CHICAGO, July 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- We're
officially in the second half of 2020, and it's time to turn the
dial back to take a look at how we ate our way through the
beginning of a year unlike any other we've seen before. Grubhub, a
leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace,
today launched its latest report, "State of the Plate", looking at
trends across the more than half a million orders placed a day.
Grubhub's mid-year report checks in on the popular food trends to
date and what quarantined Americans ordered through contact-free
delivery, and predicts what we can expect to see more of in the
second half of the year.
From grabbing a chorizo burrito (270% more
popular) for breakfast, a cheesy breadstick snack (412%
more popular), a plant-based burger (291% more popular),
or a fit-for-quarantine meal kit (orders of meal kits rose
55%), below are the trends we've loved so far this year.
Disclaimer: The top foods below have seen the
fastest growth on the Grubhub platform during the first half of
2020.
TOP FOODS OF 2020 TO DATE
In 2019 we were introduced to the chicken sandwich war, and in
2020 it raged on as chain and independent restaurants added the
sandwich to their menus for diners to enjoy. The spicy chicken
sandwich saw a nearly 300% rise in popularity this year, with
other top foods spanning a range of categories and plenty of
newcomers.
- spicy chicken sandwich: 299% more popular
- plant-based burger: 291% more popular
- vanilla shake: 273% more popular
- iced latte: 261% more popular
- chili: 228% more popular
- cinnamon roll: 205% more popular
- chimichanga: 195% more popular
- beef burrito: 181% more popular
- potato taco: 169% more popular
- taro milk tea: 168% more popular
The Top Food in America's Most Populous Cities
- New York City: Mushroom
burger: 150% more popular
- Los Angeles:
California burrito: 286% more
popular
- Chicago: Gyro: 299%
more popular
- Philadelphia:
Buffalo chicken
pizza: 323% more popular
- Dallas-Fort Worth:
Elote: 191% more popular
- Bay Area (SF, Oakland,
San Jose): Saag paneer: 389%
more popular
- Washington, DC: Drunken
noodle: 166% more popular
- Houston: Fried
mushrooms: 238% more popular
- Boston: Lettuce wrap:
268% more popular
- Atlanta: Plant-based
burger: 147% more popular
Methodology: Grubhub took a look at order
trends on its platform from January 1 - June
20, 2020, as compared to the same timeframe in 2019 to find
the top items rising in popularity so far.
SEASONAL FAVORITES & FORECASTS
Seasonal trends tend to impact eating habits, so we took a look
at exactly what rose through the ranks this past winter and spring.
As far as what we can expect to see in the latter half of 2020,
summer is seeing lighter fare while the fall heats up with a
little spice.
Top Trends: Winter
- chicken sandwich: 238% more popular
- New England clam chowder bowl: 195% more popular
- barbecue burger: 132% more popular
- sausage egg cheese sandwich: 101% more popular
- tan tan ramen: 96% more popular
Top Trends: Spring
- donuts: 214% more popular
- bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit: 169% more popular
- sausage burrito: 163% more popular
- chicken sandwich: 153% more popular
- plant-based sausage breakfast sandwich: 150% more popular
Forecasts: Summer (in ranking order)
- vegetable biryani
- spinach and artichoke wonton
- Mexican shrimp cocktail
- black bean and quinoa bowl
- balsamic chicken salad
Forecasts: Fall (in ranking order)
- miso tofu bowl
- quinoa taco salad
- mushroom burger
- cajun wing
- buffalo chicken empanada
Methodology: "Top Trends" look at the most
popular food orders during winter (Dec 21,
2019 - March 19, 2020) and
spring (March 20, 2020 — June 20, 2020) compared to those same periods in
2018 and 2019. "Forecasted" items looked at the top
foods on the Grubhub platform over the past two years, recently
trending items, and other seasonal favorites to forecast what
America will indulge in this summer & fall.
VEGAN & PLANT-BASED TRENDS CONTINUE TO
GROW
Similar to Grubhub's 2019 Year in Food Report, diners are
continuing to eat vegan and vegetarian dishes. So far this year,
vegan orders have risen by 23%, plant-based burgers specifically
increasing by 90% and general plant-based orders by a
whopping 135%!
Top Vegetarian Burgers
- black bean burger: 233% more popular
- grilled portobello mushroom burger: 179% more popular
- Impossible burger: 167% more popular
- quinoa-based burger: 161% more popular
- eggplant burger: 147% more popular
Top Vegan-friendly Cities
- New York, NY
- Los Angeles, CA
- Portland, OR
- Las Vegas, NV
- Boston, MA
Methodology: Grubhub took a look at vegan,
vegetarian, and plant-based orders in each city and compared them
to the overall number of orders.
PAST FAVORITES ARE STILL A HIT
Taking a look back at the "Top Foods of the Year" in Grubhub's
2018 and 2019 Year In Food Report, we found that many of the past
favorites are still trending in 2020.
