Zomato Gold for Us, Gold-Plated Cars for Deepinder Goyal: Where Do Business Ethics Stand?

We, the common customers, purchase Zomato Gold for a few hundred rupees. He, the CEO, purchases Bentleys, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Porsches worth “over ₹40 crores.” Social media makes jokes out of it, but let’s pause. This is not about envy. This is about ethics.

The Picture of Success vs. The Cost of Service

On one side, a billionaire founder flaunts his garage of supercars. On the other side, delivery partners ride 150cc bikes in the rain, in traffic, in scorching heat—sometimes for less than ₹30 a delivery. We call it entrepreneurship, but is it really fair when the pyramid is built on fragile backs?

Every rupee we spend on extra loyalty programs, on delivery charges, on tips, fuels a system where the top shines while the base struggles. Of course, CEOs are free to spend their wealth. But the question is: at what ethical cost was this wealth built?

Business Ethics: The Invisible Contract

Business isn’t just numbers. It’s also trust. A food delivery platform doesn’t just deliver food, it delivers dignity. When riders complain about delayed salaries, lack of medical insurance, or being penalized unfairly for order cancellations, ethics demand that we look at priorities.

If a company’s leader can accumulate cars worth crores, why can’t the same company guarantee basic living wages, healthcare, and insurance for those risking their lives in traffic every day?

The Gap Between Image and Reality

We celebrate unicorn CEOs as role models of “India Shining.” They talk about innovation, disruption, growth. Yet behind this glamorous facade is a workforce treated like replaceable parts. What’s the real measure of success — a Bentley in the CEO’s garage, or dignity in the delivery boy’s pocket?

The Customers’ Role in the Game

We’re not innocent either. We proudly flash Zomato Gold and demand 1+1 free meals, we argue for ₹50 discounts, and yet we tip only ₹10 for a 10 km ride in the rain. By pushing prices down, we indirectly squeeze riders further. Ethics is not only about the CEO—it’s about us too.

When Wealth Becomes a Mirror

There’s nothing wrong with ambition. Owning luxury cars is not a crime. But business ethics demand balance. True success isn’t when the founder parks a Lamborghini in his garage—it’s when his delivery fleet can afford safe helmets, stable wages, and healthcare without begging for it.

Because one day, when the hype fades, these flashy cars will only stand as mirrors. And the question the mirror will ask is: “What did you build — a garage of machines, or a foundation of people?”

Call to Action

India doesn’t need more unicorns that burn bright at the top while the bottom is suffocating. We need businesses that build wealth with dignity, with fairness, and with ethics.

As customers, we must demand transparency. As entrepreneurs, we must redefine success. As a society, we must stop glorifying only the garage and start questioning the ethics of how that garage was filled.

💥 Because ethics is not about whether you can buy a Bentley. It’s about whether the people who work for you can afford to eat three meals a day without skipping one.

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