10% Off Zomato, Capped at ₹2,000: Inside the Eternal SBI Card

Dinner on Zomato, a new trimmer on Blinkit, two movie tickets on District. One new card now promises 10% off on all of it, instantly, at checkout.

Then comes the line that decides whether it is worth it: all those discounts share a combined cap of ₹2,000 a month.

Quick answer

• The Eternal SBI Card gives a 10% instant discount on Zomato, District, Bistro, and Blinkit electronics and beauty, plus 5% on other Blinkit categories, with a combined cap of ₹2,000 a month.
• It also pays 5% cashback, up to ₹1,000 a month, on Apollo 24|7, ixigo, Uber and Urban Company, and 1% on other eligible spends, capped at ₹500 a month.
• The joining and annual fee is ₹499. The annual fee is waived if you spent ₹2 lakh in the previous year.
• Early access requests are open now in the Zomato, Blinkit and District apps. Cards roll out in phases from October 22.

Why this card is in the news

SBI Card and Eternal Limited, formerly Zomato Limited, announced the card on Thursday, October 15. It is a co-branded credit card built around Eternal's own apps: food delivery, quick commerce and going out.

SBI Card describes itself as India's largest pure-play credit card issuer. The pitch is simple. Instead of juggling separate offers, one card covers several brands you may already use every week.

You cannot apply in the usual way yet. You request early access in the apps and get an invitation when the card becomes available.

What the card actually gives you

Here is how the main benefits stack up, based on the issuer's details as reported by The Economic Times and CNBC-TV18.

• Eternal apps: 10% instant discount on Zomato, District and Bistro, and on electronics and beauty purchases on Blinkit.
• Rest of Blinkit: 5% instant discount on other eligible categories.
• Movies: a 1+1 ticket offer on District once a month, with the second ticket discount capped at ₹200.
• Partner apps: 5% cashback on Apollo 24|7, ixigo, Uber and Urban Company.
• Everything else: 1% cashback on other eligible retail spends.
• Welcome benefit: a 6-month Zomato Gold membership when you pay the ₹499 joining fee.
• Fuel: a 1% fuel surcharge waiver of up to ₹200 per statement cycle.

The Eternal discounts are over and above the existing platform offers. Cashback is credited automatically to your card account as a statement credit.

The caps that decide the real value

Bar chart of monthly caps: ₹2,000 on Eternal discounts, ₹1,000 partner cashback, ₹500 other cashback, ₹200 movie ticket discount

Source: The Economic Times, CNBC-TV18

Big percentages sell cards. Caps decide what you actually save.

The ₹2,000 cap is shared across Zomato, Blinkit, District and Bistro. It is not ₹2,000 per app. A family that orders food often and buys groceries on Blinkit could hit it faster than they expect.

The 5% partner cashback stops at ₹1,000 a month. The 1% on everything else stops at ₹500 a month.

That 1% also leaves out a long list of categories. These include fuel, e-wallets and prepaid instruments, rent, tax payments, insurance, jewellery, education, utilities, gaming and EMI payments.

The fee, and how to make it free

The card costs ₹499 to join, and you get the Zomato Gold membership in return. The ₹499 annual fee is waived if you spend ₹2 lakh in the previous year.

Ask yourself one honest question. Will you spend ₹2 lakh a year on one card, without spending more than you planned just to chase the waiver? If not, count the ₹499 as a yearly cost and see if your savings beat it.

Who it suits, and who should skip it

It may suit you if:

• You already order on Zomato and Blinkit every week, so the discount comes without changing your habits.
• You use Uber, ixigo, Apollo 24|7 or Urban Company regularly.
• You pay your full card bill every month, on time.

You might skip it if:

• You rarely use Eternal's apps. Then you are left mostly with 1% cashback capped at ₹500.
• You spend abroad. CNBC-TV18 reports a foreign currency markup of 3.5%.
• You carry a balance. Credit card interest can wipe out any cashback quickly.

How to get it

1. Open the Zomato, Blinkit or District app and request early access.
2. Wait for an invitation. Cards become available in phases from October 22.
3. Apply through the fully digital onboarding in the app.
4. Pick your network. The card is available on Mastercard and RuPay.

Before you apply, read the final terms on the issuer's page. Discounts and cashback come with category exclusions and monthly limits.

Red flags to watch

Do not order more food just because there is a discount. A 10% saving on an order you did not need is still spending.

Track your monthly usage against the caps. Once the ₹2,000 discount cap is used up, a different payment method may give you a better deal for the rest of the month.

Eternal CFO Akshant Goyal said the card aims to give value on frequent transactions across its platforms and beyond. That value is real only if those transactions were already part of your budget.

FAQs

Is the ₹2,000 cap per app? No. It is a combined monthly cap across purchases on Zomato, Blinkit, District and Bistro.

When can I get the card? You can request early access now. Cards roll out in phases from October 22.

Does the 1% cashback apply to rent or utility bills? No. Rent, utilities, fuel, insurance, tax payments and several other categories are excluded.

Is there a fee? Yes, ₹499 to join and ₹499 a year. The annual fee is waived if you spent ₹2 lakh in the previous year.

This article is for education only and is not investment, tax or legal advice.

Sources

• The Economic Times: Eternal SBI Card launched: SBI credit card offers 10% discount and 5% cashback with limits
• CNBC-TV18: SBI Card, Eternal launch co-branded credit card: A look at key features