Australians spend $1,590 each year on delivered food
Sydneysiders are spending almost $2,000 yearly on food delivery services like Menulog, Deliveroo and UberEats.
Food delivery services like UberEats and Menulog certainly have their advantages, the main one being that you can order your Thai takeaway or Tuesday night pizza without leaving the couch or changing out of your pyjamas. But while they have made it easier than ever before for you to order your favourite takeaway meal, they've also made it easier to spend money on said takeaway.
According to new research by finder.com.au, a third of Australians living in capital cities order through online food delivery services Menulog, UberEats, Deliveroo and Foodora. There are 68 million online food orders each year and over 7,000 orders each hour. That's a whole lot of Pad Thai.
The research shows that Australians are spending a whopping $2.6 billion each year on delivered meals and drinks, equating to an average individual spend of $1,590 each year. Sydneysiders appear to be the biggest fans of ordering online (or the laziest) spending an average of $1,958 each year.
In comparison, those living in Melbourne, which is commonly known as the foodie capital of Australia, are only spending $1,379. Perhaps the foodies in Melbourne feel that the ample choice of amazing food at their fingertips deserves to be experienced in the restaurant in which it was created. Those residing in Adelaide spend the least on online food delivery, spending $1,234 annually.
And it's not just a case of Sydneysiders having more expensive orders. They are also using the platforms more often. Those in Sydney are most likely to order from one of the above online food delivery platforms at least once a week (4.2 times a month), followed by those in Brisbane (3.4 times a month) and Melbourne (3.2 times a month).
Money expert at finder.com.au Bessie Hassan said online food delivery services have become so popular that they now account for 12% of the sales of the $44.1 billion cafe, restaurant and takeaway food services industry. “Aussies who order through Menulog, UberEats, Deliveroo and Foodora are ordering food delivery almost once a week. Australian households spend around $12,300 a year on food and non-alcoholic drinks, however, that’s getting easier and easier with more restaurants happy to deliver to your front door.”
When you've had a long day at work and don't feel like cooking dinner for yourself, it can be all too easy to order takeaway on your phone, knowing it'll be there shortly after you get home. But just remember that doing this regularly isn't going to do your bank balance any favours.
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Picture: Shutterstock
According to this article (https://www.finder.com.au/australians-spend-1590-each-year-on-delivered-food) you say Australians are spending a whopping $2.6 billion each year on delivered meals and drinks. Yet Morgan Stanley say this market is $600 mill in 2017 and will grow to $2.4 billion by 2025.
Who is correct or are we looking at different figures here?
Thanks
Hi Richard,
The figures in our article are based on the annual spend of more than 2,000 individuals as part of a paid consumer survey. Therefore, if those individuals who took part in the survey happened to use delivery food services more than the average person, the $2.6 billion figure would be slightly inflated.
Thanks,
Alison