The 2021 Uber Eats Cravings Report
Written byThe Uber Eats Cravings Report is our annual snapshot of the most popular, most unusual, and most unique delivery order requests we see each year. Over the past twelve months, our customers have relied on Uber Eats to get everything from sandwiches to sunflowers to screwdrivers – and everything in between. As you’ll see below, you really can get *anything* on Uber Eats!
Over the last few months, we’ve seen some trends that might surprise you…
- Grocery delivery is on the rise. The pandemic accelerated the adoption of grocery delivery by several years – and we only expect it to grow. Of the more than 1,000+ active grocery stores on Uber Eats in the U.S., weekends were the most popular days to order delivery, with the 5-7pm timeframe the most popular time to schedule orders. And one person even ordered $7,719.82 worth of groceries, containing over 218 individual items!
- That sh*t is bananas. Bananas are the #1 selling grocery item in the U.S. – in fact, we sold more than 25,150 pounds of bananas in the U.S. in September alone.
- It’s always 5:00 PM on Uber Eats. As we expanded into alcohol delivery this year, folks across the world raised a glass. Thirsty customers in Sacramento, Palm Springs and Tampa Bay ordered the most alcohol delivery. Without a doubt, large margaritas, Tito’s vodka, White Claw variety packs, Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon and Corona were the most popular orders.
- Get *literally* anything. With the addition of convenience stores like Walgreens, CVS, and 7-Eleven and flower shops like FTD, folks started ordering everything from dozens of red roses to Blue Raspberry Slurpees to BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self Test Kits to Slim Jim Original Giant Smoked Snack Stick, and more.
- On repeat. The saying is true: when you know, you know. One eater in Raleigh, NC ordered from Zayka Indian Cuisine 904 times, someone in Nashville, TN ordered Pasta Amore 794 times, and a hungry customer in Peoria, IL ordered from Bacci Pizza 764 times.
- Say cheese(fries). Compared to before the pandemic, side orders of cheese fries increased more than 1,234%.
- Manners matter. The most polite states are Montana, Vermont, Oregon, Idaho and Washington – they say “please” and “thank you” the most in their instructions. And customers in Asheville, NC, Santa Fe, NM and the Florida Keys were the most generous tippers.
- Picky eaters. Eaters in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Georgia seem to be the pickiest – these states are most often adding special instructions to their orders while people in West Virginia, Delaware, Utah, South Dakota and Missouri are super laid back. They hardly ever add special instructions!
- You’re so extra. Extra soy sauce, extra spicy and extra gravy were on the rise last year, while requests for “extra avocado,” “extra mayo,” “extra pickle” and “extra ranch” slowed down.
- Plz hold. Requests for “no egg,” “no jalapeños,” “no cilantro,” “no cucumber” and “no vegetables” increased dramatically over the last year, while folks asked for “no mustard” much less frequently.
- Health nuts and green machines. Eaters in Florence, SC, Cincinnati, OH, and Miami, FL ordered the most healthy food last year, while folks in Northern Missouri, Southern Arkansas and West Texas satisfied their cravings.
The most popular cuisines:
- Mexican
- Burgers + Sandwiches
- Chinese
- Indian
- Pizza
- Sushi
- Thai
- Mediterranean
- Breakfast (Bagels + Donuts)
- Vietnamese
The most ordered items:
- French Fries
- Pad Thai
- Garlic Naan
- Soda
- Miso Soup
- California Roll
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Edamame
- Mozzarella Sticks
- Spicy Tuna Roll
The most popular delivery requests in the US:
- No Onion
- Extra Sauce
- No Tomato
- No Cheese
- No Ice
- Spicy
- Well Done
- No Mushroom
- No Pickle
- No Sour Cream
The 25 most unique delivery requests
The Perfectionists:
- “Please make sure the salmon is cleaned properly and very well done. Thank you 🙏🏾”
- “I hope you’re excited, because you’re about to create a masterpiece. Place the extra granola at the bottom, followed by the base and the original toppings (please place all the extra toppings I ordered, that are duplicated in the original recipe, into a single, side container).”
- “If you could please thoroughly saturate the pulled pork with the barbecue sauce – I just want to make sure that the pulled pork is fully covered in barbecue sauce, as opposed to just putting unsauced meat on the bun and then some barbecue sauce on the top.”
- “Please make sure that there are a TON of mushrooms. Like I literally love mushrooms. Some reasonable people when they say extra cheese, they mean like maybe 50% more cheese. I am not a reasonable person. I like a sh*tload of mushrooms. Please. I love mushrooms.”
The Grateful Foodies:
- “Hello favorite salad maker. It’s me, your friendly neighborhood #saladlady.”
- “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your beautiful words and the very generous gift of the baklava. As with all of your dishes, it was delicious. 😋 It was such an unexpected show of love and kindness, and only emphasizes why we remain loyal fans. You feel like family. 🥰”
- “Good day, great menu, and thank you SO much once again for your outstanding food, commitment to community, and exceptional ethics ~ I feel blessed to exist within your orbit, and celebrate my good fortune at every opportunity to avail myself of the fruits of your labour… Here’s to staying safe, sane, sated and full bellied!”
