How to list your restaurant on Zomato and Swiggy: 8-step registration guide for 2026

You have spent months perfecting your menu, training your kitchen staff, and building a loyal dine-in crowd. But the hard truth is this: if your restaurant is not on Zomato and Swiggy, you are invisible to a massive chunk of your potential customers.

Between them, these two platforms reach over 120 million monthly users across India. That is not a nice-to-have marketing channel. That is where your next wave of revenue lives.

The honest truth? Getting listed is not complicated. What most restaurant owners get wrong is the setup. A half-finished profile with blurry photos and an incomplete menu is worse than no listing at all. It tells customers you do not care about the delivery experience.

This guide walks you through all eight steps, from registration to your first orders, with the specific details that separate restaurants that thrive on these platforms from those that get buried.

Key Takeaways

• Registration on Zomato and Swiggy takes 3-7 business days, but proper profile setup determines whether you actually get orders
• High-quality food photos increase order volume by up to 40% compared to listings without images
• Your delivery packaging directly affects ratings. Leaking containers and soggy food lead to 1-star reviews faster than slow delivery
• Compostable disposables solve multiple problems at once: they hold up during transit, look professional on arrival, and keep you compliant with packaging waste regulations
• Restaurants that actively manage reviews and run platform promotions within the first 30 days see 3-5x faster growth than passive listings

Quick-reference: 8 steps at a glance

Step 1: Sign up on Zomato or Swiggy

Before anything else, you need a business account on the platform. This is not the same as a personal account you use to order food.

For Zomato:

• Visit the Zomato for Business portal (restaurant.zomato.com)
• Click “Register your restaurant”
• Enter your business phone number and verify via OTP

For Swiggy:

• Go to the Swiggy Partner portal (partner.swiggy.com)
• Select “Register as a restaurant partner”
• Complete the OTP verification with your business number

Documents you will need for both platforms:

• FSSAI licence (mandatory, no exceptions)
• GST registration certificate (if your turnover exceeds the threshold)
• PAN card of the business owner or entity
• Bank account details for payment settlement
• Menu (digital or scanned copy for initial review)
• Restaurant photos (exterior and interior, if available)

The registration review typically takes 3-7 business days. During this window, the platform team may call you to verify your details or schedule a visit. Answer that call. Missed verification calls are the number one reason registrations stall.

Step 2: Enter your restaurant details

This is where most restaurant owners rush through the setup and regret it later. Your restaurant profile is your storefront on these apps. Every detail matters.

Get these right the first time:

• Restaurant name: Use the exact name your customers know. If locals call you “Sharma Ji Ka Dhaba,” do not list yourself as “Sharma Fine Dining.”
• Address and map pin: Manually verify your Google Maps pin. Incorrect pins mean delivery partners cannot find you, which means cancelled orders and bad ratings before you have even served your first delivery customer.
• Cuisine type: Select every cuisine that honestly describes your menu. A North Indian restaurant that also serves Chinese should tag both. But do not tag cuisines you do not actually offer. Customers who order expecting Mughlai and receive generic curry will punish you in reviews.
• Contact number: Use a number that someone actually answers during service hours. Not your personal mobile that goes silent during the dinner rush.

A detail most owners miss:

Write a compelling restaurant description. You get 150-200 characters. Use them. Instead of “We serve good food,” try something that tells your story: “Family recipes from Lucknow’s Old City, cooked fresh since 1987. Known for our galouti kebabs and dum biryani.”

That description shows up when customers browse. It is your first impression.

Step 3: Upload your menu

Your menu on Zomato and Swiggy is not just a list of dishes. It is your primary sales tool for delivery customers who cannot smell your kitchen or see your thali being assembled.

How to structure your menu for maximum orders:

• Categorise clearly: Group items logically. Starters, mains, breads, rice, beverages, desserts. Customers scroll quickly. If they cannot find what they want in 10 seconds, they leave.
• Write descriptions that sell: “Paneer Butter Masala” tells the customer nothing they do not already know. “Soft paneer cubes in a slow-cooked tomato and cashew gravy, finished with fresh cream” gives them a reason to order from you instead of the next restaurant.
• Price strategically: Check what your competitors charge on the same platform for similar dishes. You do not need to be the cheapest, but you need to be in the right range. Pricing 30% above the local average without a clear quality signal will cost you orders.
• Mark veg/non-veg accurately: This is non-negotiable. Incorrect tagging leads to customer complaints, potential allergic reactions, and platform penalties.
• Highlight bestsellers: Both platforms let you mark items as “Bestseller” or “Must Try.” Use these tags on your top 3-5 dishes. Customers ordering from a new restaurant gravitate toward marked items.

