Uber Eats has released its 2025 Cravings Report, offering a nationwide snapshot of what New Zealanders ordered throughout the year. The findings highlight familiar favourites, emerging food trends and a few eyebrow-raising extremes.
At the same time, delivery fees across many outlets have climbed to a point where the cost-of-living conversation is unavoidable. Ordering habits now reveal just as much about economic pressure as they do about taste preferences.
More than 30,000 butter chicken and garlic naan combos were delivered, reaffirming a long-standing Kiwi favourite. One user placed an order for 51 bananas, adding to a list of unusual purchasing patterns that surfaced across the country. According to the report, zero-sugar drinks increased twelve times since 2023, Acai bowls were nine times higher over two years and matcha orders tripled. The data shows New Zealanders are adopting new wellness-led choices while still holding fast to comfort foods.
Salt was the most common add-on nationwide, followed by cheeseburgers and pickles. The flat white remained the country’s most-ordered coffee across both islands, underscoring New Zealand’s consistent approach to coffee culture.
The report also details the scale of convenience consumption. One customer placed 1,200 orders in a year, mostly for cookie pies. Another placed 25 orders in a single day. The largest order totalled 2,092 dollars. These extremes highlight both the dependence on delivery platforms and the financial tension consumers face as service and delivery fees continue to rise.
Seasonal patterns played a role. The North Island’s busiest delivery day was 27 June as winter weather kept people indoors. The South Island peaked on 5 October at the end of school holidays. Tipping differed only slightly, with North Island users averaging 2.50 dollars per order and the South averaging 2.41 dollars.
Food delivery also featured in major cultural moments. During high-profile international events such as the Super Bowl in the United States, fried chicken was the standout choice among users. Although the event is not a major fixture in New Zealand, the ordering spike suggests that global sports moments still influence local behaviour as people follow offshore broadcasts in real time.
Uber Eats New Zealand General Manager Andy Bowie said the report reflects the way Kiwis use food delivery across different moments of daily life. He noted that the platform’s 2024 Economic Impact Report estimated that it generated roughly 120 million dollars in additional revenue for local merchants, with 70 percent of users saying the app helped them discover new restaurants.
The findings show how convenience, habit and choice interact. They also raise questions about sustainability in a year when many households feel the impact of rising food costs. The Cravings Report captures where consumer behaviour is heading and how delivery services are shaping that shift.
More news here.
