Zomato’s‘Meal for Flood Relief’ campaign draws flak on social media; brand takes on its detractors

Last week restaurant search and discovery service Zomato announced ‘Meal for Flood Relief’ campaign to help the Chennai deluge affected. So, if you buy a meal through this option, Zomato will add one to it and send the meal for two to the submerged areas.

However, this campaign met with fewdetractors who considered it as a means to make money whenDeepinderGoyal, founder and CEO of Zomato announced it on Twitter. Soon the social media channels was abuzz with a wide range of reactions and some of them included:

Zomato be like order a pizza for yourself and we'll throw 1 garlic breadstick to someone swimming in flood.

— ???????? (@indiantweeter) December 2, 2015

But Goyal had a quick comeback to it which found backing from the other segment of Twitterati who thought it to be a good move given Zomato’s wide network. 

Sorry for sounding pissed, but I cannot stand people who don't do anything themselves but still want to claim the higher moral ground.

— DeepinderGoyal (@deepigoyal) December 2, 2015

We are NOT making any money off this. We have a large platform and we WILL use it to help when needed. So fuck the haters and their abuse.

— DeepinderGoyal (@deepigoyal) December 2, 2015

Had it just been charity by Zomato, less people would have gotten awakened and involved. Hope critics get this point. (2/2)

— SaurabhSengupta (@sobelix) December 2, 2015

By making customers a part of the #ChennaiRainsHelp initiative in a way they are already familiar with, Zomato mobilised masses (1/2)

— SaurabhSengupta (@sobelix) December 2, 2015

@deepigoyal@TwitterIndia@the_hindu Just placed an order on that link. Great effort @Zomato Ignore the haters, they are just being idiots.

— AravindThodupunoori (@aravindt_gmf) December 2, 2015

Despite the social media criticism, the Zomato initiative got support from numerous restaurants in Chennai with over 55K meals purchased in one day.