Zomato is set to introduce a ‘Mehmaan Mode’ feature that would hide food prices while guests browse and place orders on a host’s phone, following a suggestion by LinkedIn user Ayushmaan Agarwalla.
Deepinder Goyal, founder of Zomato, responded to Agarwalla’s post on LinkedIn, confirming that the feature would be rolled out this week.
“Thanks for the suggestion. Shipping it this week. Wish you the happiest festive season ❤️,” Goyal commented on the post.
What is Mehmaan Mode?
In his LinkedIn post, Agarwalla suggested that Zomato introduce a simple mode that makes prices disappear from the ordering interface, allowing hosts to pass their phones around to guests without making them conscious of the cost of their food choices.
Under the proposed feature, guests would be able to browse the menu and select their orders without seeing prices, while the host would retain control of the phone to complete the payment.
“I have a small feature recommendation. Zomato should have a simple 'mehmaan mode'. one that makes prices disappear; then phone can be passed around by host without awkwardness to guests to order at ease. The host can then take the phone and make payment,” Agarwalla wrote.
He added that he had increasingly observed people passing their phones around when ordering food for guests.
“No price, no embarrassment and no hesitation,” he wrote, highlighting the feature's potential usefulness during the festive season, when people frequently host friends and family.
LinkedIn post gains traction
The suggestion gained traction on LinkedIn, attracting more than 3,000 likes, according to the post's reported engagement. Goyal's response also brought attention to the proposal, with the Zomato founder indicating that the company would move ahead with the idea.
The exchange highlights how consumer suggestions on social media can become a source of product ideas for brands, particularly when they address everyday friction points in the user experience.
Zomato's proposed Mehmaan Mode would seek to make group ordering more comfortable for hosts and guests by separating menu selection from price visibility.
