Nifty Smallcap 100 Plunges to 14,986 Low: Why Mid- and Small-Caps Are Crashing Harder Than the Market in March 2026

  The Indian stock market witnessed intense selling pressure on March 23, 2026, as mid- and small-cap indices tumbled over 4% amid a broader market crash driven by escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The Nifty Midcap 100 index has now declined around 13% year-to-date in 2026, reflecting sharp corrections in broader market segments that have outperformed in previous years but are now facing heightened volatility. Sharp Intraday Declines in Midcap and Smallcap Indices The Nifty Smallcap 100 index opened at 15,565.30 on Monday but quickly slipped to an intraday low of 14,986, erasing significant ground in early trade. By the afternoon session, the selling intensified, with the index down over 4% at points during the day. Market breadth was overwhelmingly negative—except for isolated performers like Trident (up around 2.85%), virtually every stock in the Nifty Smallcap 100 traded in the red, signaling widespread panic across smaller companies. Similarly, the Nifty M...
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Zomato's Bold Move: Sharing Customer Data with Restaurants – Privacy Risks, Marketing Wins, and Personalization Magic

 

In the fast-paced world of food delivery, where your late-night cravings can summon a biryani to your doorstep in under 30 minutes, Zomato has always been the undisputed king. But here's a curveball that's got everyone talking: the platform is now asking users for explicit consent to share their personal data like phone numbers with restaurants. According to sources spilling the beans to ETNOW, this isn't just a whisper; Zomato has kicked off testing for this feature, marking a potential shift in how we interact with our favorite eateries. As someone who's ordered one too many post-gym cheat meals via the app, I couldn't help but wonder: Is this a privacy nightmare in disguise, or the secret sauce for hyper-personalized deals? Let's break it down, because if you're a Zomato loyalist (guilty as charged), this could change your swipe-right-for-samosas routine.

The Scoop: What's Zomato Up To with Your Data?

Picture this: You're scrolling through Zomato, heart-eyes emoji-ing that new cafe's avocado toast, and suddenly—bam—a pop-up asks if it's cool to hand over your digits to the restaurant. That's the new reality Zomato is rolling out, and it's no small potatoes. After hashing it out with the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), the company has greenlit this data-sharing pilot to empower local eateries.

Why now? Well, restaurants have long griped about being in the dark on customer preferences. Zomato, sitting on a goldmine of ordering habits, delivery addresses, and yes, those guilty-pleasure midnight munchies, sees this as a win-win. But the kicker? It's all opt-in. No sneaky backend sharing here—users get to say yea or nay. Still, in a country where data breaches make headlines faster than viral memes, this raises eyebrows. Is Zomato threading the needle between innovation and intrusion?

Privacy Perils: How Safe Is Your Zomato Scroll History?

Let's get real—privacy isn't just a buzzword; it's the invisible shield keeping spam calls and targeted ads from overwhelming our inboxes. Zomato's move treads a fine line. On one hand, explicit consent sounds like a nod to regulations like India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA). You're in control, right? Tick yes for that restaurant loyalty program, or no to keep your paneer tikka habit under wraps.

But zoom out, and the concerns stack up like unread notifications:

  • Data Overload for Restaurants: Once shared, your phone number could flood you with promos. Remember those unsolicited calls from eateries post-order? This could amplify them, turning your device into a telemarketing hotline.
  • Third-Party Risks: What happens if a restaurant's database gets hacked? Your info—tied to Zomato's ecosystem—becomes fair game for identity thieves or worse.
  • Creepy Factor: Sharing "preferences" (think: your love for spicy street food) might feel like Big Brother's watching your fridge. Zomato's privacy policy already allows sharing with consent, but scaling this up could erode trust if not handled with kid gloves.

I've had friends rage-quit apps over similar slip-ups, and with Zomato's massive user base in India (over 80 million monthly actives), one misstep could spark a boycott louder than a Twitter storm. The silver lining? This consent model forces transparency, potentially setting a higher bar for competitors like Swiggy.

Marketing Makeover: Restaurants Get a Customer Data Boost

Flip the coin, and this is manna from heaven for the little guys—the mom-and-pop dhabas and hole-in-the-wall idli spots struggling against chains. Zomato's data trove isn't just orders; it's insights gold. By sharing anonymized trends or direct contact with permission, restaurants can finally play offense in marketing.

Imagine a local biryani joint targeting you with a "Buy one, get chaat free" deal because you ordered similar grub last Diwali. Or a cafe pinging loyalists about a new filter coffee collab. This isn't scattershot flyers; it's precision marketing that could save eateries from the post-pandemic slump. Business Standard notes this could level the playing field, letting smaller players compete on relevance rather than ad budgets.

From a business lens, it's smart. Zomato isn't giving away the farm—they're fostering an ecosystem where happier restaurants mean more listings, more orders, and stickier user engagement. Win-win? Absolutely, if privacy doesn't get trampled in the rush.

Personalization Power-Up: Your Dining Experience, Turbocharged

Ah, the shiny side: personalization. We've all felt that dopamine hit from a Netflix "Recommended for You" or Spotify playlist that reads our soul. Zomato's data sharing could bring that vibe to your plate. With consent, restaurants gain a window into what makes you tick—vegan swaps? Extra cheese? Weekend brunch binges?—and tailor offers accordingly.

Here's how it could play out:

  • Hyper-Targeted Perks: That South Indian spot you frequent? Expect invites to exclusive thali tastings, not generic coupons.
  • Seamless Loyalty Loops: Integrate your Zomato history with restaurant apps for seamless rewards, cutting down on redundant sign-ups.
  • Smarter Suggestions: Zomato's algo already nails recommendations; feeding it back to partners could refine them further, turning "Eh, maybe" into "Shut up and take my money."

ETNOW's sources hint this could revolutionize how we discover and devour, making every order feel like a custom curation. Sure, it borders on uncanny valley, but in a sea of one-size-fits-all menus, isn't a little "just for you" magic worth the opt-in?

Navigating the New Normal: Tips for Zomato Users

So, should you hit "Allow" or ghost that prompt? My two paise: Read the fine print. Zomato's terms spell out what gets shared (mostly contact deets for now), and you can revoke consent anytime. If privacy's your jam, stick to app-only interactions and tweak notification settings. For the deal-hunters, this could be your ticket to VIP treatment just don't blame me if your phone buzzes like a beehive.

Wrapping Up: A Tasty Trade-Off or Privacy Pie in the Sky?

Zomato's data-sharing dalliance is a microcosm of tech's eternal tango: innovation versus intimacy. It promises juicier marketing for restaurants and a more "you"-centric feed for us users, but only if privacy guardrails hold firm. As this rolls out wider, keep an eye (and maybe a data diary) on how it unfolds because in the end, the real feast is one where we control the menu.

What do you think? Ready to share your samosa secrets, or hitting the privacy panic button? Drop your takes in the comments I'd love to hear if this sways your next order.

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