Interesting Online Food Ordering Statistics For 2023 That You Need To Know

Online Food Ordering Statistics: The COVID-19 pandemic was a blessing for both restaurants and online food delivery firms. Restaurants were compelled to discontinue in-house dining and switch to online delivery due to the restrictions and coronavirus lockdown across the globe.

And since many of us were busy working from home, we used our personal computers and smartphones to order food rather than merely preparing it ourselves. There has been a dramatic surge in online orders, according to Zomato, Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Foodpanda, and DoorDash.

To help you learn more about the most popular applications, the latest online delivery trends, the industry's value, and other topics, we have compiled a list of the most amazing online food ordering statistics.

You may also like these statistics on How Late Is The Closest Grocery Store Open and Close?

Let's take an in-depth look at online food ordering statistics.

Key Online Food Ordering Statistics (Editor's Choice)

• In 2023, the revenue rates of online ordering food by 40% of restaurant sales is going to be predicted $220 billion by the end of 2023.
• The volume of direct online orders has increased by 54%.
• On the other hand, restaurant apps are used for online food ordering by 56% of restaurants and customers.
• In the United States, 62% of customers ordered food at least once in a month, and online food ordering has increased accepted by 78% of people. 
• In the United States, 60% of consumers now order takeout or delivery at least once a week.
• Around 6,852 delivery workers must put in a lot of effort to meet the US market’s demand for pizza with online spending of 18%.
• There were 6 million users of food delivery apps in the US in 2023.
• The worldwide food delivery services market was valued at $143.05 billion as of 2023.
• An offer, discount, or coupon is included in 46% of online orders.
• In 1995, the first meal delivery app was released.
• Still, nearly 20%of customers claim to spend more money on off-premise orders than on typical dine-in experiences.
• 58% of people were reluctant to eat at restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• In the US, 60%of consumers order takeout or delivery once a week (or more).
• One-third of customers are willing to pay more for faster delivery.
• In the United States, the meal-kit industry is on the rise.
• By the end of 2030, the online food delivery market is predicted to be worth $365 billion.
• 31% claim they use these third-party delivery services at minimum twice a week.
• 34% of customers spend $50 to order food online.
• 20% of consumers believe they spend more when ordering off-premises than regular dine-out.
• 57% of millennials have ordered delivery from restaurants to watch TV or movies at home.
• Delivery and takeout account for 59% of restaurant orders by millennials.
• By the end of 2029, the industry of entire food delivery apps is supposed to be $165 billion.
• By 2023, it will be $52 billion to place orders via mobile apps and smartphones.
• 45% say that they would prefer to see mobile ordering or loyalty programs in order to shop online more frequently.
• Restaurant sales can be increased by working with a third-party service provider.
• 60%of restaurant owners say that offering delivery has brought in additional sales.
• 33%of consumers would be willing to pay a greater fee to receive faster delivery services.

Why do People Order Food Online?

Online ordering food is the best way of avoiding cooking. Recent research shows that almost four out of four customers use an app for ordering food on their mobile. Online food delivery is revolutionizing the global food market. This trend was first seen in urban communities, and it has now spread to other areas.

The growth can be attributed to the fact that in this corporate-driven society, where time is of greater importance than everything else, having a doorstep restaurant is a lucrative option. Workers who work 9 am to 5 p.m., students, and jobholders working from home are at risk of eating unhealthy and unhygienic meals.

The old scenario of women cooking at home is being replaced by women who are more ambitious, capable, and aspirational.

Humans are always hungry for new flavors, delicious cuisines, or mouth-watering food. People love variety and so many people choose to order online food delivery. They can have their favorite cuisine delivered directly to their home. Food is known for building connections between people.

online orders for food have been designed to create a positive image about the benefits of this system such as multiple payment options and attractive offers.

Food Delivery Statistics Based on Different Models

Aggregator Food Delivery Model:

There are several models that food delivery partners can earn. Delivery companies that outsource their delivery make an average of $121.29 per customer. The aggregators manage the delivery of the food that the restaurant must deliver. The aggregator food ordering app allows customers to order from multiple restaurants using one portal. Customers can log in to the app and view menus and prices, compare prices, and leave reviews.

Aggregators can earn a fixed profit per order that is paid by the restaurant. The app then handles the delivery. The customer does not pay any extra and can easily place orders. This model offers aggregators a 40-50% margin, excluding interest and taxes.

