R20,000 for one Uber Eats delivery

Uber Eats’ 2024 Cravings Report revealed South Africa’s top food delivery trends, with notable orders including expensive alcohol, lots of crispy chicken, and interesting requests.

Since Uber Eats launched in South Africa in 2016, it has become a staple of convenience for food and grocery deliveries.

The Mr D Food app followed soon after its 2017 launch, and today, these two delivery services have become an integral part of South Africa’s food industry.

According to Statista, revenue in the online food delivery market is projected to reach $2.68 billion (R48.48 billion) in 2025.

The average revenue per user (ARPU) in the Grocery Delivery market is projected to amount to US$213.39 (R3,859.75) for the year.

By 2029, Statista expects the number of users to increase to 23.6 million, reaching a projected market volume of US$3.60 billion (R65.11 billion).

Uber Eats’ 2024 Cravings Report also highlighted several interesting food delivery trends. Notably, one Uber Eats user spent R20,000 on a single order of expensive cognac – the most expensive order of the year.

Other users also spent a lot of time and money on the app in 2024. One customer placed 2,378 orders in 2024 – which equates to more than six orders a day – while another ordered on 364 days of the year.

Users also managed to take advantage of discounts on the app, with one customer saving over R18,000 in 2024 on 779 orders with Uber One.

In terms of items delivered, South Africans showed a strong preference for chicken, with “crispy chicken” being the most searched term on the app in 2024.

Johannesburg and Pretoria led the charge on several fronts last year, including the most late-night orders, with 1.2 million orders between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m.

These cities also collectively ordered the most vegan dishes, although Durban topped the list as the country’s most vegan-friendly city, with 0.6% of all orders being plant-based.

The most popular restaurants on Uber Eats were located in Sandton City in Johannesburg.

When it comes to the “friendliest” city, Margate took the crown, and Johannesburg and Pretoria followed close behind.

Residents in these areas relied heavily on “please” and “thank you” in order to make requests.

Customers also made some interesting requests on their deliveries during the year.

This includes one user who ordered Beef Brisket Ramen and wrote, “In the swirling mists of your ramen creation, I’ve a trifling, yet bold, culinary sensation.”

“Dear chef, in your pot of wonders so vast, might I request, not one egg be cast, but three! Oh yes, three jolly eggs indeed, to accompany my noodles in their hour of need.”

Another user had the same request on eight different orders: “no garnish, no sauce, crispy chips!!!”

Impressive statistics were not only limited to customers, though, since drivers also achieved some noteworthy numbers in 2024.

One courier clocked 4,500 service hours, made 7,959 trips, and travelled nearly 40,000 kilometres in 2024. To put that into context, you can circle the earth in 40,075 kilometres. Another driver delivered 320 orders to the same customer in 2024.

“Our continued commitment to making it easy for you to get whatever you’re craving is reflected in the growing demand for food and grocery delivery,” said Cassie Jaganyi, head of communications at Uber Eats South Africa.

“Meanwhile, the insights from the Cravings Report provide a compelling look at our shared love for food, convenience and dining trends. From midnight snackers to guilty pleasures, we look forward to bringing even more delicious moments to the table for years to come.”