Grubhub Releases Second Annual "State of the Plate" Report

Mid-Year Report Looks at Top Food Trends to Date, Forecasts Ahead, How Quarantine has Impacted America's Dining Habits, and More

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Grubhub

Jul 09, 2020, 09:00 ET

CHICAGO, July 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- We're officially in the second half of 2020, and it's time to turn the dial back to take a look at how we ate our way through the beginning of a year unlike any other we've seen before. Grubhub, a leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace, today launched its latest report, "State of the Plate", looking at trends across the more than half a million orders placed a day. Grubhub's mid-year report checks in on the popular food trends to date and what quarantined Americans ordered through contact-free delivery, and predicts what we can expect to see more of in the second half of the year.

State of the Plate 2020 - top foods across various cities

From grabbing a chorizo burrito (270% more popular) for breakfast, a cheesy breadstick snack (412% more popular), a plant-based burger (291% more popular), or a fit-for-quarantine meal kit (orders of meal kits rose 55%), below are the trends we've loved so far this year.

Disclaimer: The top foods below have seen the fastest growth on the Grubhub platform during the first half of 2020.

TOP FOODS OF 2020 TO DATE

In 2019 we were introduced to the chicken sandwich war, and in 2020 it raged on as chain and independent restaurants added the sandwich to their menus for diners to enjoy. The spicy chicken sandwich saw a nearly 300% rise in popularity this year, with other top foods spanning a range of categories and plenty of newcomers.

spicy chicken sandwich: 299% more popular
plant-based burger: 291% more popular
vanilla shake: 273% more popular
iced latte: 261% more popular
chili: 228% more popular
cinnamon roll: 205% more popular
chimichanga: 195% more popular
beef burrito: 181% more popular
potato taco: 169% more popular
taro milk tea: 168% more popular

The Top Food in America's Most Populous Cities

New York City: Mushroom burger: 150% more popular
Los Angeles: California burrito: 286% more popular
Chicago: Gyro: 299% more popular
Philadelphia: Buffalo chicken pizza: 323% more popular
Dallas-Fort Worth: Elote: 191% more popular
Bay Area (SF, Oakland, San Jose): Saag paneer: 389% more popular
Washington, DC: Drunken noodle: 166% more popular
Houston: Fried mushrooms: 238% more popular
Boston: Lettuce wrap: 268% more popular
Atlanta: Plant-based burger: 147% more popular

Methodology: Grubhub took a look at order trends on its platform from January 1 - June 20, 2020, as compared to the same timeframe in 2019 to find the top items rising in popularity so far.

SEASONAL FAVORITES & FORECASTS

Seasonal trends tend to impact eating habits, so we took a look at exactly what rose through the ranks this past winter and spring. As far as what we can expect to see in the latter half of 2020, summer is seeing lighter fare while the fall heats up with a little spice.

Top Trends: Winter

chicken sandwich: 238% more popular
New England clam chowder bowl: 195% more popular
barbecue burger: 132% more popular
sausage egg cheese sandwich: 101% more popular
tan tan ramen: 96% more popular

Top Trends: Spring

donuts: 214% more popular
bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit: 169% more popular
sausage burrito: 163% more popular
chicken sandwich: 153% more popular
plant-based sausage breakfast sandwich: 150% more popular

Forecasts: Summer (in ranking order)

vegetable biryani
spinach and artichoke wonton
Mexican shrimp cocktail
black bean and quinoa bowl
balsamic chicken salad

Forecasts: Fall (in ranking order)

miso tofu bowl
quinoa taco salad
mushroom burger
cajun wing
buffalo chicken empanada

Methodology: "Top Trends" look at the most popular food orders during winter (Dec 21, 2019 - March 19, 2020) and spring (March 20, 2020 — June 20, 2020) compared to those same periods in 2018 and 2019. "Forecasted" items looked at the top foods on the Grubhub platform over the past two years, recently trending items, and other seasonal favorites to forecast what America will indulge in this summer & fall.

VEGAN & PLANT-BASED TRENDS CONTINUE TO GROW

Similar to Grubhub's 2019 Year in Food Report, diners are continuing to eat vegan and vegetarian dishes. So far this year, vegan orders have risen by 23%, plant-based burgers specifically increasing by 90% and general plant-based orders by a whopping 135%!

Top Vegetarian Burgers

black bean burger: 233% more popular
grilled portobello mushroom burger: 179% more popular
Impossible burger: 167% more popular
quinoa-based burger: 161% more popular
eggplant burger: 147% more popular

Top Vegan-friendly Cities

New York, NY
Los Angeles, CA
Portland, OR
Las Vegas, NV
Boston, MA

Methodology: Grubhub took a look at vegan, vegetarian, and plant-based orders in each city and compared them to the overall number of orders.