- spicy brussels sprouts: 125% more popular
- portobello empanada: 99% more popular
- plant-based burger : 95% more popular
- bean burrito: 83% more popular — 2018's more popular
food
- vegan pad thai: 74% more popular
- cauliflower pizza: 31% more popular — 2019's most popular
food
- black bean & sweet potato taco: 27% more popular
Methodology: Grubhub took a look at the top
foods from past reports to see what was still gaining in popularity
so far this year (January 1-June 20,
2020) as compared to the same timeframe last year.
TOP TRENDS ACROSS MEAL TIMES
Breakfast: while bacon, egg & cheese came in as #1 in
2019, we have yet to see the breakfast staple among 2020's top
foods.
- acai bowl: 359% more popular
- chorizo burrito: 270% more popular
- potato pancakes: 259% more popular
- shrimp and grits: 179% more popular
- vegetable wrap: 112% more popular
Lunch: salads and sandwiches lead the charge, while
avocado toast makes a bit of a comeback.
- Thai chicken salad: 399% more popular
- tuna salad sandwich: 262% more popular
- chicken avocado melt: 188% more popular
- kale caesar salad: 165% more popular
- avocado toast: 164% more popular
Dinner: from Italian to Indian, diners are getting in a
mix of cuisines for dinner.
- rigatoni bolognese: 292% more popular
- lamb vindaloo: 283% more popular
- vegetable korma: 267% more popular
- moo shu pork: 266% more popular
- salmon avocado roll: 244% more popular
Top late-night orders: it's no surprise carbs come in on
top, but 2020 brings in the appearance of a sweet treat.
- cheesy breadsticks: 412% more popular
- strawberry cheesecake: 247% more popular
- cheese sliders: 220% more popular
- jalapeno poppers: 216% more popular
- pizza puffs: 182% more popular
Methodology: Grubhub took a look at the top
foods on its platform for the specified mealtimes/food types below
from January 1-June 20, 2020 as
compared to the same timeframe in 2019 to find the top items rising
in popularity.
A LOOK AT HOW QUARANTINE HAS IMPACTED
AMERICA
On March 18, the first
shelter-in-place order was initiated in San Francisco and the rest of the country
followed suit shortly after. As Americans stayed home, they
continued to order food using features like contact-free delivery
to safely enjoy their favorite meals from local restaurants.
Over the months, Grubhub has observed diners turn to comfort
foods, order alcoholic beverages, and D.I.Y. orders. Under
quarantine one thing was clear: morning coffee routines changed
as orders of cold brew rose by 232%
Most popular foods nationwide: It's all about the comfort
foods and shareable plates as people order in.
- spicy chicken sandwich: 353% more popular
- red velvet cupcake: 196% more popular
- plant-based burger: 166% more popular
- cajun shrimp chicken pasta: 164% more popular
- cheeseburger sliders: 158% more popular
Most popular items searched: while restaurants and bars
were closed, we can see that diners are searching for a way to
bring home the full dining experience.
- wine
- cake
- boba tea
- beer
- donuts
Top Alcohol Orders (in ranking order): as delivery rose
in popularity, so did alcoholic beverages while diners stayed
home.
- pinot grigio
- hot sake
- rosé
- light beer
- IPA
- merlot
- frozen strawberry margarita
- chardonnay
- cabernet
- pina colada
Meal Kits rise to the occasion: During quarantine,
orders of meal kits rose 55% compared to the year before as
diners put their own personal touch on the ingredients
delivered.
Most Popular Meal Kit Orders
- D.I.Y. burger
- D.I.Y. lobster roll kit
- D.I.Y. salad
- D.I.Y. pizza
- D.I.Y. gyro kit
Methodology: Grubhub took a look at both order
trends and search trends on its platform in the respective
categories from March 18 - June 18,
2020, compared to the same timespan in 2019 to find the top
items in popularity.
Additionally, we saw diners show their generosity through our
Donate the Change feature. At the start of the pandemic, we
launched the Grubhub Community Relief Fund, where proceeds
go to organizations that support members of our community who have
been impacted by COVID-19, including restaurants, delivery
partners, and those in need. With more than $7 million donated by diners and Grubhub
(including through Grubhub's matching of Grubhub+ orders), we
were able to help feed the frontlines, support our drivers, support
local restaurants, and so much more.
To find more about Grubhub or read more about the State of the
Plate 2020 trends, check out Grubhub.com or visit the Grubhub
Blog.
About Grubhub
Grubhub (NYSE: GRUB) is a leading online
and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace with the largest
and most comprehensive network of restaurant partners, as well as
nearly 24 million active diners. Dedicated to connecting diners
with the food they love from their favorite local restaurants,
Grubhub elevates food ordering through innovative restaurant
technology, easy-to-use platforms and an improved delivery
experience. Grubhub features nearly 300,000 restaurants and is
proud to partner with more than 200,000 of these restaurants in
over 4,000 U.S. cities. The Grubhub portfolio of brands includes
Grubhub, Seamless, LevelUp, AllMenus and MenuPage.
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SOURCE Grubhub