Mumbai

A majority of food delivery and quick-commerce riders, for whom gig work has become a primary source of income, want access to clean restrooms and designated spaces to sit and eat, a report said on Wednesday.

According to a report by UPZY, a start-up that seeks to address a basic problem faced by gig workers, 68 per cent of riders work 10 hours or more a day, highlighting the long working hours that are a regular part of their daily lives.

Clean restrooms emerged as the most commonly sought facility, cited by 91 per cent of respondents, followed by 88 per cent expressing a need for a decent place to sit and eat.

A further 55 per cent of respondents said they would use mobile repair services, while 29 per cent identified EV battery swapping as useful.

The UPZY Gig Worker Survey 2026 was conducted through in-person interviews among 4,163 food delivery and quick-commerce riders.

"Gig workers are now an integral part of how India's urban economy functions, from food and commerce to mobility and other on-demand services. As this workforce grows, worker retention will become important for businesses that depend on it.

"Beyond the lens of earnings and order fulfilment, the industry, therefore, needs to look at the worker experience as part of the larger gig economy. Creating the right support systems can help businesses build a more sustainable workforce over time," UPZY co-founder and CEO Aditya Vuchi said.

UPZY co-founder and COO Niranjan Seelam said the working day of a gig worker is shaped by movement and there is no conventional workplace where a rider can stop for a meal, use a restroom or deal with an everyday need between orders.

"These may seem like basic requirements, but when someone spends 10 or more hours on the road, they become an important part of the working day," he added.

The report further revealed that about 72 per cent of respondents said they live away from their families in shared accommodation with friends or in hostels.

READ MORE:JCO Salman Khan's Asiad rowing medal ignites his Olympic dream

For workers who spend long hours away from home, these everyday requirements form part of the broader experience of gig work, added the report.