Talabat will shut down Zomato UAE’s food ordering mobile application, starting November 24, and Zomato users will automatically be directed to the Talabat mobile application to order food, Arabian Business’ sister publication Caterer Middle East reported on Monday.
The shift will reportedly cost Zomato UAE staff their jobs, however, Talabat will help “transition” employees through a severance package, a Talabat spokesperson confirmed.
“As an organisation, we are well-positioned to support our people adequately and are here to enable this transition in the best way possible for their careers. The severance package extended includes financial and outplacement support along with due healthcare benefits,” the spokesperson said.
On Monday, Caterer Middle East was sent an email that restaurants on the Zomato platform received, informing them of the change.
“We want to thank you for being a trusted partner of Zomato food ordering over the years. Your contribution has been significant in offering a great experience to and delighting our beloved customers. We wish you the very best for the continued growth of your business and look forward to partnering with you in the growth of your dining out business,” the email said.
According to the email, Zomato will also pay back owed money by December 20 for restaurants, including money owed for unpaid advertising.
With the Zomato mobile application closing, a new “discovery platform” called Vibe Check will launch. The app, which will function similar to Instagram Stories has already been trialled across India.
Vibe Check will allow restaurants to post updates and videos to users.
“We are redefining the way our customers experience dining out through the launch of a new feature called ‘Vibe Check’ along with ‘Zomato Pay’ which will further enhance the value for our customers as well as restaurant partners,” Talabat said in an email.
Zomato Pay will reportedly replace the food ordering application in the emirates, giving users the chance to pay via the application in participating restaurants.
“With new features like Vibe check and additional offers via Zomato Pay, we have renewed our focus on restaurant discovery and dining out, and as a result, it will no longer be possible to order food in the UAE through our app, from November 24 onwards,” the Talabat spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added: “Customers can continue to order from their preferred restaurants on the Talabat app, including many of their Zomato-loved brands such as Bikanervala, Puranmal, Filli, Dyar Al Sham, Chicking, Wok Boyz, amongst many others. Restaurant partners can also choose to join Talabat to grow their businesses, while offering their customers the delivery experience Talabat brings.”
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