spend on marketing on average, yet 40% of campaigns fail to return it because of poor targeting.
- 30%of owners actively use performance analytics, citing complexity and a lack of actionable insights.
Sources: HubSpot, Small Business Advertising Trends; Technomic, 2023 Foodservice Trends Report
Every year, a restaurant loses
₹5–10lakh
to slow order handling and marketing it never runs.
04 / Problem identification
Primary and secondary research, synthesised into four sharp problem statements.
Problem 01
Fragmented operations
Orders live across Zomato, Swiggy and a calculator.
78%of operators struggle with multiple tools
- Fragmentation
- Multitasking
- Disconnection
Problem 02
Analytics nobody can read
The data exists, but in a form too complex to use.
30%of owners actually use analytics
- Ambiguity
- Overwhelm
- Data blindness
Problem 03
Ad tools nobody finds
Most partners don't know Zomato has ad tools at all.
40%of campaigns fail to return their spend
- Underutilisation
- Missed potential
- Dependence
Problem 04
No reason to explore
Features exist, but nothing shows why they're worth learning.
“Why bother?”what managers told us
- Knowledge gap
- Unawareness
- Low motivation
Competitive check
Zomato Partner doesn't lead in any of the five areas. Swiggy leads in four.
| Compared on five areas |
Zomato PartnerRedesign focus |
Swiggy PartnerMarket leader here |
 Uber EatsIndia, before the merger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | FairCluttered, hard to navigate | FairSimple, little customisation | StrongStreamlined menus |
| Order management | FairNotifications arrive late | StrongReal-time, occasional lag | FairAccurate, weak coordination |
| Analytics | WeakBasic, few insights | StrongDetailed and visual | WeakMinimal, little to act on |
| Advertising | FairModerate ROI, weak targeting | StrongStrong targeting and ROI | WeakBasic, rarely used |
| Menu management | WeakSlow to update | StrongQuick edits | FairNo advanced inventory |
| Overall | 8/15 | 14/15 | 9/15 |
Ratings are my reading of each app during research: weak, fair or strong.
05 / Introducing
Zomato+. Smarter management, bigger growth. Four features for four problems.
Zomato, Swiggy, a POS and a calculator, all open at once.
06 / Solution 01
Quick order access. Shortcuts tailored to each platform, so orders can be handled from wherever the phone already is.
On Android, a floating shortcut opens the order page instantly. On iOS, actionable notifications let staff accept or reject orders straight from the notification panel. It matches real restaurant workflows, cuts cognitive load and speeds up decisions at peak hours.
Smart order notifications on iOS
Never miss an order, even while multitasking.
- See incoming orders instantly in the notification panel
- Accept or reject without opening the app
- Key order details visible at a glance
New order received!
- Chicken Tikka ×2 · ₹340
- Chicken Roll · ₹160
RejectAccept (0:45)
Arun Kumar is on his way (3346)
- Chicken Salad · ₹240
- Mon-chow soup · ₹160
＋ Need more time (7:17)
ReasoningNotifications are treated as action surfaces, not just alerts. That fits real behaviour: staff are already using their phones for several tasks at once.
ImpactLess time to action and fewer dropped orders.
Smart order notifications on Android
Orders, right where you are.
- Name and ID of the delivery partner
- Option to extend the time for delivery
- Summary of the order
- Option to reject or accept the order
ReasoningBinary decisions are made easy by minimising steps and visual noise. Critical actions appear without a secondary confirmation step.
ImpactFaster responses and a better customer experience.
07 / Solution 02
AI suggestions based on analytics
Zomato+ introduces an AI-powered insights feature that simplifies complex data into clear, actionable recommendations. Instead of interpreting analytics by hand, partners can make informed decisions with ease.
Analytics page
A clean, unified dashboard that surfaces the most important business metrics in seconds.
Owners can dive into sales, items and menu, ads and offers, or reviews.
