Swiggy has resumed its loyalty program Swiggy Super with a monthly subscription plan after suspending it for over two months due to restrictions imposed on restaurants during the nationwide lockdown imposed to check the spread of Covid-19.
Before wrapping up the program temporarily, Swiggy was offering monthly as well as quarterly subscription plans. However, it is now offering a monthly subscription plan only.
With restaurants now gradually opening and seeing interest from customers to order food, Swiggy has brought back its monthly ‘Super’ subscription plan. “Customers in close to 60 cities across the country can now opt for the monthly subscription program (at the same price point as pre-COVID at Rs. 149/ month) to avail the unmatched benefits offered by Swiggy,” said a Swiggy Spokesperson responding to Entrackr’s queries.
In its frequently asked questions section, the Bengaluru-based firm has said that it is not offering a quarterly plan to avoid locking of money in case the restriction on restaurants is reimposed.
Swiggy Super will cover all charges under the free delivery program, including a delivery fee, late-night surcharge, restaurant fixed fee, on any order of Rs 149 and above even during the peak demand period. The company also clarified that Super would not be applicable on instant pick up and drop facility Swiggy Genie and groceries and essential delivery service Swiggy Stores.
Explaining the reason behind halting the program, the spokesperson added that the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions forced many restaurants to close for a few months which impacted the high standards of service that customers would expect as a Super member. Therefore, this program was paused for renewals and new subscriptions in April 2020.
Experts tracking the segment had said that food delivery platforms saw a 90% drop in their daily order volume during the initial phases of lockdown. However, things are improving a bit, and the number of orders has been going up after relaxation in activities for food delivery platforms and restaurant partners.
Unlike Swiggy, its arch-rival Zomato had expanded its loyalty program Gold during the period to more customers. According to Zomato, it had extended Gold membership by four more months across India and eight other countries. The Gurugram-based company also claimed to have renewed the membership program of around 26,300 Gold users in April.