Restaurant's Own Delivery Model:

Restaurants that do their own delivery earn $184.18 per order.
Restaurants can save up to 30% on delivery costs when they manage their own delivery. This category, known as the restaurant-to-consumer category is on the rise.

Restaurants that deliver their own food actually grow revenue a little faster. Restaurants that have their own delivery company will see revenue per customer rise by $12, compared with $8 for customers who are dependent on others.

It is important to understand the customer behavior of your customers before creating an online food ordering app

Customers who are new customers to online food delivery platforms might have different expectations about quality and delivery times. Below are some examples.

Online ordering is sticky: Customers will sign up if they have heard about your online meal-ordering app. Customers sign up once they are familiar with your app. 80% will not or rarely use another platform. In such an instance, the app wins. The player who has the most customers signed up in the shortest period of time gets the reward.

Delivery times: Delivery speed is very important. Customers often switch to different platforms due to insufficient delivery times. The biggest factor in customer satisfaction is the speed of delivery. It is cited as a key factor by 60% of customers from different markets. The maximum wait time should not exceed 60 minutes.

Meals for the home are: Recent research has shown that around 82 % of orders are placed from home. 15% place orders at work.

Weekend orders: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday are the top-volume days on the online platforms with an increase of 74% in orders.

Online food delivery is now a big business. With each passing day, the food industry grows. To be successful in the future, you have to meet your customers' demands. Before you make any business decisions, take all of the online food ordering statistics into account. Also, never stop looking for ways to scale your business and reap the rewards.

Online Food Ordering Industry Market Size

In the US food delivery, revenue has tripled over the last 5 years. The year 2015 saw 66,000,000 people order $8.7B worth delivery of food. In 2020, revenue generated through food delivery was $26B, and 111,000,000 users.

The food delivery industry in the United States is not ready to look back. It's predicted that the market will reach $43 billion by the year 2025. The only limit is the sky for these industries.

Food is now ordered via the company’s app by 38% of US food lovers as of March 2020. 60% had used a food-delivery app by March 2023. This demonstrates how seriously the pandemic impacted the food delivery industry.

Food delivery is here and will stay. In 2023, 53% of survey respondents – 64% of millennials – said that food delivery and takeout were “essential” to their way of life.

The National Restaurant Association did a May 2023 research and found that around 70% of people order food to be delivered for dinner and 47% prefer ordering food during the lunch hour.

Most of the US population order food online. Gloria Foods research shows that 86% of US consumers have ordered at least once as per the data for a particular month.

Customers' habits regarding ordering and dining were influenced by the pandemic. 68% of consumers report that they are more likely in 2021 to order takeout than they were during the pandemic.

While companies involved in delivering food have seen impressive growth in recent years, many customers still prefer eating at restaurants. By the end of 2023, revenue generated from restaurants delivering directly to the customers is expected to see they reach $1.02 trillion and revenue generated from this online ordering is to hit $100 billion.

As per the research based on demographics and surveys based on area-wise demand of food ordered online, the US consumer prefers to order food delivery right from the restaurant, if given the choice.

After the pandemic, restaurants quickly adapted to the changing market. 81% and 78% respectively of restaurants with an excellent dining area as well as hotels with an eating area specifically for the family were affected. 77% of the hotels casual or generic also added curbside orders to their operations starting March 2020. Nearly half said that they have expanded their options for the delivery of food.

The Biggest Food Delivery Services

(Source:businessofapps.com)

In 2023, the market size of food delivery is going to be projected at $100 billion.

Furthermore, in coming years food delivery market size is going to be 2024 ($108 billion), 2025 ($117 billion), 2026 ($127 billion), 2027 ($138 billion), 2028 ($151 billion), and 2029 ($165 billion).

By the 1st quarter of 2023, the most downloaded apps were those that allow you to order food online and deliver it to your home. Delivery Hero is downloaded 65.9 million worldwide in 2023. Zomato had 60 million downloads.

Other food ordering apps downloads are followed by Uber Eats (50 million), DoorDash (40.8 million), Swiggy (36.9 million), Just Eat Takeaway (31.8 million), iFood (18.6 million), Getir (17.5 million), Deliveroo (11.6 million), Instacart (10 million), and GoPuff (5.3 million).

Uber Eats bought Postmates by the end of 2023, it was $3,057 million.

UberEats takes only a 20%-30% commission for each order. The company is still unprofitable. Uber Eats’ mobility and delivery rates in the 1st quarter of 2023 were $4.33 billion and $3.09 billion respectively.

