With a market share of 67 percent, DoorDash dominated the online food delivery market in the United States as of March 2024. Meanwhile, Uber Eats held the second highest share with 23 percent.

The market size of the global online food delivery sector was estimated at over one trillion U.S. dollars in 2023, of which 630 billion dollars were generated in the grocery delivery segment, and 390 billion dollars in the meal delivery segment. By 2029, the online food delivery market is forecast to generate revenues reaching 1.85 trillion U.S. dollars.

Smartphone food delivery apps such as Grubhub and Uber Eats allow users to order food online and have it delivered to their door. Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many restaurants were unable to offer indoor dining in 2020. As a result, the number of smartphone food delivery app users was predicted to increase from 36.4 million users in 2019 to 45.6 million users in 2020. This growth was expected to continue, with an estimated 53.9 million users by 2023.

During a March 2020 survey of consumers in the United States, 41.7 percent of respondents stated that if confined to their homes during the coronavirus, they were likely to purchase restaurant food delivery online. The food and hospitality industry has been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus pandemic as bars and restaurants are forced to shutdown due to health and safety concerns. Many smaller establishments have pivoted to local food delivery services and there have been online initiatives to support local restaurants by buying vouchers or ordering food online.For further information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, please visit our dedicated Facts and Figures page.

As of May 2024, Baedal Minjok, also known as Baemin, was not only the most downloaded food delivery app in South Korea, it also had the most users, with around 21.74 million South Korean users. Acquisition of Woowa BrothersSouth Korea-based Woowa Brothers was founded in 2011 and is mostly known for being the company behind Baedal Minjok. In December 2019, Berlin-based company Delivery Hero announced they bought 87 percent of share of Woowa Brothers for around four billion South Korean won. Delivery Hero is active in the food delivery sector worldwide and already owned Yogiyo, the second most popular food delivery application in South Korea. Consumer behaviorSouth Koreans are known to regularly dine out or to have food delivered. Out of people who order food delivery, an increasing number of customers order mainly via smart phone applications. In 2023, one-in-two South Koreans ordered delivery food via mobile app several times per month. One of the most popular items is fast food, like fried chicken. The large majority of respondents of over 70 percent to a survey about delivery expenditure stated that they spend up to 100 thousand South Korean won on delivery food per month on average.

China has the largest online food delivery market in the world. In 2024, around 592 million people in the country used online food delivery services, accounting for around 53.4 percent of the nation's internet user base. The boom of online food delivery in China Chinese people love to eat out. The majority of Chinese consumers spend a decent amount of money while eating in restaurants. However, food delivery is gaining popularity, especially for lunch. The convenience of apps like Meituan Delivery and Ele.me, online payment methods, as well as the fast pace of urban life, were the main reasons behind the trend. Major consumer trends A 2023 survey found that about 82 percent of respondents used food delivery services at least once a week. On average, app users spent between 25 and 100 yuan per order on online food delivery. Local cuisine, fast food, bubble tea, and other tea-based drinks were the most commonly ordered types of food for delivery.

The coronavirus pandemic brought major changes to dining behaviors among restaurant-goers in the United States. Restaurant closures and social distancing measures resulted in an increasing demand for online food delivery, both directly through a restaurant's website or using a third-party delivery service. In 2020, the online restaurant delivery sector's share of the restaurant market was predicted to be 13 percent, before the pandemic this figure was forecast at nine percent. The post-coronavirus market share was expected to rise as much as 21 percent in 2025.

In March 2021, the age of quick service restaurant (QSR) delivery app users in the United States varied by company. App users over the age of 66 demonstrated a stronger engagement with Uber Eats, while younger users between the ages of 18 to 25 demonstrated stronger engagement with goPuff. That same year, the gender of QSR delivery app users in the U.S. also varied by company. Instacart had the most female users with a figure amounting to 66 percent, although the gender distribution remained fairly even across each company that was surveyed.

How many food delivery app users are there in the U.S.?

Smartphone food delivery apps such as Grubhub and Uber Eats allow users to order food online and have it delivered to their door. Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many restaurants were unable to offer indoor dining in 2020. Subsequently, the number of smartphone food delivery app users in the U.S. was predicted to increase from 36.4 million users in 2019 to 45.6 million users in 2020. This growth was expected to continue, with an estimated 53.9 million users by 2023.

Impact of COVID-19 on U.S. food delivery apps

From February 2020 to January 2021, the degree to which U.S. consumers installed QSR delivery apps remained relatively consistent. That being said, the monthly change in QSR net app installs in the U.S. did experience a sharp increase in March 2020, due to the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. By September, the total number of installs had leveled out.

In a survey conducted in August 2022, some 38 percent of consumers from around the world expected their online food orders to be delivered within a time window of 21 to 30 minutes. However, the maximum wait time for a quarter of respondents was between 10 and 20 minutes, signaling to the importance of timely delivery.

