In a strategic move aimed at disrupting India’s food delivery landscape, MagicPin and Rapido have partnered to expand their reach and challenge the dominance of Zomato and Swiggy. People aware of the development said MagicPin will integrate its nationwide network of over 80,000 restaurants with Rapido’s recently launched food delivery platform, Ownly.
The partnership, once fully operational, will enable Ownly—currently active mainly in Bengaluru—to tap into magicpin’s extensive restaurant base, while magicpin gains access to Rapido’s delivery fleet in select locations.
A Rapido spokesperson confirmed the collaboration, stating, “Rapido primarily onboards restaurants directly through our merchant team, with only a very small share coming via partners like MagicPin. We also work with Magicpin and others in select cities as a logistics provider, where our captain fleet supports last-mile deliveries. Our focus remains on building reliable, affordable, full-stack discovery and delivery solutions.”
Magicpin did not respond to queries on the tie-up.
Challenges Ahead
Industry insiders note that while the partnership promises market disruption, building scale will be difficult in a low-margin sector where rider payouts, delivery costs and customer discounts heavily impact profitability. The duo also faces the task of winning consumer trust in a segment where Zomato and Swiggy have built strong loyalty through speed and reliability.
Restaurant partners, however, see potential upside.
Shakir Haq, CEO of NKP Empire Ventures, said the collaboration could create a level-playing field. “With Magicpin’s presence and Rapido coming in, it should be a great advantage for restaurants,” he noted.
Avinash Bajaj, Managing Director at Truffles Hospitality, called it a positive development, saying the move offers more choice and “potentially better economics”.
Zomato holds around 15% stake in MagicPin, while Swiggy recently moved to exit its investment in Rapido over potential conflicts as Rapido enters the food delivery segment.