On the other hand, UberEats’ mobility and delivery rate in the 2nd quarter of 2023 were $4.89 billion and $3.05 billion.

As of 2023, the annual users of Uber Eats are almost 88 million.

DoorDash beat Uber Eats to be the largest US food delivery company in 2020. DoorDash held a 45% market share in the US food delivery market at the close of 2020. Uber Eats was 22%, Grubhub 18%, and Postmates 88%.

This is a rapid rise to the top. In 2015, DoorDash had a 5% market share for food delivery in the US. DoorDash captured a mere 5% market share in the US for food delivery in 2015. It also had nearly $3B in revenue.

There are many differences in the percentage of food markets that deliver food from one city to another. . DoorDash accounted for 82% of San Francisco’s food delivery sales in March 2023. UberEats, Miami, was the dominant player with 55%. Los Angeles's Postmates accounted for 32% of sales, while the rest were just 5%.

Uber Eats was launched in roughly 1,000 cities by the end of 2020. Uber Eats hopes to 6,000 locations worldwide by 2023.

It is the most used food delivery service worldwide in terms of the number of users. Uber Eats was used by more than 88 million people worldwide in 2023. DoorDash is one of the most popular food delivery systems in the US. It is used by approximately 18 million people.

Most users who use food delivery apps don't stick with them. Customers of UberEats, Grubhub users, as well as Postmates users, used Delivery Shipping in Q1 2021.

Online Food Ordering Statistics and Facts

(Source: savemycent.com)

As of 2023, almost 26% of people used apps for ordering food online by spending up to $25 per order.

On the other hand, per order pay statistics by people shares are followed by spending $50 by 34% of people, $75 (12% of people), more than $100 (14% of people), $150 (6% of people), up to $300 (6% people), and 1% with no orders.

The market for food delivery has expanded dramatically during the last few years. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that ordering food online is simple, and quick, and prevents you from having to interact with people if you have social anxiety.

Let's examine some of the most recent Online Food Ordering Statistics.

#1. People are less inclined to order food online as their income increases.

When online food delivery app users are broken down by income, it is shown that 51.6% of those with annual revenues under $10,000 place more online food orders.

However, food delivery application stats reveal that the more income a user has, the less they use the food delivery app. Therefore, when average income rises, that number gradually declines until just 25.3% of persons with an annual income of $150,000–$175,000 utilize food delivery applications.

The number increases after that, but the 39.6% of customers who earn over $200,000 is still less than the 51.66% indicated earlier.
(Source: Zion and Zion)

#2. In the United States, 60% of consumers now order takeout or delivery at least once a week.

You did read that correctly. Americans enjoy ordering food, whether delivered from a restaurant or taken out. But they now appear to enjoy it even more.

According to statistics for food delivery applications, the number of users has almost doubled in the past five years.

There were only 66 million users in the nation in 2015, and the number of customers increased gradually yearly.

But when COVID-19 arrived, the scale of the food delivery market increased dramatically. In just one year, 16 million new users were added. This means 111 million people in the US used food delivery services in 2020.

And they don't appear to mind spending cash on it—34% of consumers claim to pay at least $50 for each order (which is more significant than what they would typically spend if they were eating out).
(Source: Business Of Apps)

#3. Around 6,852 delivery workers must put in a lot of effort to meet the US market's demand for pizza.

According to statistics on pizza delivery, the white male who delivers your pizza is probably 47 years old.

Fun fact: Pizza delivery drivers can make more than $49,000, but the average salary is slightly less than $33,000.
(Source: Zippia)

#4. The younger the person, the greater the likelihood of using a food delivery service.

Let's move on to the food delivery demographics.

In 2023, around 60% of online users aged 18–24 acknowledged having placed an online food order. The same holds for nearly 52% of online users in their twenties or early thirties.

The percentage of usage gradually declines as age rises. For example, only 17% of online users over the age of 65 order food online.

Fun fact: When millennials plan to watch movies and TV series at home, around 57% order meals.
(Source: Gloria Food)

Food Delivery Application Industry

Did you know that the 18th century saw the first recorded instance of food delivery in history?

According to legend, Queen Margherita of Savoy and King Umberto I ordered three pizzas during their visit to Italy.

Raffaele Esposito (the famous pizza maker) delivered the treats and named the queen's favorite pizza after her.

Since then, the food delivery industry has advanced significantly, and we have the statistics to prove it.

#5. According to Grubhub statistics, the app is still in use.

Grubhub's customer base is expanding despite fierce competition from DoorDash and Uber Eats.

