Food delivery giants Swiggy, Zomato, and Magicpin saw a huge jump in orders on New Year's Eve, January 1, 2026. This happened even though over 1 lakh gig workers from 22 cities went on strike demanding better pay and working conditions. The strike had minimal effect on deliveries. The Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) said 14,000 members from cities like Delhi and Mumbai participated in the strike. But with over 12.7 million gig workers across India, the industry kept running smoothly. NITI Aayog expects this workforce to grow to 23.5 million by 2029-30. Magicpin said lakhs of orders came in every hour across metros. Eternal founder Deepinder Goyal shared on X, "Zomato and Blinkit delivered at a record pace yesterday, unaffected by calls for strikes. Local law enforcement helped keep miscreants in check, enabling over 4.5 lakh delivery partners to deliver more than 75 lakh orders to over 63 lakh customers — an all-time high." Magicpin CEO Anshoo Sharma confirmed the strike had "no impact" on their operations. Food trends on New Year's Eve included biryani, pizzas, butter chicken, and traditional desserts like gajar ka halwa. Mr. Goyal thanked local authorities and delivery teams for their swift coordination and stated, "Delivery partners who showed up despite intimidation, stood their ground, and chose honest work and progress." He warned against "narratives pushed by vested interests," highlighting the gig economy as one of India's biggest job creators. Sharma said food delivery has become central to Indian celebrations. Pizza was the top early order on Magicpin. Desserts like gajar ka halwa and ice cream orders tripled from last year. Peak dinner orders were at 9:30 p.m., with butter chicken leading in Delhi-NCR, followed by biryani and dal makhni. Swiggy reported 2.19 lakh biryani orders by 7:30 p.m. The classic competition between pizzas and burgers continued, with 2.18 lakh pizzas and 2.16 lakh burgers ordered by 8:30 p.m., showing India's diverse tastes. Many also chose dining out. Bengaluru and Hyderabad led Swiggy Dineout bookings. Ahmedabad had a 1.6 times increase in bookings, Lucknow 1.3 times, and Jaipur 1.2 times. The platforms demonstrated resilience and popularity despite the strike, serving millions who celebrated the New Year with feast and flavor.