If you run a restaurant in Delhi, Mumbai, Gurgaon, or Bengaluru, there’s a good chance that a third of your revenue is leaking every month, quietly.
According to NRAI, Indian restaurants lose 25 to 35 percent of revenue to aggregators through commissions, discounts, and mandatory visibility spends. On paper, this looks like the cost of gaining customers. In reality, it’s the cost of not owning your guests funnel.
For a restaurant earning ₹1 crore monthly, that amounts to ₹25 to 30 lakhs, which is paid not to improve food, service, or experience, but to platforms that control demand.
As 2026 approaches, more restaurant owners are asking a tougher question: Why am I paying commissions for customers who already like my brand?
Aggregators helped restaurants get discovered, but this discovery comes at a price.
The obvious cost is commission, which often ranges from 18 to 30%. The less obvious cost is dependency. Restaurants feel pressured to offer discounts to remain competitive. They are also encouraged to pay for ads just to appear on their own listings. Over time, the platform becomes the brand, not the restaurant.
Even worse, restaurants do not receive useful customer data. They lack phone numbers, visit history, and ways to communicate outside the platform. Guests may return, but the relationship belongs to aggregators.
This is why restaurant commissions are not just about profit margins anymore; they have become a barrier to growth.
“The Real Problem: You Don’t Own the Customer Relationship”
When bookings and walk-ins come from aggregators, restaurants lose control over three important areas: guest data (who is coming, how often, and why), repeat marketing (WhatsApp, reminders, loyalty), and attribution (what marketing actually works).
You can spend on Meta or Google Ads, but once traffic goes to an aggregator listing, tracking fails. There’s no pixel, no conversion event, and no way to retarget interested diners. This is why direct booking for restaurants in India is crucial, not as an option, but as a foundation.
Why 2026 Will Belong to Direct Bookings
Three shifts are changing how Indian restaurants grow. First, aggregator economics are tightening. Organic reach is shrinking, advertising costs are rising, and commissions are not decreasing.
Second, WhatsApp has become the main communication channel for Indian diners. Over 70% use WhatsApp for confirmations, reminders, and updates (Statista, 2025). Restaurants that don’t take advantage of this are missing out on engagement.
Third, restaurants are starting to invest in performance marketing, but without their own landing pages and booking systems, the return on investment remains unclear.
These shifts explain why Zomato alternatives that focus on ownership, tracking, and customer relationship management are gaining popularity.
High-performing restaurants aren’t leaving aggregators behind suddenly. They are cutting back on their reliance in a smart way.
They use aggregators for discovery while directing returning guests to book directly. They are replacing aggregator links on Instagram and Google with their own booking pages. They automate confirmations and reminders through WhatsApp. They also begin to build a guest database that they own.
The aim isn’t to battle the platforms; it’s to lessen their dependency.
The manager is analyzing the sales report.
How Grippie Makes This Shift Practical
The brains behind Grippie are professionals who’ve spent years deep inside the food & beverage industry, not watching from the sidelines, but working through its everyday realities. With close to two decades of experience across restaurant operations, marketing, and customer acquisition, the team understands what actually works on the ground and what doesn’t. Grippie is shaped by that lived experience, built around real challenges and real learnings. Grippie’s purpose is to address one main problem: help restaurants manage bookings, guests, and data without commissions.
Grippie serves as an in-house CRM and direct booking system specifically designed for restaurants. can accept reservations directly with no commission. Each venue receives a branded, mobile-friendly booking page that can be used in Instagram bios, Google listings, and ad campaigns, all of which can be fully tracked with pixels.
Every booking sends automated confirmations and reminders via WhatsApp, which reduces no-shows and enhances the guest experience. Over time, restaurants create a clean guest database that includes visit history, preferences, and repeat behavior, something that aggregators do not provide.
For staff, Grippie displays guest notes and requests before arrival, allowing for better service and upselling without hassle.
The 2026 Reality for Indian Restaurants
In 2026, the divide will be clear. Some restaurants will keep paying commissions, running blind ads, and renting customers. Others will own their guest relationships, communicate directly on WhatsApp, track every booking, and grow profitably.
The difference won’t be in food quality or décor. It will be in control.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why do restaurants lose up to 30% revenue to aggregators in India?
Indian restaurants lose 25 to 35% of their revenue to aggregators because of high commissions, required discounts, and paid visibility. These expenses lower profit margins and make restaurants reliant on platforms for bookings and orders.
2. What is restaurant direct booking and why is it important in India?
Restaurant direct booking in India lets customers reserve tables straight with the restaurant, without going through aggregators. This helps restaurants avoid paying commissions, keep customer data, and grow repeat business through WhatsApp and direct marketing.
3. Are aggregators still necessary for restaurants in 2026?
Yes, aggregators are still helpful for finding new customers, but depending on them for repeat bookings costs too much. In 2026, restaurants should use aggregators for exposure while encouraging loyal guests to book directly.
4. How does WhatsApp marketing help restaurants increase bookings?
WhatsApp marketing for restaurants boosts booking confirmations, cuts down on no-shows, and raises repeat visits. More than 70% of Indian diners use WhatsApp, leading to much higher engagement than SMS or email.
5. How does Grippie help restaurants reduce aggregator dependency?
Grippie allows commission-free direct bookings. It offers branded booking pages for ads and social media. It includes WhatsApp automation and a built-in CRM. This helps restaurants manage guest data and increase revenue without relying on aggregators.
