57% of consumers order takeaway three times a week

A survey commissioned by Deliverect and conducted by Censuswide has found that 57% of consumers around the globe now order takeaways up to three times a week, compared to 49% who said the same prior to the cost-of-living increase. 

Deliverect, a digital ordering platform that covers more than 27,000 locations across 40 markets, surveyed 7,000 consumers to identify preferences and changing habits when it comes to restaurant offerings. The study found that while people are putting more thought into how they spend their money, they are likely to cut back on other activities such as buying clothes (44%), going out for dinner and drinks (47%) and travelling (43%). 

"Undoubtedly people are becoming more conscious of where they're spending as we witness a rise in inflation and cost of living globally," says Zhong XU, co-founder and CEO of Deliverect. 

"The research findings may be surprising to some, but evidently people are continuing to prioritise and enjoy the convenience of takeaway and food delivery, yet their expectations continue to rise. Quality, consistency and speed will help restaurants stand out from the crowd. Technology is here to help the food service community manage everything that goes into digital orders to come out more profitable and operationally savvy than before."

Quality first

As people keep an eye on their spending, they are putting great taste and ingredients at the forefront of their ordering decisions. Over two-thirds (69%) of people say the taste of food is more important when watching their spending, as is the quality of restaurant ingredients (67%). 

People are also looking for social reassurance before choosing where to eat, with almost three in five (59%) saying restaurant ratings/customer reviews are now more important than ever. Overall, the top reason customers would order from a restaurant again is because of its good quality of food (52%). Consumers are also looking for variety of menu choices, with people selecting a restaurant for delivery or takeaway if it has diverse offerings (27%). 

Speed of delivery

Fast, streamlined delivery services are also crucial for consumers. A quick delivery is likely to encourage customers to order from the resstaurant again (41%), as is the food arriving at the proper temperature (31%). Thirty-two percent of customers are likely to choose from one restaurant over another if it has a faster delivery time, while 25% of people will select a restaurant for its proximity/convenient location. Thirty-eight percent of people also agree that 21–30 minutes is the maximum average wait time for their food. 

Multiple delivery options

Consumers trust delivery apps to offer the best value and experience for their money. One-third (37%) of people find ordering food from a restaurant via apps such as Deliveroo, Uber Eats, JustEat, Grubhub, Seamless and DoorDash the most reliable, closely followed by ordering directly from the restaurant (35%). Just over one in seven (15%) only trust picking up their takeaway directly from the restaurant. 

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