In a world where waiting feels like an eternity, Swiggy has redefined what “fast food” truly means. The food delivery giant has just announced a milestone achievement that’s sending shockwaves through India’s quick commerce landscape: Bolt, Swiggy’s innovative 10-minute food delivery service, has now expanded to over 500 cities across the nation, bringing lightning-fast meals to millions of hungry customers.
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Swiggy Bets Big On Bolt: Now Live In 500+ Cities Across India
From Experiment to Empire: Bolt’s Meteoric Rise
What began as a bold experiment in October 2024 has transformed into a nationwide phenomenon in just seven months. Initially launched in six major metropolitan areas—Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune—Bolt has rapidly scaled to include tier II and III cities, creating a vast network that spans the entire country.
The numbers tell a compelling story of success. Bolt now powers more than one in every ten food delivery orders on Swiggy’s platform, connecting customers with over 45,000 restaurant brands across India. This impressive growth comes at a particularly interesting time, as competitor Eternal (formerly Zomato) recently announced the shutdown of its similar “Zomato Quick” service after just three months of operation, citing challenges with profitability and consistent customer experience.
How Bolt Works: The Science Behind 10-Minute Delivery
Bolt isn’t just about speed—it’s about smart operations. The service focuses on restaurants within a 2-kilometer radius of the customer and features dishes that require minimal preparation time. Popular quick-serve items like burgers, hot and cold beverages, breakfast items, and biryani are carefully selected to ensure they can be prepared and delivered without compromising quality.
“Bolt fits into the way people live today. You’re hungry, you want something now, and you don’t want to compromise,” explains Rohit Kapoor, CEO of Swiggy Food Marketplace. “Seeing it scale to 500-plus cities in just a few months has been incredible. And this is just the beginning.”
The service has attracted major national brands including KFC, McDonald’s, Burger King, Baskin Robbins, Starbucks, and Chaayos, alongside beloved local favorites like Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad, MM Mithaiwala in Mumbai, and Anand Sweets in Bangalore.
Why Bolt Succeeds Where Others Fail
Swiggy’s success with Bolt stands in stark contrast to Eternal’s experience with Zomato Quick. While announcing the closure of their quick delivery service, Eternal’s CEO Deepinder Goyal noted, “We did not see any incrementality in demand while we ran Quick as an experiment for a few months.”
So what makes Bolt different? The answer lies in Swiggy’s operational intelligence and infrastructure. By carefully curating menu items that can be prepared quickly and limiting the delivery radius to just 2 kilometers, Swiggy has created a system that consistently delivers on its promise without cutting corners on quality.
The service is prominently featured in the Swiggy app, making it easily accessible to customers nationwide. For restaurant partners, Bolt has proven to be a business accelerator, optimizing workflows, reducing wait times, and driving a noticeable increase in repeat orders.
The Future of Fast Food Delivery
As consumer expectations continue to evolve, the ability to deliver hot, fresh food in just 10 minutes represents a significant competitive advantage for Swiggy. With Bolt now available across 500+ cities and serving dishes from 47 lakh menu items spanning 26 diverse cuisines, the service is poised for continued growth.
For hungry customers across India—from metropolitan hubs to smaller towns—the days of lengthy food delivery waits are becoming a thing of the past. Whether you’re craving a quick breakfast in Bangalore or a midnight snack in Patna, Bolt ensures your favorite dishes arrive hot, fresh, and incredibly fast.
Ready to experience the 10-minute food delivery revolution?
Open your Swiggy app today and look for the Bolt tile in the Food section to discover which of your favorite restaurants are now delivering in just 10 minutes.
For more updates on food delivery innovations and quick commerce trends in India, stay tuned to our blog!
