Uber Eats wacky delivery requests

The Uber Eats Cravings Report unveils a fascinating snapshot of how adventurous (or peculiar) our appetites can get when the hunger bell tolls. If anything, 2023 is the year when traditional pairings took a back seat.

The usual suspects also made an appearance, with fries, garlic naan, Pad Thai, miso soup, and California Rolls being ordered the most.

And while the most popular non-food items were toilet rolls, emergency contraceptives, and Covid-19 antigen home tests, it was the audacious blend of uncommon pairings taking the spotlight in this year’s round-up. 

Peculiar pairings and requests

The most unexpected food combos included steak with jelly on the side, followed by cottage cheese with mustard, and condensed milk with avocado. Butter combined with pickled onions was also a fan favorite, while others requested seaweed drenched in pasta sauce.

The report goes beyond the admittedly bizarre combos and shares some of the over-the-top special requests submitted to Uber Eats – from frying chicken to the brink of being charred to dousing meals in a pool of sauce.

One user requested: “Please fry my chicken very hard. Very very crispy. Almost burned,” while another made this implicit request: “Sauce on everything. I mean it. Literally drown my food in that amazing nectar.”

Food trends in 2023

Surprising food delivery trends also emerged. Onions are being ordered considerably less than usual. Uber Eats says: “As more and more of us head back to the office, we’re seeing folks favor better breath. They’re holding the onions on orders every day of the week.”

The humble apple pie nabbed the coveted Top Dessert spot, and shoppers also turned up the heat this year. Hot sauce became the king of condiments, with someone requesting a sauce so hot it would make them cry: 

“I’m very serious about my spice so please make it super, super, super hot. Fire spicy. Like ‘make me cry’ hot! Please make me hurt! Let’s get as spicy as possible. The hotter the better!”

Midnight munchies are on the increase, likely due to evening study sessions on campuses. The bulk of the orders between 12 AM and 4 AM came from Penn State University, followed by the University of Iowa, University of Illinois, and Texas A&M University.

Other trends include Rosé losing its luster, manners coming back into fashion as customers say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ in their instructions, and zero-proof spirits showing a 75% growth compared to the previous year. 

Weirdly specific requests

While some shoppers chose to be picky eaters, others waxed lyrical about how their meal “transported them”. 

• “Put it in a box instead of a circle container. I refuse to eat any food if presented in a circle container. Please don’t ruin my meal for me.”

• “Please drench the whole bowl in white sauce with a spiral of red sauce!!!! Thank you so much!!!! Just do what I ask.”

• “Can you please write “happy half a dozen!” with a heart drawn next to it somewhere on the box? Thank you so so much!”

• “Life isn’t all lighthearted laughing and good times, life is sometimes really messy. As I kicked off my shoes and decompressed from the hourly [expletive] show I call a career, I pondered where I would get my dinner. I went and made my order and when that order came into my home, my fortress of solitude, my day was saved. Gone was the stress, hunger and curmudgeonly attitude I was harboring. Every so often, a meal not only tantalizes your taste buds but also transports you – and the offerings here managed to do just that. This wasn’t just a meal; it was a celebration of Caribbean culture and culinary artistry. Thank you for delivering a slice of the Caribbean right to my doorstep.”

Clearly, the Uber Eats 2023 Cravings Report isn’t just a list; it’s a mirror reflecting our evolving food choices, quirky requests, and the emotional chords attached to a seemingly simple act of ordering food. 

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