DoorDash reveals consumers’ favorite foods to order for delivery

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It’s no big surprise that delivery continues to thrive in post-pandemic America…or that French fries once again top the list of most-ordered foods.

But some of the other data points revealed in DoorDash’s second annual online restaurant ordering trends report are a bit more surprising. The report, based on data collected from more than 1,500 customers across the United States, was released last week.

Friday at 6 p.m. remains the most popular time to order food for delivery or takeout, but breakfast is the fastest growing takeout occasion. DoorDash orders arriving between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. have tripled year over year. In fact, hash browns were one of the top five most ordered items.

Liquor delivery is holding up, a business restaurants have stepped up during the pandemic and customers have quickly embraced. At the start of 2022, 63% of consumers said they ordered alcohol delivery as much or more often than the previous year.

While french fries still dominate, Americans are getting more adventurous with their delivery orders. A whopping 92% occasionally or often try new menu items when ordering delivery or pickup at a restaurant. The reasons: “It makes me discover different cuisines” (44%); “I like to treat myself to a gourmet option” (40%); “It has an attractive price” (35%); and “I want to order a healthier option” (30%).

That said, the most frequently ordered cuisines are quite common:

  1. American
  2. Mexican
  3. Japanese
  4. Italian
  5. Chinese

And behind fries, the most ordered item is:

2. Burrito bowls and burritos

3. Chicken nuggets and chicken sandwiches

4. Hash browns

5. Cheeseburgers

Customers are increasingly adding more to an order of sandwiches, bowls or entrees, tossing sides, appetizers and beverages into their delivery or pick-up cart before checking out.

As consumers were confined to their homes during the pandemic, delivery took off, but now takeout is gaining popularity as a way to support local businesses. Pickup appeals to 25% of people who just want to get out of the house for a bit, while 26% prefer it to save on delivery costs.

The recent DoorDash survey was conducted by Dynata during the last week of March 2022 and included responses from 1,504 delivery platform customers across the United States.

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