Pizza Size Scam? Customer Wins Rs 10,520 for Undersized Order

Imagine ordering a 10-inch pizza, only to have a 7-inch one show up at your door. That’s exactly what happened to one customer, and now a consumer commission in Uttarakhand has ordered a food delivery platform and a restaurant to pay up.

The Haridwar District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed M/s Bundle Technologies Pvt Ltd, a food delivery platform, and Cafe Fost Factory, a restaurant, to jointly pay Rs 10,520 to Raj Trehan. This significant payout came after Trehan complained about receiving pizzas that were notably smaller than the 10-inch size he had ordered on March 10, 2020, through an online app.

The Payout Breakdown

• Total compensation awarded: Rs 10,520
• Original cost of the two pizzas and delivery charges: Rs 520
• Amount for mental and physical harassment suffered: Rs 5,000
• Legal fees incurred by the customer, also covered: Rs 5,000

Trehan’s complaint detailed how he received 7-inch pizzas instead of the advertised 10-inch ones. Despite the businesses involved admitting their mistake, a full refund was unfortunately never provided, leaving Trehan with no option but to escalate the matter.

After unsuccessful attempts to resolve the issue through a legal notice and the National Consumer Helpline, Trehan approached the Haridwar commission. The commission’s thorough review found both the food delivery company and the restaurant jointly responsible for both a clear deficiency in service and engaging in unfair trade practices.

The online platform’s argument, stating it was merely an intermediary and thus not liable, was firmly dismissed by the commission. Both M/s Bundle Technologies Pvt Ltd and Cafe Fost Factory are now mandated to complete the payment within 45 days of the order, or they will face an annual interest rate of 10% on the outstanding amount.