Uber Eats Alcohol Delivery India - Why It Doesn't Work in 2026 Skip to content

Uber Eats Alcohol Delivery India | Complete Guide to Alternatives in 2026

Uber Eats Alcohol Delivery India

Uber Eats does not deliver alcohol in India as the platform exited the Indian market in January 2020 after selling operations to Zomato. Uber fully divested its Zomato stake in August 2022. For alcohol delivery in India, use Swiggy, Zomato, HipBar, Booozie, or Living Liquidz instead. Uber Eats alcohol delivery ID verification and phone number searches are not applicable in India.

TL:DR

❌ Uber Eats Does NOT Deliver Alcohol in India

  • Exit Date: January 21, 2020 (over 5 years ago)
  • Sale: Entire business sold to Zomato for $350 million
  • Final Exit: August 2022 (sold remaining 9.99% Zomato stake)
  • Alternative Platforms: Swiggy, Zomato, HipBar, Booozie, Living Liquidz

Bottom Line: Uber Eats liquor delivery and beer delivery don’t exist in India. Use domestic platforms instead.

Why Uber Eats Does Not Operate in India Anymore

Quick Answer: Uber Eats exited India in January 2020 due to unsustainable losses of ₹2,197 crore. The platform faced intense competition from Swiggy and Zomato. Despite holding 12% market share, Uber Eats could not achieve market leadership.

Uber Eats entered India in mid-2017. The platform faced overwhelming competition from established players. Swiggy controlled 48% market share by 2018. Zomato held 45% market share during the same period. The platform burned through massive capital, offering deep discounts to attract customers. Uber Eats lost $3.36 per order according to August 2019 analyst estimates. Operational losses between August and December 2019 alone reached over $300 million. This made the Indian venture financially unsustainable for Uber’s global strategy.

Also Read – Swiggy Alcohol Delivery Delhi 

The Zomato Acquisition Deal

Zomato acquired all Uber Eats India stock on January 21, 2020, in exchange for giving Uber a 9.99% stake in Zomato valued at $350 million. This deal followed Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi’s strategy of being number one or two in every market or exiting entirely. The acquisition redirected all Uber Eats users, restaurant partners, and delivery executives to Zomato’s platform. Over 200 Uber Eats employees faced job losses as the brand ceased to exist in India.

Complete Uber’s Exit from Indian Alcohol Delivery

Uber sold its entire 9.99% Zomato stake in August 2022 through a block trade, completely exiting India’s online food and alcohol delivery market. This followed similar exits from China (sold to Didi in 2016), Southeast Asia (sold to Grab in 2017), and Russia (sold to Yandex in 2018). The withdrawal aligned with Uber’s global strategy of divesting from markets where achieving profitable leadership proved impossible.

Latest Update: Drizly Shutdown (March 2024)

Quick Answer: Uber shut down Drizly, its $1.1 billion alcohol delivery acquisition, in March 2024 to consolidate all delivery services under Uber Eats. This affects global markets, but not India, where Uber Eats never delivers alcohol.

In January 2024, Uber announced plans to close Drizly by March 2024, ending the standalone alcohol marketplace acquired for $1.1 billion in February 2021. The shutdown consolidated alcohol delivery into Uber Eats across 35 US states and 25 countries globally. Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, Uber’s SVP of Delivery, stated the decision focused on the core Uber Eats strategy of providing food, groceries, and alcohol through a single app.

Why Drizly was Shut Down

Drizly’s closure stemmed from integration challenges, cybersecurity issues, including a 2020 data breach affecting 2.5 million customers, and changing post-pandemic market conditions. The platform operated as an ordering service without dedicated delivery workers, creating misalignment with Uber’s infrastructure. Federal Trade Commission orders in 2023 targeted Drizly. The company had to delete unnecessary customer data. Drizly also implemented stricter security programs following the breach revelations

Impact on Indian users

The Drizly shutdown has zero impact on Indian consumers, as Uber Eats never operated in India post-2020, and Drizly never launched in the country. Indian users searching for Uber Eats alcohol delivery India number or Uber Eats alcohol delivery India phone number find no valid results, as these services do not exist. Alcohol delivery in India operates exclusively through domestic platforms and licensed local services.

