‘Zomato isn’t for everyone’: Former employee reveals the ‘honest truth’ about surviving Deepinder Goyal’s intense work culture

While Das looked back on her Zomato years with affection, she also struck a note of caution for anyone considering joining the company. According to her, Zomato is not designed to be a comfortable workplace, and that’s exactly what makes it transformative.

“Zomato isn’t for everyone. And that is the point,” she wrote on LinkedIn. Das made it clear that working at Zomato goes far beyond a routine nine-to-five role. Those looking for predictability or strict work hours may struggle to fit in.

“If you want to clock in and clock out, you won’t survive Zomato. It is intense. It’s fast. It’s demanding,” she wrote, adding that this very intensity is what pushes people to grow. One of the defining aspects of Zomato’s culture, according to Das, is the level of trust placed in employees from an early stage. “If you survive it, it changes you. The people who grew there gave it their all. In return? The company gave it right back – in trust, responsibility, and irrational belief in your potential,” she said.

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She illustrated this point with a personal anecdote, recalling how she was handed significant responsibility early in her career. At just 26, she said she was “trusted with a million-dollar budget to launch a new product.” Reflecting on that moment, she asked, “How many companies hand that kind of war chest to a 26-year-old?” Before answering it herself: “They trusted you before you were ready. And because they trusted you, you always figured it out.”

Das joined Zomato in 2013 as a sales and marketing manager and steadily rose through the ranks. By the time she left in 2019, she had become the first member of the Zomato Gold team in India. Looking back at her early days, she noted the contrast between where she started and where she ended up. At 22, she was pitching banner ads worth Rs 3,000. When she exited the company, she was closing deals worth Rs 60 lakh. “Between those two numbers is where the grit was built,” she wrote.

Her post also reflected the enthusiasm that defined her time at the company. Work rarely felt like a burden. “Monday blues, wha? In 6 years, I think I had Monday blues maybe three times. When you are surrounded by the most passionate people in the room, the energy is infectious,” she said.

According to Das, her stint at Zomato sharpened her communication skills, strengthened her resilience, and gave her room to grow, both professionally and personally.

The post struck a chord online, drawing praise from several users in the comments. One person wrote, “Cultures like this aren’t for everyone and that’s exactly why they work. When intensity is matched with trust, it creates people who carry that mindset for life. Powerful reflection.” Another added, “The most valuable asset you carry out of a high-intensity culture isn’t just the title, but the irrational belief in your own potential.”

A third commenter shared a personal memory tied to Zomato’s early days, writing, “I remember that phase of the 3000 Rs Banners. My company Party Hard Drivers was practically one of the first paying banners on Zomato… Your journey since Ragini Das has been phenomenal and truly inspiring.”