Bengaluru – A new food delivery startup in Bengaluru is stirring up both excitement and controversy with its ambitious promise of delivering food in just 10 minutes. Swish, a rapid delivery service now operational in HSR Layout, claims to beat Bengaluru’s notorious traffic and deliver fresh, hot meals faster than ever before.

Co-founder Ujjwal Sukheja, who launched Swish on August 4, shared his motivation on social media. “In HSR, you can get anything quickly—a dosa from a darshini in minutes—but online food delivery often comes with long wait times,” Sukheja said in a post on X. “We realized that this problem is common among many young people, so we created Swish to address it.”

While the concept of quick commerce has gained traction in recent months with platforms delivering groceries and household essentials within 10 minutes, the idea of rapid food delivery has met with mixed reactions.

Critics argue that the need for food to be delivered in such a short timeframe is questionable. Some worry about the freshness of the food and the potential for rushed deliveries that could compromise safety. “Very cool to see how quickly this has gone from idea to execution – sadly have already had my dinner tonight / not in HSR – otherwise would have given it a shot,” wrote one user on X.

Others are concerned about the potential exploitation of delivery workers. “If you need food delivered in 10 minutes, just cook it yourself,” said one critic. “This is just labor exploitation,” another added, questioning the feasibility and ethical implications of such a rapid service.

Despite the backlash, some early users of the app have praised its efficiency. However, the Swish team has faced criticism after several customers received their orders in 15 minutes instead of the promised 10.

The Indian food delivery market is currently dominated by giants Swiggy and Zomato, both of which have ventured into quick commerce with services like Swiggy Instamart and Zomato Blinkit. Swish’s foray into this space highlights a growing trend in rapid delivery services, though it also underscores the challenges and debates surrounding such innovations.

As Swish navigates the complexities of rapid food delivery, the debate over the practicality and ethics of 10-minute delivery continues to unfold.