Actual Alcohol Delivery Options in India – 2026

 

Platform Coverage Operating Hours Delivery Time Minimum Order Age Verification
Payment Methods
Swiggy Mumbai, Bengaluru, Gurugram, Kolkata, Hyderabad 9 AM – 10 PM 30-90 minutes ₹500 Mandatory (21+)
UPI, Cards, Wallets
Zomato Maharashtra, West Bengal, Jharkhand, select cities 9 AM – 10 PM 45-90 minutes ₹600 Mandatory (21+) Digital only
HipBar Kolkata, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Rourkela 9 AM – 10 PM 45-75 minutes ₹500 Mandatory (21+)
UPI, Cards, Wallets
Booozie Kolkata, Bhubaneswar (expanding) 9 AM – 10 PM 10-30 minutes ₹400 Mandatory (21+)
Digital payments
Living Liquidz Mumbai, Pune, select metros 9 AM – 10 PM 50-75 minutes ₹800 Mandatory (21+)
UPI, Cards, Wallets

 

How to Order Alcohol Delivery in India (Current process)

Uber Eats alcohol delivery India near me searches should be redirected to platforms actually operating in India. Swiggy and Zomato lead the market following regulatory approvals in select states. The ordering process requires downloading the respective platform app, completing age verification through government ID upload, browsing available liquor stores, placing orders with digital payment, and receiving delivery with physical ID verification at the doorstep.

State-Wise Alcohol Delivery Availability

Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand permit alcohol home delivery through licensed platforms as of February 2025. States like Delhi, Punjab, Goa, Haryana, and Karnataka announced pilot programs in July 2024 to approve delivery via Swiggy, Zomato, and other aggregators. Regulatory frameworks vary by state, with different licensing requirements, operational hour restrictions, and permitted delivery zones.

Pricing and Delivery Charges

Uber Eats alcohol delivery india price information is not applicable. Current platforms follow Maximum Retail Price regulations with delivery fees ranging from ₹29 to ₹99, depending on distance. Beer costs ₹140-₹350, Indian whisky ₹800-₹2,500, imported wine ₹1,200-₹4,500, and premium spirits ₹3,000-₹8,000 per bottle. Free delivery applies to orders exceeding ₹1,500-₹3,000 based on the platform.

Why Users Still Search for Uber Eats Alcohol Delivery

Users searching for Uber Eats alcohol delivery time or Uber Eats alcohol delivery ID, may not know about the 2020 exit. Uber’s global presence in alcohol delivery through Uber Eats in 35 US states and 25 countries creates confusion when users assume Indian availability. The Uber ride-hailing app continues operating successfully in India, leading consumers to believe Uber Eats also functions locally.

Confusion with the Global Uber Eats Alcohol Service

Uber Eats delivers alcohol in countries including the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK, and parts of Europe with robust age verification systems requiring government-issued photo ID scanning. This international service availability generates search queries from Indian users unaware of the platform’s local absence. Marketing materials and app store listings for global Uber Eats further contribute to misconceptions about Indian operations.

Redirecting to Working Alternatives

Users seeking Uber Eats liquor delivery or Uber Eats beer delivery in India should immediately switch to Swiggy, Zomato, HipBar, Booozie, or Living Liquidz based on their city and state. These platforms operate legally under state excise department licenses with proper age verification, digital payment integration, and compliance with local alcohol delivery regulations established between 2021 and 2025.

Key Differences Between Uber Eats (Global) and Indian Alternatives

  • Operating Status: Uber Eats is absent from India vs Swiggy/Zomato are actively operational
  • Delivery Network: Uber uses dedicated couriers vs Indian platforms use platform-integrated delivery
  • Age Verification: Both require government ID scanning but Indian platforms follow state-specific rules
  • Operating Hours: Global Uber Eats varies by location vs Indian platforms follow 9 AM-10 PM mandate
  • Payment Options: Uber Eats accepts cash in some countries vs Indian platforms require digital-only payments
  • Coverage: Uber Eats in 35 US states globally vs Indian platforms in select Indian states only
  • Pricing Model: Uber Eats uses dynamic pricing vs Indian platforms follow MRP regulations

Conclusion

Uber Eats alcohol delivery India searches yield no working results asUber Eatss exited India completely in January 2020 after selling operations to Zomato. The platform was fully divested from the Indian food and alcohol delivery markets by August 2022. Users seeking Uber Eats liquor delivery, Uber Eats beer delivery, or uber eats alcohol delivery India phone number must switch to active platforms, including Swiggy, Zomato, HipBar, Booozie, and Living Liquidz, operating under state excise licenses.

Uber closed Drizly in March 2024. The closure consolidated global alcohol delivery into Uber Eats. Uber Eats now operates across 35 US states and 25 countries. However, this does not affect India. Uber Eats never delivered alcohol in India. Indian alcohol delivery operates exclusively through domestic platforms. Pricing follows MRP regulations with delivery fees of ₹29-₹99. All platforms require mandatory age verification at registration and delivery. The $12.05 billion Indian online alcohol delivery market continues growing at 12.16% CAGR through 2033 without Uber Eats participation.

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