What is this campaign all about?
Zomato has teamed up with IRCTC to bring passengers a convenient online food delivery service directly to their train seats. This service ensures that passengers can enjoy fresh, hot meals from their favorite restaurants while travelling, eliminating the need to rely on pantry car food. Available 24×7 for select restaurants, and with most participating eateries open till 2 am, this service caters to late-night cravings as well, making it an excellent option for those travelling at odd hours.
Currently, over 500 railway stations across India are covered, meaning passengers can choose from a variety of local and national restaurants depending on their location. Whether you’re craving biryani, pizza, or a light snack, Zomato’s wide range of partner restaurants allows you to order food based on your preferences and have it delivered right to your seat when your train arrives at a station.
This partnership enhances the overall travel experience by offering more dining options and a higher level of convenience, ensuring that long-distance train journeys are more enjoyable. To use this service, passengers simply need to enter their PNR on Zomato’s app or website, select from available restaurants, and place their order for seamless food delivery.
How to avail this?
To enjoy Zomato’s Food Delivery in Train, you need to place an order between 1 to 48 hours before your journey. Zomato, as an authorised IRCTC partner, provides this service at over 500 railway stations across India. You can choose from a wide selection of restaurants and menu options, ensuring a delightful dining experience during your train journey.
To get started, open the Zomato app and search for “train.” Select the “Order food on train” option, and then enter your 10-digit PNR number for your current or upcoming journey. The app will automatically select one of your seat numbers for the food delivery.
Next, choose the railway station where you want your meal delivered. Select a restaurant from the list, pre-order your food, and pay using digital wallets like Amazon Pay, Mobikwik, Paytm, UPI, net banking, or credit/debit cards.
For those ordering more than 48 hours in advance, Zomato will show a “Sorry, no stations available” error. If your food doesn’t arrive at the train seat on time, Zomato promises a full refund, ensuring peace of mind. You can also order through IRCTC’s “Food on Track” app, where Zomato is one of the authorized food partners.
For late-night travellers or long journeys, this service adds convenience and a variety of food options, enhancing your overall travel experience.
Zomato takes their gold members seriously
Zomato offers convenient online food delivery on trains, with additional benefits like free delivery through Zomato Gold and discounts through coupon codes. You can apply Zomato promo codes, bank offers, or wallet cashback during checkout under the “restaurant coupons” section to enjoy savings on your meal. Pre-discounted meals curated specifically for train journeys are also available, providing a budget-friendly option for travellers.
However, do keep in mind that a “station convenience fee” will apply, exclusive of taxes. This fee ensures that your meal is delivered promptly to your train seat. It’s important to note that if your train ticket is unconfirmed, you won’t be able to place an order for seat delivery. But you can still order food from railway stations where the train halts for a long duration or even order on the platform before boarding.
Zomato covers major stations across India, such as Bhusawal, Nagpur, Surat, Pune, Itarsi, Kota, New Delhi, and Varanasi, making it accessible for a wide range of passengers. This service offers a hassle-free way to enjoy a good meal while travelling, ensuring you don’t miss out on delicious food even while on the go.
How good of a marketing strategy is this?
Zomato’s partnership with IRCTC for train food delivery is a smart and effective marketing strategy. Here’s why:
- Convenience for Travelers: Offering food delivery directly to train seats solves a pain point for passengers who often struggle with limited or unsatisfactory food options on trains. Zomato positions itself as a solution for hassle-free, high-quality meals.
- Expanding Customer Base: By catering to train travellers, Zomato taps into a huge customer base, including those who may not regularly order food online but will appreciate the convenience while travelling.
- Enhancing Brand Visibility: The association with IRCTC gives Zomato increased visibility, as IRCTC is widely trusted and used by millions of travellers. Zomato’s brand is seen in a positive light through this strategic partnership.
- Capitalizing on Offline Market: Many travellers don’t have access to good food choices during journeys. This initiative bridges the gap between Zomato’s online presence and an underserved offline market, creating new revenue streams.
- Loyalty and Retention: With discounts, free delivery via Zomato Gold, and curated meals, the company encourages repeat orders and builds customer loyalty among frequent train travellers.
- Seasonal Opportunities: During peak travel seasons, Zomato can leverage this service to boost orders by promoting exclusive train travel deals and offers, increasing sales and brand engagement.
Overall, this strategy aligns with Zomato’s goals of customer acquisition, market expansion, and delivering convenience, making it a strong marketing move.
Conclusion
Zomato’s collaboration with IRCTC for train food delivery is a strategic win. It effectively caters to a large, untapped market by providing a convenient solution for passengers looking for quality food during their train journeys. The initiative boosts Zomato’s brand visibility, expands its customer base, and enhances customer loyalty through discounts and curated meals. By leveraging its strengths in digital ordering and aligning with IRCTC, Zomato has positioned itself as a leader in online food delivery, even in travel scenarios. This strategy is not only beneficial for customers but also strengthens Zomato’s market presence and revenue potential.