Coronavirus: impact on restaurant food delivery in the U.S. - statistics & facts

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic severely impacted the United States' restaurant industry. Due to social distancing measures, many restaurants were forced to close their doors to in-person customers, resulting in a rise in takeout and delivery orders. Many restaurants, which previously did not deliver, were forced to do so during the pandemic. Some chose to provide their own delivery services, while others relied on online food delivery providers. Online ordering platforms, such as DoorDash and Grubhub, benefited from this change in consumers' dining habits. During a 2022 survey asking which U.S. online food delivery providers were used in the last 12 months, DoorDash took the lead with over 50 percent of respondents indicating they used the service.

Online restaurant delivery landscape in the U.S.

From 2022, the revenue of the online food delivery market in the U.S. was forecast to see a steady increase over the next five years. The number of users forecast for the online food delivery market in the U.S. was also expected to grow year-over-year during this period. Despite the widespread use of third-party apps and websites that are designed to facilitate the restaurant-to-consumer delivery process, there are many U.S consumers who prefer using a restaurant’s app or website for delivery. During a 2021 survey that asked consumers in the U.S. whether they preferred using a restaurant's own app or website for food delivery, the majority of respondents, 67 percent, stated that they preferred using a restaurant's own app or website. Meanwhile, the remaining 33 percent stated that they preferred using another method, such as a third-party app or website.

How did quick service restaurants adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic?

Although more consumers preferred ordering via a restaurant’s app or website for delivery than a third-party app, a 2021 survey found that the leading food ordering method for U.S. QSRs was via phone call, with 36 percent of respondents stating that this was the case. When looking at the leading reasons for choosing a QSR for delivery in the U.S., the majority of respondents stated that price was the most important factor. Meanwhile, as a result on the coronavirus pandemic, the number of QSR food delivery app users grew considerably. From February 2020 to January 2021, the change in monthly net installations of QSR delivery apps in the U.S. saw fluctuations. This was particularly extreme in March 2020, where app installations experienced a sharp increase due to the onset of the pandemic.

This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.

Foodservice and drinking place sales in the U.S.: 975.9bn USD

Revenue of the meal delivery market in the U.S.: 86.9bn USD

Most used online food delivery brand in the U.S.: DoorDash

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Leading reasons consumers select one restaurant over another when ordering food online in the United States in 2022

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Top factors U.S. consumers consider when choosing a restaurant for online orders 2022

Average spend per order on selected online food delivery services in the United States in 2022

B2C Services

Average spend per online food delivery order in the U.S. 2022, by app

Most popular restaurant and delivery websites in the United States in December 2023, based on share of visits

Reach & Traffic

Leading restaurant and delivery websites in the U.S. 2023, by visit share

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Overview

Premium Statistic Revenue of the online food delivery market U.S. 2017-2028
Revenue of the online food delivery market U.S. 2017-2028
Revenue of the online food delivery market in the United States from 2017 to 2028 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Online food delivery users in the United States 2018-2028
Online food delivery users in the United States 2018-2028
Number of users of the online food delivery market in the United States from 2018 to 2028 (in millions)
Premium Statistic Impact of COVID-19 on online restaurant delivery market share in the U.S. 2020-2025
Impact of COVID-19 on online restaurant delivery market share in the U.S. 2020-2025
Change in online restaurant delivery penetration share of the restaurant market in the United States due to the coronavirus pandemic from 2020 to 2025
Premium Statistic Daily year-on-year impact of COVID-19 on U.S. restaurant dining 2020-2022
Daily year-on-year impact of COVID-19 on U.S. restaurant dining 2020-2022
Year-over-year daily change in seated restaurant diners due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States from February 24, 2020 to August 1, 2022
Premium Statistic U.S. adults concerned about eating out at a restaurant 2020-2022
U.S. adults concerned about eating out at a restaurant 2020-2022
Share of adults concerned about eating out at restaurants in the United States from 2020 to 2022

