With the year about to draw to a close, Grubhub, the Chicago-headquartered online and mobile prepared food ordering and delivery platform that connects consumers with local restaurants, has taken a comprehensive look at how Americans ate their way through a turbulent period upended by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic and resulting economic downturn. Its just released ”Year in Food” report tallied orders from over 30 million diners to see what rose in popularity between January and November.
Below is a recap of the “Taste of 2020” data to provide the flavor of favorite cuisines, menu items, and order habits throughout the first 11 months of the year, when the spicy chicken sandwich trend continued big time with a more than 300% increase in popularity. The “Top 10” list of foods ordered is followed by separate “Top 5” lists of breaking out various categories:
1 Spicy chicken sandwich: Up 318%
2 Chicken burrito bowl: 299%
3 Chicken wings: 287%
4 Waffle fries: 221%
5 Cold brew coffee: 206%
6 Steak quesadilla: 164%
7 Iced latte: 157%
8 Fish and chips: 146%
9 Strawberry shake: 131%
10 Roast beef sandwich: 126%
Acai ‘Bowls Over’ Breakfast Orders
A healthy start to the day, acai bowls continued to rise in popularity (the peanut butter version made its claim to fame in 2018).
1 Acai bowl: Up 353%
2 Frozen mocha: 336%
3 Chorizo burrito: 304%
4 Potato pancake: 264%
5 Strawberry banana smoothie: 216%
Late Night Favorites
While more of comfort favorites made the Late Night menu, there was a nice showing from some sugary classics.
1 Strawberry cheesecake: 303% more popular
2 Jalapeno popper: 277%
3 Pizza puff: 232%
4 Buffalo chicken pizza: 226%
5 Cinnamon rolls: 210%
French Fries Top Side Dish Orders
A mix of go-to options and a twist on some “trendier” dishes.
1 French fries: 629% more popular
2 Onion rings: 566%
3 Gluten-free tater tots: 544%
4 Thai chili brussel sprouts: 389%
5 Elote: 375%
Dessert Sweet Treats
A true variety of comfort, nostalgia, and some regional classics.
1 Apple pie: 330% more popular
2 Hot fudge sundae: 273%
3 Caramel creme brulee : 137%
4 Italian ice: 129%
5 Chocolate chip cannoli: 109%
Beverages on the Rise
There’s no doubt the daily routines of consumers were thrown for a loop, which led Americans to order in more than usual. And this wasn’t just food – coffee orders and alcoholic beverages made a mark in the trends noticed throughout the year.
Caffeine Buzz
Morning regimens changed for plenty of folks in 2020, and the popularity of ready-to-drink coffee orders rose by 30%.
1 Pumpkin spiced latte: 487% more popular
2 Vanilla latte: 249%
3 Flat white: 131%
4 Cold brew: 123%
5 Nitro coffee: 32%
Happy Hour @Home
With a lift on restrictions in various cities across the country, diners in more places were able to complete their meals with a range of alcoholic beverages available for delivery. And boy did they – cocktails, beer and wine rose nearly 300%.
1 Mangonada: 278% more popular
2 Pina colada: 223%
3 Hard seltzer: 196%
4 Mexican beer: 161%
5 Rosé: 150%
A Look at 2020 Over Time
Sourdough starters. Whipped coffee. Pancake cereal. While at home, many took to their own devices to try some of the year’s food trends – whether they succeeded or not. But for those who left it up to the restaurants, Grubhub reviewed the top trends month-by-month to see how preferences shifted as the months progressed.
• MARCH: As stay-at-home orders took place across the country, Americans started out on a healthier foot when kick-starting their day as yogurt parfait rose 356% in popularity.
• APRIL: Keeping up the daily routine, diners leaned on catching a caffeine buzz with vanilla chai tea lattes increasing 212%.
• MAY: Most jumped on the bread baking trend. However, it’s clear some may have taken the “fake it ’till you make it” route, as Grubhub saw orders of sourdough bread loaves increase 192%.
• JUNE: Blueberries are in season, so why not put them to work. This month saw demand for blueberry cream cheese pizza rise 290%.
• JULY: As summer brought outdoor activities, Americans turned to watermelon mojitos, to quench their thirst. Demand for the cocktail spiked 382%.
• AUGUST: It seems everyone was craving a little fall festivity a bit early in 2020, as August saw a 265% increase in popularity of pumpkin iced coffee.
• SEPTEMBER: Soup season came in full force as the weather started to cool, with veggie squash soup rising 168% in demand.
• OCTOBER: Football season and Halloween gave folks opportunities to celebrate with American-style pale lagers rising 362% in popularity.
• NOVEMBER: Americans substituted meat with plant-based ingredients to enjoy their hearty meals as Impossible cheeseburgers increased by 222%
2020 Superlatives
• Top Pizza: Hawaiian pizza, which rose 689%.
• Most Popular Burger: Demand for garlic mushroom burger increased 637%
• Favorite French Fry: Loaded curly fries, which rose 315% popularity
• Most Popular Plant-Based Meats: Eggplant burger
• Most popular holiday for delivery: Halloween
- The Health Nut: New York (most healthy orders)
- The Night Owl: Rhode Island (most late-night orders)
- Most Energized: New York (most caffeinated beverage orders)
- Sweetest State: New Hampshire (most dessert orders)
Plant-based Options Stall
Vegan and vegetarian trends slowed down in 2020 as popularity for vegan-friendly products only grew by 13% (compared to 27% in 2019). And while Americans turned to comfort foods, they weren’t all traditional options as the popularity of meat alternatives has soared by 463% so far this year.
Most Popular Vegan Orders
1 Tofu spring rolls: Up 263%
2 Plant-based burger: 251%
3 Black bean taco: 242%
4 Vegan chocolate cake: 211%
5 Vegan ramen: 183%
Most Popular Vegetarian Orders
1 Apple pancakes: 297% more popular
2 Acai smoothie: 288%
3 Arugula and parmesan salad: 270%
4 Grilled artichoke: 252%
5 Macaroni and cheese: 222%
