Six o’clock, Fridays and Saturdays, is the busiest time for any restaurant and delivery driver. This is proven by fresh data from DoorDash’s annual Online Ordering Trends report.
But what are people ordering? You guessed right: french fries are a classic meal that won’t get kicked off the menu over time.
Surprise, surprise, Mozzarella sticks are an odd favorite among customers this year. Chicken quesadillas and garlic naan are also quite popular.
DoorDash asked 1,522 customers with an average household income of $74,400 for this report about their food and beverage orders.
Read the full report here.
How do fries keep their popularity?
Data from the past decade shows that some food and beverage preferences have changed while others have remained classic.
Strawberry cheesecake has held on as a popular dessert, and so has fries.
When ordering out, customers want to know precisely what they’re getting. The most influential factors are menu pricing and selection.
“They’re making decisions on food and beverage purchases from their phone, finding new restaurants on Instagram, and preferring third-party apps for online ordering,” says DoorDash.
Rich experiences as economy bites
The dining experience is still vital to customers’ social experience. DoorDash researchers found that more than a third of US consumers plan to “splurge on restaurants, dining out, and bars this year.”
This is great news for restaurant owners who have seen a two-year slump while customers cut their budgets on luxury items and fast-food dinners.
However, DoorDash believes the industry is rebuilding relationships with guests and rolling out loyalty programs, special promotions, and personalized marketing campaigns to reconnect.
“Consumers are also more interested than ever in personalized dining and ordering experiences, leading restaurants to invest in technology in all aspects of their business.”
Quick facts about customers’ takeout preferences
- 56% of consumers choose restaurants they visit often when ordering takeout.
- 40% of consumers are using alcohol delivery more than in 2023.
- 33% of consumers are ordering more delivery compared to 2023.
- 30% of Gen Zers who use social media to find new restaurants prefer TikTok.
- 70% of consumers ordered food delivery in the past month.
- 74% reported recently using food delivery for an urgent situation.
NOW READ: Thank My Delivery Driver: 6 Simple Ways
Photo credit: DoorDash
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About the author
Mia is a multi-award-winning journalist. She has more than 14 years of experience in mainstream media. She's covered many historic moments that happened in Africa and internationally. She has a strong focus on human interest stories, to bring her readers and viewers closer to the topics at hand.
