Online Food Delivery and Takeaway Market Size and Growth Report, 2033

Online Food Delivery and Takeaway Market Overview

The Online Food Delivery and Takeaway Market size was valued at USD 91.02 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 157.56 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 7.1% from 2025 to 2033.

The online food delivery and takeaway market has transformed global dining habits, with over 1.3 billion online orders placed monthly worldwide in 2023 alone.

In urban centers, more than 55% of consumers now prefer ordering meals through apps rather than cooking at home. China leads with over 700 million active online food delivery users, while the US recorded more than 112 million food delivery app users in 2023. The average order size for takeaway meals increased by 15% between 2021 and 2023 due to bulk and family meals during busy work weeks.

Approximately 35% of millennials order food online at least once a week, highlighting changing preferences in convenience dining. Cloud kitchens and virtual brands have emerged rapidly, with over 12,000 operational globally in 2023 to meet the growing need for quick, affordable delivery. Meanwhile, the shift to contactless payments has boosted digital transactions, with 70% of takeaway payments made through cashless methods in 2023.

Key Findings

DRIVER: Increasing urbanization has pushed more than 55% of city dwellers to order food online at least once per month in 2023.

COUNTRY/REGION: China recorded over 700 million active online food delivery customers in 2023, the largest user base globally.

SEGMENT: Fast-food chains made up over 45% of total online orders placed worldwide in 2023 due to speed and affordability.

Online Food Delivery and Takeaway Market Trends

The online food delivery and takeaway market continues to expand, driven by evolving urban lifestyles, smartphone penetration, and digital payment integration. By the end of 2023, more than 60% of smartphone users globally had installed at least one food delivery app on their devices. In India, over 150 million orders were processed monthly through leading platforms, marking an increase of 20% compared to 2022. Subscription models for free delivery and loyalty discounts have gained momentum, with over 40% of regular app users subscribing to at least one loyalty program for meal deals. Contactless delivery, introduced widely during the pandemic, remains popular: 85% of users in the US now opt for contactless drop-off. The market has also seen rapid growth in cloud kitchens, which operate over 12,000 virtual brands globally, supplying meals exclusively for takeaway and delivery. In Europe, takeaway orders from independent restaurants rose by 18% in 2023, as small businesses leverage third-party delivery networks. The average delivery time has dropped to under 30 minutes in major cities, thanks to investments in AI-powered routing and real-time tracking. Sustainability is emerging as a trend, too; over 25% of food delivery services in Europe switched to eco-friendly packaging in 2023. Meanwhile, demand for healthier options surged, with vegan and vegetarian orders making up 30% of total orders in large metropolitan cities. Online food delivery continues to benefit from flexible payment options. In North America, over 80% of takeaway orders were settled using mobile wallets or integrated app payment gateways in 2023. Partnerships between restaurants and delivery platforms are also expanding, with global collaborations crossing 1 million partner restaurants in 2023. Meal customization has become a norm, with more than 50% of app users selecting personalized menu options. Fast food remains dominant, with burger and pizza chains accounting for over 45% of global online food orders. These trends confirm that online food delivery and takeaway are firmly integrated into daily life and set to grow further with technological improvements and changing consumer habits.

Online Food Delivery and Takeaway Market Dynamics

The online food delivery and takeaway market thrives on rapid tech adoption, shifting work habits, and urbanization. Over 1.3 billion online food orders were placed each month globally in 2023, with Asia-Pacific contributing nearly 60% of total volume. The increase in remote work has further supported demand, with 35% of home-based workers ordering lunch online at least twice weekly. Restaurants without dine-in spaces — cloud kitchens — have grown dramatically, with over 12,000 operating globally in 2023 to handle purely digital orders. Meanwhile, third-party delivery fleets are expanding, with over 5 million registered delivery riders worldwide ensuring quick delivery to doorsteps.

DRIVER

Growing demand for convenience and speed

The modern urban consumer prioritizes time-saving options, with 55% of city dwellers worldwide ordering food online at least once every month. Over 80% of these consumers cite speed and ease of ordering as the top reasons for repeat orders. Faster delivery windows, averaging just 30 minutes in top cities, keep users loyal and willing to pay delivery fees for convenience.

RESTRAINT

High operational costs and delivery inefficiencies

One of the biggest restraints in the online food delivery and takeaway market is rising operational costs. Delivery partners reported spending 15% more on fuel in 2023 compared to 2022. Combined with high turnover rates — over 20% of delivery riders switch jobs within a year — platforms struggle to maintain efficiency and keep fees reasonable without eating into margins.

OPPORTUNITY

Tech-driven personalized offers and loyalty

The surge in big data analytics and AI has opened doors for hyper-personalized promotions and repeat business. Platforms process over 1 billion transactions monthly to generate targeted deals, upselling combos and discounts. Over 40% of active users are enrolled in at least one subscription plan, proving the appetite for personalized, money-saving options that keep them loyal.

CHALLENGE

Sustainability concerns around packaging waste

The massive volume of single-use packaging remains a challenge. Globally, takeaway containers generate an estimated 100,000 tonnes of waste every month. While 25% of European operators adopted biodegradable packaging in 2023, scaling this shift across other markets remains costly and logistically challenging for small restaurants that rely on affordable plastic or styrofoam alternatives.