Grubhub delivered an average of 300 million orders daily in 2023 with 31 million customers, which is a significant increase from the 26.5 million members and 492,300 daily orders of the prior year.

However, Grubhub's market share for food delivery has decreased to barely 18%, and the company's yearly losses (-$155 million) are the lowest ever.
(Source: Business of Apps)

#6. The worldwide food delivery services market was valued at $115.07 billion as of 2020.

According to statistics from the food delivery industry, online food delivery services globally generated

approximately $143.05 billion in revenues in 2023.

According to the most recent estimates, 2023 will end with more than $159.46 billion with an annual growth of 2.8% globally.

If the current trend holds, the global food delivery industry will generate $183 billion in revenue by 2024 and have a $192 billion market value by 2025.
(Source: PR Newswire)

#7. On average, consumers who order pizza online spend 23% more than those who order pizza over the phone

Even though this study focused primarily on pizzerias, it is fair to assume that customers who order online spend more money than those who order pizza by phone. Platform fees, delivery fees, driver tips, and other upcharges are simple to incorporate into an online order. Despite the additional costs, people haven't stopped ordering online, indicating they are willing to pay for the convenience.
(Source: pizzasales.com)

#8. In San Francisco, DoorDash is the most well-liked food delivery service.

Given that DoorDash was established in San Francisco, it stands to reason that the company has a substantial market share in the food delivery sector. Amazingly, DoorDash holds around 65% of San Francisco's food delivery sales.

Surprisingly, only 14% of food delivery sales are controlled by Uber Eats, another massive company situated in the Bay.
(Source: Statista)

#9. The most well-known food delivery service in Los Angeles is Postmates as of 2023.

In Los Angeles, where all providers vie for a majority of sales, Postmates is the most well-known food delivery service. Only 48.6% of the city’s food delivery sales are made through Postmates

In addition, Postmates is more common on the West Coast, as evidenced by its mere 1% market share in the significant East Coast market of Philadelphia.
(Source: Statista)

#10. In 1995, the first meal delivery app was released.

It was the website waiter.com by WorldWideWaiter. The website back then allowed you to order food from 60 restaurants.

However, a few years before waiter.com was created, the first online food order took place.

Pizza Hut created a different website called PizzaNet and sent the first-ever online customer a large mushroom and pepperoni pizza with extra cheese.

#11. In the US, DoorDash remains the market leader.

(Source: statista.com)

A few years ago, there was a fierce battle for national market dominance between DoorDash and Uber Eats; today, not so much. Although Uber Eats is internationally the best-known restaurant, the situation is very different in the United States.

By 2023, DoorDash now control 65% of the US market for online meal delivery services, with Uber Eats coming in second with 23% of the market share

Whereas, other apps' market share is followed by Grubhub (9%), Postmates (2%), and others (1%).

#12. In the US, the food delivery sector made $26.5 billion in revenue in 2020.

Given that its yearly revenue more than tripled in just five years, it would be an understatement to suggest that the food delivery industry has expanded. Only $8.7 billion in industrial income was generated in the US in 2015, $16.8 billion in 2018, and suddenly 10 billion more in 2020.

Since the pandemic has enhanced food delivery, it's truly amazing.

In 2021, online food delivery was expected to make up just 9% of the US restaurant market, according to forecasts made before the coronavirus disease, but the pandemic helped the sector expand by 4%.

According to the most recent data on online food ordering, the sector will account for 21% of the US restaurant sector by 2025.
(Source: Business Of Apps)

#13. Uber Eats is the most widely used food delivery application outside of the US.

It's challenging to determine which food delivery application is best for customers because the decision is somewhat subjective and location-based. But we can say that Uber Eats is unquestionably the most well-known worldwide.

It holds around 29% of the global market and has 66 million users. It is available in 6,000 locations across 45 countries and supports more than 600,000 restaurants.

Fun fact: Uber Eats is not profitable despite having yearly revenues that are close to $5 billion. Fortunately, according to Uber Eats statistics, the company has steadily reduced its annual losses over the years. If the trend continues, perhaps at some point, it will turn a profit.
(Source: Business of Apps)

Online Food Ordering Trends

What will come next for food delivery applications? What kind of innovation are they implementing? Who are the other participants in the market for online food ordering?

Let's now find out.

#14. China's food delivery market is thriving.

China is the world's largest online food delivery country because of its more than 500 million online users, more than 40% of whom use different applications to order food.