Menu mistakes that cost orders:

• Uploading a scanned PDF of your physical menu instead of entering items individually
• Missing prices or showing “Market Price” for standard items
• Having 150+ items when 40-60 well-chosen dishes convert better
• Not updating prices when your costs change

Step 4: Add photographs of your food

This is where most restaurants leave money on the table. Listings with photos generate significantly more orders than those without. Yet roughly half of all restaurant profiles on delivery apps either have no photos or have dark, blurry shots that make great food look unappetising.

You do not need a professional photographer:

• Use natural light. Place the dish near a window. Sunlight makes food look fresh and vibrant. Avoid direct flash, which washes out colours and creates harsh shadows.
• Shoot from above or at a 45-degree angle. These are the two angles that make Indian food look best, whether it is a thali spread or a single bowl of dal makhani.
• Use a clean background. A plain white plate or a wooden surface works. Cluttered backgrounds distract from the food.
• Show the portion size honestly. If your biryani comes in a generous portion, make sure the photo communicates that. Customers who receive less food than they expected based on the photo will feel cheated.

What to photograph first:

• Your top 5 bestselling dishes
• Any signature items that differentiate you from competitors
• Combo meals and thalis (these perform exceptionally well on delivery apps)
• Your restaurant’s exterior (helps with brand recognition)

Update your photos every 3-4 months, especially when you introduce seasonal dishes or festive specials. Stale photos signal a stale menu.

Step 5: Set your delivery options

Delivery configuration directly affects your order volume, your customer satisfaction scores, and your bottom line. Get these settings wrong and you will either lose money on every order or lose customers to faster competitors.

Decisions you need to make:

• Delivery radius: Start with 3-5 km if you are in a dense urban area. Food quality degrades over distance, and longer delivery times lead to lower ratings. You can expand later once you have your packaging and prep times dialled in.
• Minimum order value: Set this based on your average dish price. If your main dishes cost INR 200-300, a minimum order of INR 149-199 is reasonable. Too high and you lose single-person orders. Too low and small orders eat into your margins after commission.
• Preparation time: Be honest. If your kitchen needs 25 minutes for most orders, set it at 25-30 minutes. Under-promising and over-delivering is always better than the reverse. Customers forgive a stated 30-minute wait. They do not forgive a stated 15-minute wait that takes 35.
• Self-delivery vs platform delivery: If you have your own delivery fleet, self-delivery gives you more control and lower commission. But platform delivery handles logistics end-to-end, which matters when you are starting out and do not want to manage riders.

The packaging decision that affects everything:

Here is what they do not tell you during onboarding: your packaging is part of your product on delivery apps. The customer does not see your kitchen, your ambience, or your service staff. They see a bag, open it, and judge you on what is inside.

Flimsy plastic containers that leak gravy onto the bag, lids that pop open in transit, styrofoam boxes that make food taste like chemicals. These are not minor inconveniences. They are one-star reviews waiting to happen.

As a restaurant owner running delivery, your packaging needs to do three things:

• Hold up during transit. No leaks, no spills, no lids coming loose when the delivery partner’s bag shifts on a speed bump.
• Keep food at the right temperature. Hot food should arrive hot. Compostable containers made from bagasse (sugarcane fibre) retain heat better than thin plastic and do not sweat or create condensation that makes food soggy.
• Look professional on arrival. When a customer opens a delivery bag and sees sturdy, clean, well-designed containers, it signals quality. It says you care about their experience beyond the kitchen.

Compostable disposables solve all three problems. They are rigid enough to survive transit, they insulate better than plastic, and they present well. On top of that, they keep you ahead of India’s tightening packaging waste regulations. Several states already restrict single-use plastic in food service, and the direction of regulation is clear.

Chuk’s compostable containers, for example, are built specifically for Indian food service. They handle gravies without leaking, hold heat for 45-60 minutes, and stack neatly in delivery bags. When you are serving 50-100 delivery orders a day, those details compound into better ratings, fewer complaints, and lower refund costs.