Online Food Delivery and Takeaway Market Segmentation

The online food delivery and takeaway market is broadly segmented by food type and application. By type, vegetarian options have seen a steep rise, especially among health-focused consumers in Europe and Asia. Non-vegetarian food, however, continues to dominate, accounting for over 70% of total online food orders globally in 2023 due to the popularity of fast-food meat products.

By Type

Vegetarian: Vegetarian meals made up nearly 30% of online food orders in 2023, especially in major cities like London, New York, and Mumbai where health-focused consumers are driving demand. Orders for vegan burgers, salads, and plant-based meal kits grew by 20% from 2022 to 2023. More than 5,000 vegetarian cloud kitchens are operating globally to meet this demand.
Non-Vegetarian: Non-vegetarian dishes remain the top choice, accounting for over 70% of total orders in 2023. Chicken-based meals, burgers, and seafood dominate menus. In North America alone, over 500 million online orders for chicken wings, burgers, and meat-heavy pizzas were placed during game nights and weekends in 2023.

By Application

Fast-Food Chain Restaurants: Fast-food chains continue to lead the market, with over 45% of global online food orders placed through these outlets in 2023. Major chains have integrated AI-driven order systems and exclusive delivery deals to attract repeat customers.
Online Channels: Online-only virtual restaurants and cloud kitchens have multiplied rapidly. In 2023, more than 12,000 cloud kitchens operated globally, focusing solely on online delivery and takeaway. These businesses have low overhead and adapt menus based on real-time trends.
Independent Restaurants: Independent restaurants make up nearly 30% of online orders globally, with over 1 million small eateries connected to delivery platforms in 2023. They thrive on unique cuisines, local specialties, and personalized service, especially in cities with diverse food cultures.

Regional Outlook for the Online Food Delivery and Takeaway Market

The regional breakdown highlights unique strengths and trends in online food delivery and takeaway worldwide. North America remains a mature and expanding market with over 112 million food delivery app users in 2023. Europe shows a robust growth curve, with Germany and the UK leading orders at over 200 million combined monthly deliveries. Asia-Pacific is the largest market, driven by over 700 million Chinese users and millions more in India, Japan, and Southeast Asia. The Middle East & Africa is evolving fast, with urban hubs like Dubai and Riyadh seeing takeaway orders double between 2021 and 2023.

North America

North America remains a powerhouse, with over 112 million active app users in 2023. US consumers place nearly 50 million online food orders weekly. Contactless delivery remains a favorite, with over 85% of users opting for it. Burger and pizza chains lead the category, while plant-based options are growing, with 25% of millennials choosing vegetarian takeaway at least once a month.

Europe

Europe’s online takeaway sector saw over 200 million deliveries per month in 2023. The UK leads with more than 45 million orders monthly, while Germany follows at 35 million. Contactless payment adoption crossed 80% last year. Independent restaurants thrive here, making up nearly 40% of delivery orders due to Europe’s diverse food cultures and local specialties.

Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific dominates in both user base and order volume. China alone had more than 700 million users in 2023. India processed over 150 million monthly orders. Japan and South Korea follow closely, with sushi and Korean fried chicken among top sellers. Asia is also home to more than 7,000 cloud kitchens catering exclusively to takeaway and delivery.

Middle East & Africa

In the Middle East & Africa, major cities are seeing a boom in online food delivery. Dubai’s online takeaway orders doubled from 2021 to 2023, with over 5 million monthly orders now common. Riyadh and Johannesburg are fast-growing hubs. The region’s young population and smartphone penetration — at 75% in urban areas — fuel the trend.

List of Top Online Food Delivery and Takeaway Companies

DoorDash (USA)
Uber Eats (USA)
Grubhub (USA)
Just Eat Takeaway (Netherlands)
Deliveroo (UK)
Delivery Hero (Germany)
Meituan (China)
me (China)
iFood (Brazil)
Zomato (India)

DoorDash: DoorDash handled over 1 billion deliveries in the US in 2023, making it the market leader with more than 25 million active monthly users. Its network includes over 500,000 partner restaurants and a fleet of more than 2 million dashers covering urban and suburban zones.

Meituan: Meituan processed more than 40 million orders daily in China in 2023, with an active user base exceeding 600 million. Its delivery network employs over 5 million riders and covers more than 2,800 cities and rural clusters across China’s massive domestic food takeaway landscape.