PAST FAVORITES ARE STILL A HIT

Taking a look back at the "Top Foods of the Year" in Grubhub's 2018 and 2019 Year In Food Report, we found that many of the past favorites are still trending in 2020.

spicy brussels sprouts: 125% more popular
portobello empanada: 99% more popular
plant-based burger : 95% more popular
bean burrito: 83% more popular — 2018's more popular food
vegan pad thai: 74% more popular
cauliflower pizza: 31% more popular — 2019's most popular food
black bean & sweet potato taco: 27% more popular

Methodology: Grubhub took a look at the top foods from past reports to see what was still gaining in popularity so far this year (January 1-June 20, 2020) as compared to the same timeframe last year.

TOP TRENDS ACROSS MEAL TIMES

Breakfast: while bacon, egg & cheese came in as #1 in 2019, we have yet to see the breakfast staple among 2020's top foods.

acai bowl: 359% more popular
chorizo burrito: 270% more popular
potato pancakes: 259% more popular
shrimp and grits: 179% more popular
vegetable wrap: 112% more popular

Lunch: salads and sandwiches lead the charge, while avocado toast makes a bit of a comeback.

Thai chicken salad: 399% more popular
tuna salad sandwich: 262% more popular
chicken avocado melt: 188% more popular
kale caesar salad: 165% more popular
avocado toast: 164% more popular

Dinner: from Italian to Indian, diners are getting in a mix of cuisines for dinner.

rigatoni bolognese: 292% more popular
lamb vindaloo: 283% more popular
vegetable korma: 267% more popular
moo shu pork: 266% more popular
salmon avocado roll: 244% more popular

Top late-night orders: it's no surprise carbs come in on top, but 2020 brings in the appearance of a sweet treat.

cheesy breadsticks: 412% more popular
strawberry cheesecake: 247% more popular
cheese sliders: 220% more popular
jalapeno poppers: 216% more popular
pizza puffs: 182% more popular

Methodology: Grubhub took a look at the top foods on its platform for the specified mealtimes/food types below from January 1-June 20, 2020 as compared to the same timeframe in 2019 to find the top items rising in popularity.

A LOOK AT HOW QUARANTINE HAS IMPACTED AMERICA

On March 18, the first shelter-in-place order was initiated in San Francisco and the rest of the country followed suit shortly after. As Americans stayed home, they continued to order food using features like contact-free delivery to safely enjoy their favorite meals from local restaurants.

Over the months, Grubhub has observed diners turn to comfort foods, order alcoholic beverages, and D.I.Y. orders. Under quarantine one thing was clear: morning coffee routines changed as orders of cold brew rose by 232%

Most popular foods nationwide: It's all about the comfort foods and shareable plates as people order in.

spicy chicken sandwich: 353% more popular
red velvet cupcake: 196% more popular
plant-based burger: 166% more popular
cajun shrimp chicken pasta: 164% more popular
cheeseburger sliders: 158% more popular

Most popular items searched: while restaurants and bars were closed, we can see that diners are searching for a way to bring home the full dining experience.

wine
cake
boba tea
beer
donuts

Top Alcohol Orders (in ranking order): as delivery rose in popularity, so did alcoholic beverages while diners stayed home.

pinot grigio
hot sake
rosé
light beer
IPA
merlot
frozen strawberry margarita
chardonnay
cabernet
pina colada

Meal Kits rise to the occasion: During quarantine, orders of meal kits rose 55% compared to the year before as diners put their own personal touch on the ingredients delivered.

Most Popular Meal Kit Orders

D.I.Y. burger
D.I.Y. lobster roll kit
D.I.Y. salad
D.I.Y. pizza
D.I.Y. gyro kit

Methodology: Grubhub took a look at both order trends and search trends on its platform in the respective categories from March 18 - June 18, 2020, compared to the same timespan in 2019 to find the top items in popularity.

Additionally, we saw diners show their generosity through our Donate the Change feature. At the start of the pandemic, we launched the Grubhub Community Relief Fund, where proceeds go to organizations that support members of our community who have been impacted by COVID-19, including restaurants, delivery partners, and those in need. With more than $7 million donated by diners and Grubhub (including through Grubhub's matching of Grubhub+ orders), we were able to help feed the frontlines, support our drivers, support local restaurants, and so much more.

To find more about Grubhub or read more about the State of the Plate 2020 trends, check out Grubhub.com or visit the Grubhub Blog.

About Grubhub
Grubhub (NYSE: GRUB) is a leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace with the largest and most comprehensive network of restaurant partners, as well as nearly 24 million active diners. Dedicated to connecting diners with the food they love from their favorite local restaurants, Grubhub elevates food ordering through innovative restaurant technology, easy-to-use platforms and an improved delivery experience. Grubhub features nearly 300,000 restaurants and is proud to partner with more than 200,000 of these restaurants in over 4,000 U.S. cities. The Grubhub portfolio of brands includes Grubhub, Seamless, LevelUp, AllMenus and MenuPage.

SOURCE Grubhub