If you want to start a food business without the high costs of running a dine-in restaurant, a cloud kitchen is a smart choice. And in India, Zomato is one of the best platforms to get you started. It instantly connects you with millions of customers who are already searching for food online.
But here’s what you need to know: simply listing your kitchen on Zomato isn’t enough. To actually get noticed, earn good reviews, and climb the rankings, you need to set up your kitchen and operations the right way from day one.
This step-by-step guide explains how to open cloud kitchen on Zomato, even if you’re a beginner, and shows you how to do it the right way. Let’s break it down.
Why Zomato and Why Now?
Let’s be honest. In most Indian cities, Zomato and Swiggy dominate food delivery. If you’re not on these platforms, customers won’t even know you exist. Zomato alone handles millions of orders every day across 800+ cities. Even a small, no-frills cloud kitchen can reach thousands of customers without spending big on marketing or a prime retail location.
For anyone starting out, it’s the easiest way to get your food in front of people who are ready to order.
But just being on Zomato isn’t enough. Customers see dozens of options every time they open the app. To stand out, get good reviews, and keep climbing the rankings, you have to set up your kitchen and operations the right way from day one. That’s what makes the difference between a kitchen that thrives and one that fades away.
How to Open a Cloud Kitchen on Zomato
Getting started on Zomato is easy if you know what to do. Here’s how you can set up your cloud kitchen and start taking orders step by step:
Step 1: Understand What Zomato Looks For
Most first-time operators assume that getting listed means instant success. That’s not true. Zomato’s algorithm prioritizes kitchens that:
- Maintain excellent hygiene (Zomato conducts surprise checks)
- Deliver orders quickly — ideally under 30 minutes
- Stay FSSAI-compliant with clean operations
- Consistently earn good customer ratings
- Keep their menus clear, updated, and delivery-friendly
So from the start, aim for these benchmarks. The cleaner your kitchen, the faster your service, the better your chances of showing up at the top of search results.
Step 2: Set Up Your Kitchen the Right Way
Your location, layout, and equipment can make or break your cloud kitchen.
Key considerations:
- Look for a location that’s close to a dense residential or commercial area but doesn’t come with high street-facing rents.
- Ideally, 250–400 sq. ft. is enough to run a small cloud kitchen with 1–2 brands.
- Invest in good exhaust, storage racks, and delivery-friendly packaging setups.
Your kitchen doesn’t need fancy interiors, but it must be hygienic, functional, and optimized for delivery flow. Think of separate prep, cook, and packing zones to avoid delays and contamination.
Step 3: Get the Required Licenses and Registrations
Zomato will ask you to upload specific documents when you register as a partner. You can’t skip this. Here’s what you’ll need:
- FSSAI license (mandatory for all food businesses)
- GST registration (if your turnover exceeds ₹40 lakh/year or if you want to claim input tax credit)
- Trade license from your local municipal authority
- Bank account details & PAN card
Pro tip: Even if you’re small and don’t cross the GST threshold initially, it’s still smart to register so you’re ready to grow.
Step 4: Create a Delivery-Friendly Menu
A cloud kitchen lives or dies by its menu. On Zomato, customers scroll quickly, so your menu needs to be:
- Short and focused on the 10–20 best-selling items
- Packaged well to travel without spills or sogginess
- Priced competitively while still leaving margins after Zomato’s commission (typically 18–25%)
Experiment with combos, value meals, and family packs. Avoid dishes that don’t travel well, like papads or fragile desserts.
Step 5: Register on the Zomato Partner Platform
Once your kitchen is set up and ready, visit Zomato for Business to start the registration. Here’s what you’ll need to fill/upload:
How to register:
- Owner and kitchen details (name, address, contact info)
- Menu (with clear photos and prices)
- GST, FSSAI, PAN documents
- Bank account info for payments
Once submitted, Zomato verifies your documents and may schedule an inspection. The whole process usually takes 7–10 working days if everything is in order.
Step 6: Prepare Your Team and Kitchen for Operations
When your listing goes live, orders can start coming in immediately, sometimes within hours. Be prepared:
What to prepare:
- Train your staff to pack fast, handle Zomato’s dashboard, and keep delivery riders moving efficiently.
- Stock up enough inventory to handle at least the first week.
- Monitor early reviews carefully — even a handful of 1-star reviews in the first few days can hurt your visibility.
Your first few reviews can set the tone for your kitchen’s success on Zomato.
Step 7: Promote Yourself on Zomato (and Beyond)
Once you’re live, you can use Zomato’s in-app promotions to boost visibility, especially in the first month.
- Try running “buy 1 get 1” or free delivery offers to attract early customers.
- Keep an eye on your ratings and respond to feedback professionally.
- Over time, optimize your menu and pricing based on what actually sells.
Also, market yourself outside Zomato. Use Instagram, WhatsApp, and even local influencer collaborations to build a loyal customer base.
Bonus Tips from Industry Veterans
- If you can afford it, consider launching 2–3 virtual brands from the same kitchen. This spreads your fixed costs and attracts different customer segments to Zomato.
- Focus on hygiene: Zomato sometimes suspends kitchens after poor hygiene audits.
- Watch your food costs closely. Aim for 30–35% of your selling price to leave room for commissions and profit.
Conclusion
Figuring out how to open a cloud kitchen on Zomato can feel overwhelming at first, but it’s one of the smartest moves you can make to tap into India’s fast-growing food delivery market. The kitchens that thrive are the ones that pair great food with efficient, customer-focused operations.
If you’d rather not figure it all out on your own, consider teaming up with an experienced cloud kitchen network like Kouzina. Our proven systems, technology, and expertise can help you get it right from day one.
