The online ordering landscape has gone through an incredible amount of growth and changes in the past four years. Even before the pandemic, savvy restaurant operators realized that it made good business sense to make their food available however diners wanted to eat it — whether that was in the restaurant or at home on the couch.
In 2024, diners continue to support their favorite restaurants — and discover new ones — by ordering takeout or delivery, or dining in.
We'll cover a wide range of stats and survey results from DoorDash's 2024 Restaurant & Alcohol Online Ordering Trends Report plus other recent industry studies and sources. (Note that stats that do not include source links are from the DoorDash report.)
Keep reading to learn about the latest diner trends and preferences so you can apply them to your business to grow your reach and revenue.
The latest food delivery trends
Even though dining in is still on the rise since the pandemic-era dips, the average consumer still loves the convenience of eating a five-star meal in the comfort of their home, office, or on the go. Let's go over some food delivery industry statistics.
1. The National Restaurant Association reports that more than half (52%) of US consumers believe that ordering delivery and takeout from restaurants is an "essential part of their lifestyle" — and even more Millennials (67%) and Gen Zers (63%) feel this way.
2. Over half of consumers across the US (51%), Canada (54%), New Zealand (52%), and Australia (54%) prefer ordering food delivery via third-party apps or websites.
3. And once the food arrives, one trend has emerged with younger consumers — eating in bed! 1 in 5 Gen Zers in the US eats their food delivery where they sleep.
The latest alcohol delivery trends
4. The most common reason that consumers order alcohol for delivery in the US (52%), Canada (48%), Australia (43%), and New Zealand (43%) is to treat themselves.
5. Ordering alcohol online for delivery is becoming more of a trend — 41% of US consumers are ordering alcohol delivery more than last year, and around 80% of Canadians, Aussies, and New Zealanders are ordering alcohol delivery the same or more often than last year.
6. Wine and champagne were the number one alcoholic beverage recently ordered for delivery by US, Australian, and New Zealand consumers. In Canada, it's whiskey.
7. 39% of US consumers report that they order alcohol delivery for parties and celebrations, along with 46% of Canadians, 34% of Australians, and 28% of New Zealanders.
8. Gift-giving via alcohol delivery is a new way for people to celebrate life moments from afar. 27% of Canadians, 21% of Americans, 18% of Aussies, and 16% of New Zealanders order alcohol delivery as gifts for others.
A profile of the average delivery customer
Almost anyone can appreciate the convenience of food delivery service and the joy that comes with eating your favorite restaurant's food in the comfort of your own home.
9. People love ordering repeat orders from the same restaurant: 49% of US consumers and 40% of consumers in Australia and New Zealand order from the same restaurant at least once a week.
10. In order to maximize the money spent, many consumers are sticking with old favorites. More than half of consumers across the US (56%), New Zealand (60%), Australia (60%), and Canada (60%) choose restaurants they visit often when ordering takeout or delivery.
11. As another way to save on spending, 42% of US consumers and 46% of Canadians are looking for promotions or discounts when selecting a new restaurant for pick-up or delivery.
12. Ordering delivery can be a nice way to relax after a long day — the majority of consumers said they prefer to eat their food on the couch watching TV or listening to music (52% in the US, 53% in Canada and New Zealand, and 49% in Australia). Nothing beats a cozy night in!
Emerging restaurant consumer trends
13. Many folks are looking for new dining options — 57% of Canadian consumers, 67% of US consumers, and 53% of Australian consumers ordered from new stores on DoorDash in Q1 2024 compared to Q4 2023.
14. In Canada, Australia, and New Zealand menu pricing is the number one factor consumers look at when trying a new restaurant for delivery or pickup. Menu selection is the number one thing in the US, with menu pricing being a close second.
15. Gen Z and Millennial consumers are 27% more likely to buy from brands that take actions to protect the planet, so using biodegradable or recyclable packaging can influence where they order from.
16. One new trend is the popularity of food photography and the impact it can make on diners' decisions. More than one-third of all consumers are swayed by food photos when choosing a new restaurant — in the US, this is up 11% from last year.
Online food ordering statistics
Online ordering makes getting food from your favorite restaurant that much easier. Let's look at online ordering trends, like how often people are ordering online for takeout or delivery, when they love to order, and what they can't stop adding to their carts.
17. The online ordering habits that have accelerated in recent years aren’t going away any time soon. 70% of US diners, 51% of Canadian diners, 49% of Aussie diners, and 39% of New Zealand diners have reported ordering delivery in the past month.
18. Pickup, or takeaway, dining is popular worldwide — 66% of Aussies and 67% of New Zealanders have ordered this way in the past month, along with 66% of Canadians, and 70% of US diners.
19. Using a third-party app to browse for restaurant ideas is part of consumers' routines. When trying to choose a restaurant to order delivery or takeout, 51% of consumers in the US turn to a third-party platform like DoorDash, along with 28% in Canada.
20. In the US, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, 6pm is the most common time for orders, but breakfast orders — from 5-11am — grew this year by 29% in the US, 45% in Canada, 58% in Australia, and a whopping 644% in New Zealand.
21. Late night orders (12-5am) grew exponentially this year as well, by 44% in the US, 36% in Canada, 107% in Australia and — wait for it — 1,261% in New Zealand!
22. Across the globe, people like to end their week with convenience. Friday and Saturday are the most popular days to order food and alcohol delivery.
23. French fries are the #1 most popular food to order online in the US, followed by chicken quesadillas, and mozzarella sticks. The top food orders in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia are chicken dishes.
24. Consumers are also enjoying the convenience of beverage delivery along with their food. And the number one choice for delivery coffee in the US is an iced caramel macchiato. Yum.