Step 6: Keep your operating hours updated

This sounds basic. It is basic. And restaurants still get it wrong constantly.

Why accurate hours matter more than you think:

• Customers who see your restaurant as “Open” on the app and place an order, only to have it auto-cancelled because you are actually closed, will not come back. Ever.
• Both Zomato and Swiggy penalise restaurants that frequently cancel orders due to being offline during listed hours. This affects your ranking in search results.
• Festival hours, extended weekend hours, and Ramadan timings all need to be updated proactively, not reactively.

Set it and review it weekly:

• Enter your standard daily operating hours
• Update for public holidays at least 48 hours in advance
• If you offer different menus at different times (lunch thali vs dinner a la carte), configure time-based availability
• Mark specific items as unavailable rather than going offline entirely when you run out of one ingredient

Step 7: Accept orders and fulfil them properly

Your listing is live. Orders are coming in. This is where the real work begins, and where the gap between restaurants that grow on delivery platforms and those that flatline becomes obvious.

Order management basics:

• Respond to orders within 60 seconds. Both platforms track your acceptance rate and response time. Slow acceptance pushes you down in search rankings.
• Print or display orders clearly. Use the platform’s order management tablet or integrate with your existing POS system. Handwritten order transfers from app to kitchen introduce errors.
• Prep efficiently. Delivery orders should follow a standardised prep sequence. Unlike dine-in, where you can course a meal, delivery items need to be ready simultaneously so they are packed and handed off together.

Packaging your delivery orders:

This is where your choice of containers pays off or costs you.

• Seal containers properly. Use containers with tight-fitting lids. For gravies and liquids, consider double-sealing or using containers with built-in leak guards.
• Separate hot and cold items. Do not put a cold raita container next to a hot biryani container without insulation between them.
• Label clearly. If the order has multiple items, label each container. Delivery partners are not going to remember which box is which.
• Include napkins, cutlery, and any condiments. Missing basics lead to frustrated customers and unnecessary support tickets.

When you use compostable containers from a brand like Chuk, the presentation automatically upgrades. The containers are clean-looking, uniform, and they tell your customers something about your values without you having to say a word. In a market where customers increasingly notice (and appreciate) sustainable choices, that packaging becomes a quiet differentiator.

Step 8: Grow your restaurant on the platform

Getting listed is step one. Growing on the platform is an ongoing effort that separates restaurants doing 20 orders a day from those doing 200.

Reviews are your currency:

• Respond to every review. Positive reviews get a thank-you. Negative reviews get a professional, solution-oriented response. Never argue with a customer publicly.
• Address complaints in the response. If someone says the food arrived cold, acknowledge it and explain what you have changed (better insulation, improved packaging, faster prep). Prospective customers read your responses as much as the reviews themselves.
• Encourage reviews without being pushy. A simple note in the delivery bag: “Loved your meal? A quick review helps us serve you better” goes further than discount-for-review schemes that platforms may penalise.

Platform promotions that actually work:

• New restaurant discounts: Both platforms offer introductory promotion tools for newly listed restaurants. Use them. The initial burst of orders builds your review base and rating.
• Happy hour offers: Offer 10-15% off during your slowest hours (typically 3 PM – 6 PM). This fills your kitchen capacity without cannibalising your peak-hour revenue.
• Combo deals: Bundle a main, a side, and a drink at a slight discount. Combos increase average order value while giving the customer a perception of savings.
• Free delivery thresholds: If you handle your own delivery, offer free delivery above a certain order value. This nudges customers toward larger orders.

Keep your listing fresh:

• Update your menu every quarter with seasonal additions
• Refresh food photos every 3-4 months
• Add festive specials during Diwali, Holi, Eid, Navratri, and other occasions. Occasion-based menus perform extremely well on delivery apps.
• Monitor your competitor listings monthly and adjust your positioning

Common mistakes that kill your delivery business

Even after following all eight steps, restaurants make avoidable errors that cap their growth. Watch out for these:

• Ignoring packaging quality to save INR 1-2 per container. That saving disappears when you factor in refund requests and rating drops from leaky, flimsy packaging. Compostable disposables cost marginally more upfront but reduce complaint-driven refunds significantly.
• Not tracking platform analytics. Both Zomato and Swiggy give you data on your most-ordered items, peak hours, customer demographics, and repeat order rates. Use this data. It tells you what to promote, what to remove, and when to staff up.
• Going offline during peak hours. Every minute you are offline during lunch (12-2 PM) or dinner (7-10 PM) is revenue you cannot recover. If your kitchen is overwhelmed, increase your listed prep time rather than going offline.
• Neglecting food safety compliance. Your FSSAI licence must be current. Both platforms periodically verify compliance, and a lapsed licence can get you delisted without warning.