Investment Analysis and Opportunities

Investment activity in the online food delivery and takeaway market has surged due to the enormous growth potential driven by urbanization, convenience, and digital payments. In 2023, global investors funded over 200 new cloud kitchen projects, adding capacity to serve more than 50 million extra orders per month. Venture capitalists have increased funding rounds for virtual restaurant startups, which numbered over 12,000 worldwide last year. Major delivery platforms continue to acquire smaller tech startups to improve last-mile delivery efficiency, with more than 30 tech acquisitions finalized between 2022 and 2023. North America alone saw over USD 5 billion in fresh capital injection for app development, data analytics, and AI-powered order tracking during 2023. Fast-food chains are investing heavily to strengthen delivery channels: over 100,000 franchise outlets upgraded their systems for direct app integration in the last 18 months. In Europe, local governments are supporting digital food hubs, allocating public grants to help more than 50,000 small restaurants get online in 2023. Emerging markets in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East offer huge opportunities. India, with more than 150 million monthly orders, has attracted new investors who are backing regional delivery players to reach tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Cloud kitchen investment in India grew by 30% year-on-year in 2023. Similarly, the Middle East recorded a doubling of investment in logistics hubs and rider training programs to handle booming demand in Dubai, Riyadh, and Cairo. There’s also significant investor focus on eco-friendly packaging and electric vehicle fleets. In 2023, over 15% of new delivery bikes deployed in Europe were electric, and more than 20 leading food delivery companies pledged to cut carbon emissions by switching fleets by 2030. Investors are banking on sustainability premiums as more than 50% of urban consumers say they would pay extra for eco-friendly takeaway options. These trends ensure the market remains attractive to venture funds, private equity, and corporate partnerships eager to expand reach and innovate service models.

New Product Development

Innovation is central to the online food delivery and takeaway market’s competitive edge. Over 50 new virtual restaurant brands were launched every month in 2023 to test niche cuisines and seasonal menus. Many focus on trending diets like keto, vegan, and high-protein meal plans. In North America, more than 1,500 ghost kitchens now offer “dark menu” items available exclusively via delivery apps, creating hype and exclusivity. Restaurants are investing in AI-powered smart menus that learn from over 1 billion order data points monthly to customize meal suggestions, resulting in a 20% boost in average order value per user. Delivery apps now include real-time ingredient tracking for transparency, with more than 5,000 restaurants offering “farm-to-fork” traceability in 2023. The rise of meal kits is another strong trend — more than 10 million DIY meal kits were delivered monthly across Europe and North America in 2023, blending the cooking experience with the convenience of delivery. Packaging is a hotbed for product development. Over 25% of operators in Europe have rolled out biodegradable and reusable containers to reduce the 100,000 tonnes of takeaway waste generated monthly worldwide. Some cloud kitchens are introducing reusable container deposit systems, with pilot programs in Amsterdam and Berlin saving over 500 tonnes of plastic waste in six months. New digital features are also transforming the user experience. In 2023, more than 30% of users placed voice-activated orders through smart speakers or virtual assistants. In-app tipping, group ordering, and real-time driver tracking are now standard in over 90% of top delivery apps. The rise of drone delivery trials continues, with test runs in over 10 US and Chinese cities serving thousands of pilot deliveries of sushi, coffee, and hot meals in under 15 minutes. This wave of new product development ensures the online food delivery and takeaway market stays ahead in personalization, sustainability, and speed.

Five Recent Developments

In early 2023, DoorDash expanded its grocery and convenience delivery service to cover over 100,000 new store partners.
Meituan launched a drone delivery pilot in Shenzhen in 2023, completing over 20,000 autonomous deliveries within six months.
Deliveroo introduced its reusable packaging pilot across 10 UK cities in 2024, targeting a 50% reduction in single-use containers by year-end.
Zomato in India opened 200 new cloud kitchen tie-ups in 2023 to serve tier-2 cities.
Uber Eats integrated real-time carbon footprint tracking for food orders in Europe in 2023, with over 1 million users opting to pay a “green” delivery fee.

Report Coverage of Online Food Delivery and Takeaway Market

The online food delivery and takeaway market report delivers a comprehensive review of the forces driving growth, market segmentation, regional adoption, major players, investment trends, and future opportunities. The report explains how over 1.3 billion online food orders are placed monthly, highlighting that urban dwellers now spend up to 20% more annually on takeaways than they did five years ago. With China alone counting more than 700 million active users and North America surpassing 112 million app users, the report maps how the sector has become embedded in modern urban living. It covers the rise of cloud kitchens, now numbering over 12,000 globally, that produce meals exclusively for online orders. It details how major food delivery companies manage more than 5 million delivery riders worldwide to keep average delivery times under 30 minutes in cities like New York, London, and Beijing. The report analyzes how loyalty and subscription programs attract over 40% of regular customers, driving repeat business and raising basket sizes by up to 20%. The report outlines regional performance: Asia-Pacific leads in volume, North America drives premium innovation, Europe pioneers sustainability and packaging shifts, and the Middle East & Africa see the highest growth in smartphone-based ordering in emerging cities. The study provides an overview of challenges too, including the 100,000 tonnes of single-use packaging waste generated each month globally and the push toward biodegradable alternatives adopted by 25% of EU operators. Technological disruption, from AI order prediction to drone deliveries, is mapped in detail, along with new trends like virtual brands and dark kitchens. The report profiles top companies like DoorDash, with over 1 billion deliveries annually, and Meituan, processing 40 million daily orders in China. It also covers future-facing trends such as electric delivery fleets, drone pilots, real-time carbon tracking, and sustainability premiums that reshape consumer behavior.