The doorbell rings and it could be almost anything: a trick-or-treater, a landshark, or, hopefully, someone bringing you treats. Our friends at Uber Eats have come out with this year’s Cravings Report, letting us know what oddball things you and your neighbors are ordering from the food delivery service. It’s the fifth annual report, and last year’s showed us that people love pairing fruit roll-ups and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Let’s dive in and see if this year’s cravings are equally zany.
Biggest delivery food trends of 2023:
People are asking “hold the onions” more frequently than before. And although many of us love fresh rosé wine, it’s falling off the charts in favor of reds and whites. Moreover, zero-proof spirits are on the rise, and in Dry January 2023, orders for non-alcoholic beverages grew by 75 percent compared to 2022. Fuego my eggo: people are requesting hot sauce as the #1 condiment this year, while good ole American pie is the top dessert order.
Most requested non-food items:
- Scott unscented toilet paper rolls
- Plan B One-Step emergency contraceptive
- Covid-19 antigen home tests
The most requested foods:
- French fries
- Garlic naan
- Pad Thai
- Miso soup
- California roll—kind of a fun amalgamation of international foods!
Most popular delivery food pairings:
- Burrito bowl + cheese
- French fries + salt
- Chicken sandwich + shredded lettuce
- Cheeseburger + mustard
- Wings + ranch
Weirdest delivery food pairings:
- Steak + jelly
- Cottage cheese + mustard
- Condensed milk + avocado
- Seaweed + pasta sauce
- Butter + pickled onions
Most popular food and booze pairings:
- Ribeye + vodka
- Cheeseburger + frozen margarita (we’re on board)
- Chicken + frozen piña colada
- Lobster tail + apple whiskey (whoaaaa)
- Tamales + daiquiris. Nice!
Strangest things people request when ordering Uber Eats:
In the instructions for the food, you can easily find out a person’s state of mind or sobriety by their requests. Here, in no particular order, are a few of the most outlandish instructions:
- Hello angel family! Long time no order! Breasts please! Please fry me up some big 'ole breasts! Thank you, so excited!
- Extra cheese sauce please :) I'll pay for it. I'm also drunk asf so if you load it up you'd make me the happiest drunk girl ever.
- Put it in a box instead of a circle container. I refuse to eat any food if presented in a circle container. Please don't ruin my meal for me.
- Can you please write "happy half a dozen!" with a heart drawn next to it somewhere on the box? Thank you so so much!
- Life isn't all lighthearted laughing and good times, life is sometimes really messy. As I kicked off my shoes and decompressed from the hourly shit show I call a career, I pondered where I would get my dinner. I went and made my order and when that order came into my home, my fortress of solitude, my day was saved. Gone was the stress, hunger and curmudgeonly attitude I was harboring.
- Every so often, a meal not only tantalizes your taste buds but also transports you – and the offerings here managed to do just that. This wasn't just a meal; it was a celebration of Caribbean culture and culinary artistry. Thank you for delivering a slice of the Caribbean right to my doorstep.
- Please drench the whole bowl in white sauce with a spiral of red sauce!!!! Thank you so much!!!! Just do what I ask.
Finally, what is the Halloween cravings report?
It’s too early to talk about this year, but last year, Reese's, Twix, Snickers, Peanut M&Ms and Hershey's Cookies 'N' Cream were the most popular delivered candies: 25,000 bags worth delivered on October 30 and 31! We have a little state intel on particular candies and where they are most loved:
Reese’s peanut butter cups: Kentucky, Louisiana, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee
Nerds: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Vermont and Wyoming
Kit Kat: Arizona, Delaware