Between 2019 and 2020, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic led to a growth in the use of digital restaurant delivery services across 13 countries worldwide. Digital delivery services are defined as meals or snacks ordered via mobile app, internet, or text message. In total, digital restaurant delivery increased 67 percent globally, with the United States increasing the most at 123 percent.

Online restaurant delivery market worldwide

In 2019, the market size of the global online food delivery sector reached 107.44 billion U.S. dollars. This figure was forecast to rise to as much as 154.34 billion by 2023. The sector became especially relevant during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, where social distancing and hygiene measures caused many restaurants to have to close their doors to the public. At the start of 2020, there was a dramatic decline in sit-down dining worldwide. However, this did not continue throughout the year, with the number of seated diners fluctuating depending on regulations and COVID-19 case numbers.

Impact of COVID-19 on U.S. online food delivery

The United States saw an increase in digital restaurant food orders between March 2020 and March 2021. Delivery orders increased by 142 percent, while carry-out orders increased by 130 percent. During that same year, the distribution of digital restaurant food orders was such that carry-out represented 62 percent of all digital orders and delivery represented 38 percent of all digital orders.

China's online food delivery business is booming. In 2024, the market size reached 1.6 trillion yuan. As of mid-2024, more than half of internet users in China had used online food delivery services. However, this expanding enterprise faces a number of challenges, including violations of labor rights and criticism regarding its environmental impact. Another industry in the gig economy The online food delivery industry has provided millions of jobs to delivery workers. The low skill requirement and relatively high income makes food delivery driving one of the most promising career options for China's migrant workers. However, the attraction of flexible work hours and income are not all that they seem. Most full-time food delivery workers work more than ten hours a day and the commission for each order has shrunk significantly. Furthermore, delivery workers are regularly under pressure, often dealing with overflow orders, impatient customers, and meeting strict delivery time requirements. Concerns over plastic waste Research draws a strong link between China's air pollution and food delivery consumption. As of 2020, more than 80 percent of the food delivery restaurants in China offered only plastic packaging. The overuse of plastic containers caused a considerable amount of plastic waste, contributing not only to landfill waste but also air pollution from the production of plastics.

In 2024, it was estimated that the online grocery delivery market had around 1.5 billion users worldwide, while users in the meal delivery segment were estimated at 2.1 billion that year. Both segments were forecast to experience growth in user base by 2029.

We asked Russian consumers about "Online food delivery bookings by brand" and found that "Delivery Club" takes the top spot, while "Ollis" is at the other end of the ranking.These results are based on a representative online survey conducted in 2022 among 883 consumers in Russia. Statista Consumer Insights offer you exclusive market research results from over 50 countries and territories worldwide.

According to the survey conducted by Rakuten Insight, approximately 27 percent of the respondents who are aged between 25 and 34 years old stated that they ordered food from food delivery apps three to six times a week in Vietnam. In comparison, 26 percent of respondents aged over 55 years old mentioned that they had never used food delivery apps to order meals. The same survey showed that Vietnamese mainly ordered lunch on food delivery apps.

In 2021, 850 thousand Germans aged 14 and over used food delivery services several times a week. Figures are based on a survey conducted in Germany among respondents aged 14 and older.

According to the survey conducted by Rakuten Insight, approximately 21 percent of the Vietnamese respondents stated that they ordered food from food delivery apps three to six times a week. Nine percent of respondents even ordered several times a day. The same survey showed that Vietnamese mainly ordered lunch on food delivery apps.

This statistic shows the results of a survey conducted in the United States in November 2016. U.S. consumers were asked how often they use food delivery services. During the survey, 10 percent of the respondents said they used food delivery services once per week.

This statistic shows the takeout food delivery market share in Chicago, United States, as of April 2021. In that year, Uber Eats accounted for 29 percent of the food delivery market in Chicago.

With over 70 million downloads, Zepto: 10-Min Grocery Delivery was the most popular online food delivery application worldwide in 2024. Uber Eats ranked second, with global consumers downloading the app just under 43 million times that year. Pandemic gains Following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an online food delivery boom which came as a result of people all over the globe being stuck at home and behind their screens. This in turn led to an increase in investment in the sector, and in 2021 more than 400 financing deals were completed for an overall value of approximately 19.1 billion U.S. dollars. For instance, Berlin-based Delivery Hero had raised funds worth nearly 10 billion U.S. dollars as of July 2024. Post-pandemic comedown After boom usually comes bust, and this phenomenon did not spare the food delivery segment following the global economic downturn that began in 2022. As of the third quarter of 2022, online food and meal delivery deals decreased significantly from their peak of 19 billion dollars the year before. In addition, many online food delivery operators resorted to mass layoffs as they grappled with the impact of stagflation. In multiple rounds of layoffs, Gopuff reduced its workforce by approximately 2,300 employees.

As of March 2023, the largest share of food delivery app users in Australia were 25 to 34 years old, with almost half of Australian delivery app users falling into this category. Those 45 to 54 years old accounted for the smallest share of food delivery app users across the country.