DoorDash unveils consumers' favorite items to order for delivery

It’s no big surprise that delivery continues to boom in post-pandemic America … or that french fries again top the list as the most-ordered food.

But some of the other data points revealed in DoorDash’s second annual Restaurant Online Ordering Trends Report are a bit more surprising. The report, based on data collected from more than 1,500 customers across the U.S., was released last week.

Friday at 6 p.m. remains the most popular time to order food for delivery or pickup, but breakfast is the fastest growing to-go occasion. DoorDash orders coming in between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. increased by threefold year over year. In fact, hash browns were one of the top five items ordered.

Holding its own is alcohol delivery—an activity that restaurants ramped up during the pandemic and customers quickly adopted. As of early 2022, 63% of consumers reported that they order alcohol delivery as much as or more often than they did the year before.

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

That said, the cuisines most frequently ordered are pretty mainstream:

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

And coming up behind french fries as the No 1. most-ordered item are:

2. Burrito bowls and burritos
3. Chicken nuggets and chicken sandwiches
4. Hash browns
5. Cheeseburgers

Customers are increasingly adding on to a sandwich, bowl or entree order, tossing sides, appetizers and beverages into their delivery or pickup cart before checking out.

While consumers were confined to home during the pandemic, delivery took off, but now takeout is gaining favor as a way to support local businesses. Pickup appeals to 25% of people who simply want to get out of the house for a bit, while 26% prefer it as a way to save on delivery fees.

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