By the end of 2028, the total revenue generated by the online food delivery market is going to be $129.6 billion.

According to statistics on online food ordering, in China, roughly one-third of the population prefers to order meals rather than go out to eat.

Alibaba's Eleme and Tencent's Meituan are the two leading companies in the Asian country. Both apps support sustainable packaging, have jaw-droppingly low rates, and link with digital payment platforms (like Alipay). Quite amazing, huh?
(Source: Statista)

#15. Automated delivery? Upcoming.

In 2019, well-known companies began considering automated options to deliver their food to you. According to rumors, Chipotle and Domino's are reportedly interested in Nuro's self-driving cars, while Chick-fil-A is more interested in Kiwibot's delivery robots.

What about drones used for food delivery?
Uber had been working on it, but it was handed to Flytrex. The firm has recently partnered with El Pollo Loco, It is Just Wings and other national restaurant chains, but there is not much information available.
(Source: Forbes)

#16. Nowadays, people prefer to purchase groceries online than ever.

Not everyone orders food from restaurants. There is now an application for everything, so you can even order your favorite alcoholic beverage to be delivered to your door or order your grocery shopping online.

Statistics on grocery delivery reveal that between August 2019 and October 2021, the industry's monthly income in the US increased from $1.2 billion to $6.4 billion.

According to the most recent predictions, the online food and beverage sector is expected to generate $25.7 billion in yearly revenue by 2025.
(Source: Statista)

#17. Some food delivery applications support cryptocurrency.

Some countries allow crypto food ordering. For example, with Shuttledelivery (South Korea), Lieferando.de (Germany), and Takeaway (Netherlands), you can order food online and use Bitcoin to pay.

The truth is that cryptocurrencies are gradually gaining traction and becoming a recognized form of payment, especially in the food sector.

Following the official adoption of Bitcoin by El Salvador, major restaurant chains like McDonald's, Pizza Hut, and Starbucks have begun accepting Bitcoin payments.
(Source: Bloomberg)

#18. In the United States, the meal-kit industry is on the rise.

You would be surprised at how many individuals have at least tried this kind of food delivery. For example, 25% of those who live in cities, 29% of millennials, and 23% of men have tried it.

According to statistics on meal kits, the market is presently estimated to be worth $5 billion, but it may reach the $11 billion threshold in 2022.
(Source: Linch Pin SEO)

Food Ordered Directly Through the Restaurants

• According to Starbucks' report, 25% of sales are made through mobile apps.
• Uber is definitely the leader in mobile ordering and Domino's has seen a rise in sales via their app.
• Mobile apps are so common that around 60% of orders come via mobile apps. These food companies need to ensure their apps and websites are digitally accessible when it comes to the resolution and clarity of their food items, their prices, and other offers.
• Restaurants like Chipotle and Burger King have adapted their delivery and pick-up methods to meet increasing demand.
• The market value of global food service in January 2023 was near about 2,902.1 billion and it is expected to reach $3,787.4 billion by the end of 2028.
• In the United States, revenue earned by food service delivery is expected to be $174.3 billion by the end of 2023.
• The mobile app market of global food delivery in 2023 is going to be $16.6 billion. Online ordering was a breakthrough for pizza restaurants. Pizza Hut was the first to offer online ordering.
• This was in 1994. They were also the ones to launch the first mobile app. It allowed customers to place orders and play in-built games while waiting for their orders.
• 23% of restaurants think that customers are more interested in ordering online than they were before the pandemic. This is leading to digital marketing and a shift towards online ordering.
• Square's survey found that customers prefer ordering food through their company's app to placing orders through third-party companies.
• Online ordering systems allow companies to quickly see what customers are saying. They can simply change the layout page and the images of the food items to see how they respond and make the necessary adjustments to their menu in order to increase sales.

Conclusion

According to all available statistics, the online f ordering market is growing and will continue to expand in the near future.

Businesses are fighting, trying to stay afloat and become the best food delivery application on the market, but in our opinion, the best is yet ahead.

According to the aforementioned online food ordering statistics, the sector quickly changed from traditional door-to-door delivery to drones and cryptocurrency payments.

But what do you predict will be the subsequent development? Apparently, all we can do is wait and see.
Happy online food ordering until then!

Barry Elad

Barry is a lover of everything technology. Figuring out how the software works and creating content to shed more light on the value it offers users is his favorite pastime. When not evaluating apps or programs, he's busy trying out new healthy recipes, doing yoga, meditating, or taking nature walks with his little one.

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