Uber’s food delivery service UberEats has run a promotional campaign offering to “let your wife take a day off from the kitchen” – sparking a barrage of angry criticism online.

Uber Bangalore sent users a message marking “Wife Appreciation Day” on Sunday and giving them 100 Rs (around £1.15, or $1.56) off a food order to celebrate the occasion.

“Order on uberEATS and let your wife take a day off from the kitchen,” the promo said.

Customers have reacted angrily, accusing Uber of perpetuating gender stereotypes.

“Sorry @uber but why do you think that only the “wife” needs to be at the kitchen!” wrote one Twitter user.

“Thank you @Uber for defining gender roles in India,” said Rashi Kakkar sarcastically. “Of course women are meant to slog it out in the kitchen & the men need to BUY us freedom.”

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“Ewwwwww!” wrote another.

Uber has since apologised, writing in a tweet: “This was totally inappropriate. We’ve removed it and we apologize.” A company spokesperson did not immediately respond to Business Insider’s request for comment.

The promo comes at an awkward time for Uber. The company is reeling from numerous scandals that began with a former employee accusing the company of sexism and discrimination, and culminated in the firing of founder and CEO Travis Kalanick.

New chief exec Dara Khosrowshahi is tasked with turning things around and reforming Uber’s corporate culture, and the company is in the middle of a “180 Days of Change” campaign highlighting changes it is making. But the “Wife Appreciation Day” promotion and subsequent backlash suggests there’s still work to do.