- “Hello, I have been buying from here for a while now, and I’d just like to say this place has some of the best wings I’ve ever had. I’ve already written reviews and given 5 stars but the quality never fails. My favorite would have to be the Breaded Honey barbecue wings, the sauce is just amazing but when it’s mixed with the ranch it’s to die for!!!!”
- “Your brownies are da bomb! Love them! You have me locked in 4life!”
The Gift Givers:
- “This is a card for my boyfriend’s birthday – I know it’s a lot, but we are in a long distance relationship and would appreciate it so much. Thank you so much!!! ‘Baby it is your birthday! I love you forever mi amor! I hope this card makes you smile.’”
- “This will go as a thank you to the South Miami Nurses who helped me deliver my baby. Two separate units. One will go to LABOR AND DELIVERY, the other to MATERNITY UNIT. Please write LABOR & DELIVERY: Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your help bringing my baby to our arms on Monday. We will never forget you and the wonderful experience.”
- “Please write on the order: Happy Birthday to the Love of My Life. I am so lucky to be living this life with you Baybe.”
The Ramblers:
- “According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyway because bees don’t care what humans think is impossible.”
- “Oh ye, paragons of pastries craft, yon into hither box the reaping of your craft. Please hook me up with 10 maple bars or as close as you can (please no “filled” it’s too much raw maple. I know, you’re thinking “this guy needs to up his maple tolerance” and you’re right, but I’m working on it, baby steps.) and then a couple glazed old fashioned as well. You guys are the real MVPs out here doin’ the doughnut work, I’ll raise a glass in your honor… then I will put the glass down and stuff my face with doughnuts like a…. fat guy… eating doughnuts.”
- “What’s the best flavor for curing cottonmouth? I’ve been eating sandwiches all night and my mouth is dry and my eyes are all red. I hope it helps with that too. Red eyes ain’t no joke, could be serious. Glaucoma or cataracts or a stye or too much weed.. there’s no way to ever really know. Look at me I’m rambling on and on in a Snapple instruction area. Anyway, I hope y’all are healthy.”
- “No notes on the sandwich. You always nail it. I do wanna tell you about a thing that’s been bugging me since 2005. In Grillz by Nelly he said “rob the jewelry store and tell them make me a grill”. First of all, I’m assuming the risk by robbing the place so I’m not taking your requests. Second… think what you’re asking. Grillz take weeks to make, we gonna give them your dental records to shape it Nelly? Also… your face bandaid is dumb.”
Some Like It Hot:
- “Let’s give this a try tonight please. I like hot & spicy !! Make me cry 😢 🥵 Hot!!! Please make me hurt. Make extra extra extra burning super super hot and spicy!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Make it so spicy you would not even eat soooooo spicy.”
- “Extra green crack sauce please. No chorizo.”
- “Wings with extra fingalickin sauce. Please don’t send me dry wings 🥺”
You’re So Extra:
- “Important: side of rainbow sprinkles”
- “I just really need a phillips head screwdriver”
- “I need at least three apples thank you”
- “Looking for a bouquet of sunflowers! Please only send sunflowers!”
- “Hi! This is my first time ordering. So I have a 75 lb dog (Vizsla, Google it, they’re really pretty but big and agile lol), and I know she’s going to be super begging for these wings and whatever else I order… is there any way you could pretty please throw in something for her? She’s 8 and the sweetest and smartest thing. She can literally smile on command, amongst a ton of other tricks.”
- “May I have extra powdered sugar on the side, (maybe in a little plastic snap top container?)”
Delivery Requests x Days Per Week
- On Mondays, we see a spike in people holding back on the most foods: they’re saying no to sour cream, onions, tomatoes and more
- And Tuesdays are a popular day to request extra sauce
- On Wednesdays, customers prefer dishes without tomatoes
- On Thursdays, it’s all about the extra sauce and spice
- And on Fridays, customers like us to hold the onions and bring on the french fries
- On Saturdays, people ask us to hold the pickle
- And on Sundays, customers like extra spice & crispy dishes
The most unexpected food & request combos
Rank |
Order |
Most Unexpected Requests |
1 |
Prosciutto |
Pickles |
2 |
Bell Peppers |
Cream Cheese |
3 |
Watermelon |
Yellow Mustard |
4 |
Ice Cream |
Hot Sauce |
5 |
Pizza |
Sauerkraut |
6 |
Fish |
Mac & Cheese |
7 |
Hot Dog |
Peanut Sauce |
8 |
Yogurt Parfait |
Hot Cheetos |
9 |
Spaghetti |
Ketchup |
10 |
Burgers |
Honey |
The most frequently paired food + alcohol
Rank |
Food |
Alcohol |
1 |
Wings |
6-Pack of Beer |
2 |
Three Tacos |
Large Sangria Swirl |
3 |
Build Your Own Pizza |
White Claw Mango |
4 |
Fajita Bowl |
Margarita |
5 |
Individual Side of Chips & Salsa |
Frozen Daiquiri |