ReasoningFocuses on the benefit, not the feature. Unified, clean and surfaced signals clarity, and shows the value: faster decisions and less cognitive load.
Sales trends
This view shows how each item performs through the day. The AI highlights patterns automatically, such as burger sales dropping sharply between 2 and 4 PM, so owners spot issues without manual analysis.
Analytics ✦“Burger sales are low between 2–4 PM. Offer a 10–20% discount during this window to boost performance.”
For a clear action plan to fix the dip, owners tap Get suggestions.
ReasoningOwners don't have time to interpret complex graphs during busy hours, so the AI surfaces only the most relevant patterns.
AI suggestions and action shortcut
Tapping the button opens Zomo, the AI assistant, with contextual suggestions like applying a discount or launching an offer to revive slow items. A compact action panel lets owners respond instantly.
- Adjust the discount percentage
- Launch an offer
- Apply changes with a single tap
Suggestion B · Combo strategyWhen an item keeps underperforming, Zomo suggests another strategy, like bundling the burger with top sellers such as cheesy fries or chicken nachos.
Owners pick items for the combo from a menu sheet without leaving the flow.
ReasoningReduces the cognitive load on owners and makes them far more likely to act on insights promptly.
08 / Solution 03
AI-based ad creation. Local and platform data pre-fill every key field, so non-technical owners launch data-backed campaigns with minimal effort.
Performance insights
Your last campaign at a glance.
- Views, clicks, impressions and cost in one place
- Trends visualised to spot peak days and times quickly
AI suggestions cardInstead of raw data, the system translates insights into a clear recommendation: “Your ads performed best on weekends between 6 and 10 PM. Consider increasing your budget during these hours.”
ReasoningHigh-level metrics come first to answer the core question, “Did my ad work?” Detailed numbers stay available without overwhelming anyone.
ImpactFaster understanding and less intimidation for non-technical users.
Campaign setup, already optimised
- Budget and timing pre-filled from past performance
- Location, age and preferences auto-selected
- Based on similar restaurants and local demand
- Easy to adjust if needed
ReasoningDefault values act as recommendations, not restrictions, balancing automation with control. Reusing familiar assets reduces friction and speeds up decisions.
ImpactCuts setup time drastically while preserving trust. Owners think in outcomes, not targeting parameters, so they launch sooner and keep their branding consistent.
- “I run ads, but honestly, I have no idea if they're doing anything.”
- “I don't have time to dig through numbers. If it's not immediately useful, I skip it.”
- “I barely check the analytics. I just go with whatever seems to be working.”
- “There's too much trial and error. I don't have time to guess what might work.”
- “If I knew how other restaurants were doing, maybe I'd take this more seriously.”
- “I'll use the features if they actually help me, but right now they just feel like noise.”
- “The platform has all these features, but I don't really know what to do with them.”
- “Most of this stuff feels like extra work. I just focus on running my place.”
09 / Solution 04
A performance leaderboard. Progress becomes visible, and improvement earns real rewards.
Performance-based incentives like commission discounts and marketing credits, combined with AI suggestions, show owners exactly how to climb. Growth that's measurable and rewarding creates continuous motivation to improve service and stay competitive.
Progress bar
- Shows how close owners are to their next milestone
- Every order counts toward the next badge
- Performance before and after each change moves the bar
ReasoningAbstract metrics become meaningful when they're tied to a clear goal and visible momentum.
ImpactHigher analytics adoption, better decisions, and sustained motivation to optimise the business.
Leaderboard and achievement badges
Achievements and rankings turn improvement into visible progress and recognition. Badges earned through analytics use and better metrics feed into rankings within the same restaurant category, creating healthy competition.
ReasoningBadges and rankings make progress visible and show what to improve next. Comparing within a category keeps competition motivating and achievable.
ImpactDrives analytics adoption, continuous improvement and repeat engagement by rewarding meaningful actions over time.
Other screens