Takeaway orders are surging post-pandemic, according to Hosted Kitchens, which has revealed Ireland's favourite food delivery trends.
Details
According to Hosted Kitchens, Ireland is a nation that loves Chinese and pizza, with the chipper still proving popular, and we're ordering more often too.
The COVID-19 pandemic saw a surge in food deliveries - and it's a trend that shows no sign of slowing down as the country begins to shake off the impact of lockdown.
In the first major study of Irish consumers' food delivery habits since the end of the pandemic, almost a third of Irish people admit they're more likely to order delivery food when compared to two years ago - rising to 42% of under 35s.
And it seems we really love Chinese: 71% mention it as a top choice.
The fresh insights were compiled by Dublin-headquartered tech company, Hosted Kitchens, supported by Amárach Research.
In summary, 81% of women and 75% of men order delivery food in Ireland. For under 35s, the number is 91%.
Dinner and late-night snacks are the most popular meals.
Statements By CEO And Founder Of Hosted Kitchens
Seán Murray, CEO and founder of Hosted Kitchens, stated, "The COVID-19 pandemic has, of course, had a huge impact on Ireland as a whole.
"And while the hospitality industry in particular has been shaken over the last two years - food businesses have found opportunity too, reinventing to create strong revenue streams via delivery."
He added, "These trends were already in place in Ireland. They're trends too that are more advanced in other, more mature markets such as the US. The importance of off-premise dining is only increasing and the growth of delivery shows no sign of slowing down."
Murray concluded, "There has never been a better time for online food delivery; with a growing market and much better technology, the future is bright for the sector."
Additional Information
The research furthermore highlighted the popularity of takeaway apps - with three out of every five adults using Just Eat when ordering food; 84% of under 35s have used the same app at least once.
Statement By Amárach Research Director For The UK And Ireland
Amárach research director for the UK and Ireland Alison Flannery stated, "The last two-and-a-half years have been incredibly disruptive for the food and restaurant industry. But as our research shows, there are also amazing opportunities too."
Further Information
Hosted Kitchens added that interestingly, and riding on the wave of past, social-media fuelled trends such as sourdough, feta pasta, and banana bread, almost half of Irish adults have been inspired to cook a meal because of trending social media content. One-in-five has ordered takeaway because of food they saw online.
Highlights from the insights compiled by Hosted Kitchens, supported by Amárach Research, show that:
- Four out of five adults have ordered food from a restaurant or takeaway - with 90% of those ordering in the last month.
- A quarter order at least four times a month; 5% admit to ordering at least seven times a month.
- 31% of respondents say they are more likely to order delivery food now than two years ago, rising to 42% of under 35s.
- Ireland's most popular takeaway is Chinese, although among Ireland's under 35s, pizza is the top choice. Overall, pizza is the nation’s second-favourite delivery option.
- Our love for a chipper is enduring; 57% cite it as one of their favourites.
- Indian, burgers, Thai, and wings furthermore rank as popular.
Hosted Kitchens partners with restaurants looking to scale with delivery offerings. They are on course to raise €10 million of Series A funding. The Dublin-based start-up secured €1.25 million in seed funding in August of 2021. In early 2022, Hosted Kitchens showcased their robot service on campus at Dublin City University. The initiative means students can avail of contactless, machine-led food deliveries. Hosted Kitchens plan to increase their staff-count to more than 50 by 2024. They currently employ about a dozen.
Methodology:
A total sample size of 1,100 people was surveyed by Amarách Research across a quota set on gender, age, social class, and region to achieve a sample aligned with the national population.
Demographic profile:
- Male 49%, female 51%
Higher social grades:
- 51%, lower social grades 49%
Age:
- 18-34 = 28%
- 35-44 = 20%
- 45-54 = 18%
- 55+ = 34%
Region:
- Dublin = 29%
- Rest of Leinster = 26%
- Munster = 27%
- Conn/Ulster = 17%
© 2022 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
