Snapdeal’s Kunal Bahl flags hotel guests opting for food delivery apps over room service

A post by Snapdeal co-founder Kunal Bahl has gone viral on social media, drawing attention to the increasingly common practice of hotel guests opting for food deliveries via apps instead of in-house dining options.

Shared on X, Bahl’s caption read: "Everyone is ordering food in hotels from food delivery apps. Time for introspection for hotels." The post was accompanied by a photograph of a delivery executive walking through a hotel corridor carrying a food bag. As of today, it has garnered more than 1,800 likes, 177 replies and over 500,000 views.

The observation prompted a wide range of responses from users, many of whom shared personal anecdotes and explanations for the shift. Amit Kumar Gupta noted that the practice predates modern delivery platforms, writing: “A trend which has been happening much before delivery apps came into picture. In CM and Sterling resorts, virtually all restaurants in nearby areas leave their pamphlets and people staying in order food (lunch and/or dinner with breakfast complimentary) via mobile phone calls. Go to the gate and pick up the order.”

A trend which has been happening much before delivery apps came into picture. In CM and Sterling resorts, virtually all restaurants in nearby areas leave their pamphlets and people staying in order food (lunch and/or dinner with breakfast complimentary) via mobile phone calls. Go…

— Amit Kumar Gupta (@amitgupta0310) January 15, 2026

Another user highlighted a similar system in China, pointing to infrastructure designed to accommodate deliveries: “This is right outside Sheraton Guangzhou Food delivery lockers. No lobby chaos. No annoyed guests. No stressed staff Hotels win. Couriers win. Guests win.”

This is right outside Sheraton Guangzhou ??
Food delivery lockers.
• No lobby chaos
• No annoyed guests
• No stressed staff

Hotels win. Couriers win. Guests win.

Simple systems > fancy policies. pic.twitter.com/2DubfSkInJ

— abhishek (@abhishek_tri) January 15, 2026

Cost was also a recurring theme. One user commented on the perceived imbalance between price and quality of hotel food, stating, “It is way too costly in 4/5 start hotel with quality and quantity of food offer. If you have proper 3 meal in these hotels, you might end up spending more on food than on stay.”

It is way too costly in 4/5 start hotel with quality and quantity of food offer . If you have proper 3 meal in these hotels , you might end up spending more on food than on stay.

— Ashish chandel (@ashchaspeaks) January 15, 2026

Others focused on quality as a key factor behind the trend. One user wrote: “Hotel rooms are good, I but there food is always bad. Even the top hotels.”

Hotel rooms are good, I but there food is always bad. Even the top hotels.

— Swapnil Kommawar (@KommawarSwapnil) January 15, 2026

Bahl’s brief observation on hotel guests turning to food delivery apps has clearly struck a chord, evolving from a single post into a broader conversation on X. The responses, ranging from complaints about high prices and slow service to anecdotes about ordering local favourites, point to a consistent set of reasons: better value for money, greater choice, faster service and the flexibility to eat on one’s own terms.