In a Nutshell

Listing your restaurant on Zomato and Swiggy is one of the most straightforward ways to expand your customer base in 2026. The registration process itself is simple. What determines your success is the quality of your setup and your consistency after going live.

Get your profile right: accurate details, honest descriptions, quality photos. Price your menu competitively and structure it for easy browsing. Choose packaging that protects your food during transit and presents well on arrival. Compostable disposables from Chuk give you leak-proof, heat-retaining containers that also keep you compliant with evolving regulations.

Then do the ongoing work. Respond to reviews. Run promotions strategically. Update your menu for seasons and festivals. Track your platform data and adjust.

The restaurants that treat delivery platforms as a serious sales channel, not an afterthought, are the ones pulling 100+ orders a day within their first quarter. The tools are there. The customers are there. Your next step is to register and set up your profile the right way.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to get listed on Zomato or Swiggy?

The registration process itself takes 15-20 minutes. Verification and approval typically take 3-7 business days, depending on your location and how quickly you respond to the platform’s verification calls. Having all your documents (FSSAI licence, GST certificate, PAN card, bank details) ready before you start speeds this up significantly.

What documents do I need to register my restaurant on Zomato or Swiggy?

Both platforms require a valid FSSAI food licence, GST registration certificate (if applicable based on turnover), PAN card of the business owner or entity, bank account details for payment settlements, and a copy of your menu. Some locations may also require a trade licence or shop establishment certificate depending on local municipal requirements.

How much commission do Zomato and Swiggy charge restaurants?

Commission rates typically range from 15% to 30% of the order value, depending on your agreement, location, order volume, and whether you use the platform’s delivery fleet or your own. Self-delivery restaurants generally pay lower commissions. Negotiate your rate, especially if you are a high-volume restaurant or operate multiple outlets.

Can I list my restaurant on both Zomato and Swiggy at the same time?

Yes, and you should. Most successful delivery restaurants are listed on both platforms. Each has a different customer base and different strengths in different cities. Being on both maximises your reach. Just make sure your menu, pricing, and availability are consistent across platforms to avoid customer confusion.

How do I improve my restaurant’s ranking on Zomato and Swiggy?

Your ranking depends on several factors: order acceptance rate, average delivery time, customer ratings, photo quality, menu completeness, and how often you are online during peak hours. Responding to orders quickly, maintaining a rating above 4.0, keeping your menu updated with photos, and running platform promotions all push you higher in search results.

What kind of packaging should I use for food delivery orders?

Your packaging needs to prevent leaks, retain heat, and present well when the customer opens it. Compostable disposables made from sugarcane bagasse are a strong choice for Indian food service. They handle gravies without leaking, insulate better than thin plastic, and signal quality to your customers. They also keep you ahead of India’s increasing restrictions on single-use plastic in food packaging.

How do I handle negative reviews on delivery platforms?

Respond to every negative review within 24 hours. Acknowledge the issue, apologise without being defensive, and explain the specific step you have taken to prevent it from happening again. Never argue with the customer or blame the delivery partner publicly. Prospective customers read your responses carefully, and a professional, solution-oriented reply can actually turn a negative review into a trust signal.

Is it worth running promotions on Zomato and Swiggy as a new restaurant?

Yes, especially in your first 30 days. New restaurant promotions help you build an initial base of orders and reviews, which are critical for your long-term ranking. Start with a modest discount (10-15% off or free delivery above a threshold), track which promotions drive the most orders relative to cost, and scale the ones that work. Avoid deep discounts that train customers to only order when there is a deal.

Next steps after listing

• optimize your listing
• rank higher on delivery apps
• Zomato vs Swiggy
• restaurant operations glossary
• food delivery packaging basics