Online food delivery companies

Premium Statistic Food delivery services: market share U.S. 2018-2022
Food delivery services: market share U.S. 2018-2022
Market share of food delivery companies in the United States from 2018 to 2022
Premium Statistic Online food delivery bookings by brand in the U.S. 2023
Online food delivery bookings by brand in the U.S. 2023
Online food delivery bookings by brand in the U.S. as of December 2023
Premium Statistic Online food and grocery brands with highest awareness in the U.S. 2021
Online food and grocery brands with highest awareness in the U.S. 2021
Online food and grocery brands with the highest awareness in the United States in 2021
Premium Statistic Leading restaurant and delivery websites in the U.S. 2023, by visit share
Leading restaurant and delivery websites in the U.S. 2023, by visit share
Most popular restaurant and delivery websites in the United States in December 2023, based on share of visits
Premium Statistic Main food delivery apps in the U.S. 2017-2021, by downloads share
Main food delivery apps in the U.S. 2017-2021, by downloads share
Distribution of food delivery app downloads in the United States from 2017 to 2021, by company

Quick service restaurants

Premium Statistic Main reasons for choosing a QSR for delivery in the U.S 2021
Main reasons for choosing a QSR for delivery in the U.S 2021
Leading reasons for choosing a quick service restaurant for delivery in the United Sates as of January 2021
Premium Statistic Favorite QSR ordering methods for takeout and delivery in the U.S. 2021
Favorite QSR ordering methods for takeout and delivery in the U.S. 2021
Leading quick service restaurant takeout and delivery food ordering method preferences in the United States as of January 2021
Premium Statistic Monthly change in QSR delivery app net installs in the U.S. 2020-2021
Monthly change in QSR delivery app net installs in the U.S. 2020-2021
Monthly change in quick service restaurant delivery app net installs in the United States from February 2020 to January 2021
Premium Statistic Monthly change in QSR delivery app installs in the U.S. 2020-2021, by restaurant type
Monthly change in QSR delivery app installs in the U.S. 2020-2021, by restaurant type
Monthly change in quick service restaurant delivery app net installs in the United States from February 2020 to January 2021, by restaurant type
Premium Statistic Age of QSR delivery app users in the U.S. 2021, by company
Age of QSR delivery app users in the U.S. 2021, by company
Age distribution of quick service restaurant delivery app users in the United States as of January 2021, by company
Premium Statistic Gender of QSR delivery app users in the U.S. 2021, by company
Gender of QSR delivery app users in the U.S. 2021, by company
Gender distribution of quick service restaurant delivery app users in the United States as of January 2021, by company
Premium Statistic Ethnicity of QSR delivery app users in the U.S. 2021, by company
Ethnicity of QSR delivery app users in the U.S. 2021, by company
Ethnicity distribution of quick service restaurant delivery app users in the United States as of January 2021, by company

Consumer behavior

Premium Statistic Share of U.S. consumers that prefer a restaurant's app or website for delivery 2021
Share of U.S. consumers that prefer a restaurant's app or website for delivery 2021
Share of consumers that prefer to use a restaurant's own app or website for food delivery in the United States as of February 2021
Premium Statistic Share of food service transactions initiated via an app in the U.S. 2019-2020
Share of food service transactions initiated via an app in the U.S. 2019-2020
Share of food service transactions initiated via an ordering app in the United States in 2019 and 2020
Premium Statistic Share of digital restaurant orders in the U.S. 2020-2021, by food acquisition method
Share of digital restaurant orders in the U.S. 2020-2021, by food acquisition method
Distribution of digital restaurant food orders in the United States between March 2020 and March 2021, by food acquisition method
Premium Statistic Growth of digital restaurant food orders in the U.S. 2020-2021, by type
Growth of digital restaurant food orders in the U.S. 2020-2021, by type
Growth of digital restaurant food orders in the United States between March 2020 and March 2021, by type

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