Restaurant delivery statistics
When diners order delivery, how do they order and why?
25. Food delivery is the most popular way to engage with a restaurant in the US — in the past month, 70% of consumers report ordering delivery, 70% report picking up takeout, and 68% report dining in at a restaurant.
26. The top reasons why people choose to order food delivery instead of getting takeout or dining in across the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are 1) because it was more convenient, or 2) they didn't feel like going out.
27. Though many people around the world are cooking more, they're not always cooking when they have guests. Ordering delivery as a way to feed hungry guests is getting popular: 39% of consumers in the US and 22% in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand report having ordered delivery when they are hosting at home.
28. Delivery has become a lifesaver in busy times. 74% of Americans ordered food as a last-minute save when they urgently needed food. 69% of diners in New Zealand and Australia, and 65% in Canada have reported the same.
29. Supporting local restaurants is still popular. A third of all consumers prioritize supporting local businesses (defined as those with just one store in their area).
Restaurant pickup statistics
When people place orders for pickup, how do they order and why?
30. Pickup (also called takeout or takeaway, depending on the region) is more popular than food delivery in Canada (66%), Australia (66%), and New Zealand (67%).
31. Takeout ordering is on the rise in the US as well. 32% of consumers have increased takeout ordering since 2023 and 70% of US consumers picked up takeout in the last month.
32. In New Zealand, we saw 78% growth in same-store pickup orders on the DoorDash platform, between 2022 and 2023. In the US, we saw 9% year-over-year growth, and in Australia, we saw 4%.
Food delivery app preferences
What kind of preferences do consumers have for their food ordering platform? Which ordering channels do people use most and why? Here are some food delivery app statistics that shed light on consumer preferences.
33. The #1 preferred way to order food delivery is through a third-party app like DoorDash in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
34. Consumers who order via third-party app do so more frequently than those who order on the phone. In the US, 4 in 10 consumers order via third-party app at least 5X per month, compared to only 2 in 10 who order that often via phone call. This trend is the same in Canada, with 28% of third-party app users ordering 5X per month, versus 17% ordering that frequently via phone.
35. Ordering takeout via third-party app has also grown in popularity in the US, Canada, and Australia this year. 31% of US consumers, 54% of Canadian consumers, 54% of Australian consumers, and 52% of New Zealand consumers prefer third-party apps for online ordering.
36. 86% of diners in the US order on a third-party app at least 2X per month. 75% in Canada, 76% in New Zealand, and 79% in Australia report the same.
37. 43% of consumers love the idea of being able to add their dietary restrictions and share them easily with all restaurants they order from or visit.
Restaurant customer statistics across generations
How do Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers interact with restaurants?
38. These days, it's important for restaurants to have a strong presence on social media. TikTok is the number one app for US Gen Zers who use social media to look for a new restaurant.
39. For those who use social media to find new restaurants, Instagram is the favorite app for Gen Zers in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, and Millennials in the US.
40. In the US, Canada, and Australia, it's more common for Millennials and Gen Zers to make last-minute food delivery orders than Gen Xers or Baby Boomers.
41. In Canada, 23% of Gen Zers say that social media influencers are a key reason they try a new restaurant — up 44% from 2023.
42. In Canada, Gen Zers (46%) and Millennials (35%) are more likely to prefer using third-party delivery apps than older generations.
43. Around a third of consumers across all generations (and regions) check out a restaurant's food photos when trying to choose a new place to eat.
44. Digital loyalty programs are beloved by younger diners — Gen Z and Millennials are signed up for an average of four restaurant loyalty programs, whereas Gen X and Baby Boomers are only signed up for two on average.
45. Across all generations, most US consumers (63%) eat their takeout or delivery food straight from the container it came in, but more than half (55%) of Baby Boomers use their own dishes and utensils.
Restaurant customer service statistics
Which factors are consumers thinking about when it comes to customer service, both online and in-store?
46. 90% of adults in the US say they enjoy dining with restaurants.
47. The top considerations consumers around the world use when looking for new restaurants are menu pricing, menu selection, and friends and family recommendations.
48. 46% of US diners, 46% of Canadian diners, 41% of New Zealand diners, and 37% of Australian diners rely on reviews to decide where to order delivery from.
Future trends in food delivery
Consumer demand will continue to drive the evolution of the food delivery industry, and their standards will continue to be high for good food, delivered quickly.
49. Sustainability is important for young consumers and we predict they will continue to prioritize eco-friendly and sustainable packaging.
50. Today's consumer has also grown accustomed to tailored advertisements, and expects and welcomes restaurants that send them personalized offers and discounts.
51. And as even more companies return to the office, group ordering for lunch and coffee breaks is a trend that will most likely continue into the next few years.
How restaurants are bringing consumer ordering data into their business strategy
As the consumer dining stats above have shown, online ordering has become a normal part of life for the majority of people worldwide. Whether they're ordering to treat themselves, to feed hungry guests, to get a great meal on short notice — or they've made a to-go coffee and croissant part of their daily routine — consumers love to order online, and adding delivery can be beneficial to your restaurant.
In all four of our surveyed regions, takeout and delivery are preferred ways for consumers to engage with restaurants. By listing your business on the DoorDash Marketplace, you can reach new customers who might have never found you otherwise — and turn them into regulars.
Get even more restaurant industry data in the full reports
To learn more about the online ordering landscape and consumer preferences, check out the full reports for the US, Canada, and New Zealand & Australia.
US 2024 Restaurant & Alcohol Online Ordering Trends Report
Canada 2024 Restaurant Online Ordering Trends Report
Australia & New Zealand 2024 Restaurant Online Ordering Trends Report
