Inside Uber Eats SA’s 2025 Cravings Report

South Africans did not simply order food in 2025. They curated it. They customised it. They left notes that read like diary entries, love letters and, at times, firm instructions written entirely in capital letters.

Fried chicken became a national treasure, the comments box turned into a space for romance and precision, and convenience evolved into a daily ritual.

Uber Eats has released its second annual South Africa Cravings Report, revealing how South Africans ate, shopped, and surprised loved ones in 2025. The report lands at a time when delivery platforms continue to shape everyday life.

According to Uber’s 2023 Economic Impact Report, the Uber Eats app saved South African consumers more than 12.7 million hours by delivering meals and groceries directly to their doors.

With millions of grocery orders, tens of thousands of stores nationwide and record-breaking delivery times, 2025 marked the year South Africans embraced convenience with confidence, character and unmistakable flavour.

What South Africa craved most

For the second year in a row, fried chicken held the top spot. It was the most-searched item in the country and, notably, the top search in every city. No exceptions. Paired with pap, it became South Africa’s most-loved order of 2025, a combination so iconic it feels uniquely national.

In a strong second place, malva pudding once again proved its staying power. South Africans take dessert seriously, and this classic remains close to the heart.

Love, Actually. The South African edition

Food continued to play a central role in how South Africans show love, celebrate milestones and make amends.

• Valentine’s week saw thousands of heartfelt orders sent to partners, parents, friends and secret admirers. Johannesburg and Pretoria led the charge, with Cape Town close behind.
• Romantic gestures went beyond chocolates. Curated grocery bundles, flowers, late-night snacks and full meal plans arrived at doorsteps, often accompanied by deeply personal messages.
• One birthday lunch order included a note so poetic it reportedly left the courier smiling for the entire delivery.
• Rituals flourished. One customer placed a standing weekly date-night order for the entire year. Another ordered “for two” more than 500 times.

Love, consistency and convenience proved to be a powerful trio.

Super users in a league of their own

Some people use Uber Eats. Others build their routine around it.

• 1 245 South Africans placed 365 or more orders in 2025, at least one order every day of the year.
• The country’s top eater placed 2 772 orders, spending R465 320 in a single year.
• One restaurant received 419 orders from a single customer, moving beyond loyalty into brand ambassadorship.

Convenience was no longer a trend. It became a lifestyle.

The big spenders and the big savers

South Africans embraced both extremes in 2025.

The most expensive orders included:
• A single tequila order worth R17 773.24.
• Tequila paired with two bottles of whisky for R17 668.51.

On the other end of the spectrum, Uber One members proved the value of loyalty. One customer saved more than R20 000 during the year, including over R18 000 on Uber Eats orders alone.

Delivery heroes behind the scenes

The delivery statistics tell their own story.

• The busiest delivery partner completed 8 250 trips and travelled 48 940 kilometres, roughly the distance from Johannesburg to Cairo and back.
• Another logged 49 893 kilometres across 6 349 trips.
• The fastest delivery clocked in at just 48 seconds for a peach rooibos iced tea.

Precision, speed and stamina defined the year.

The all-caps chronicles

South Africans made full use of the special requests box.

• “BREAST ONLY” appeared more than 50 times on a quarter chicken tikka order.
• “PLEASE MAKE CHIPS EXTRA CRISPY” was typed 16 times in capital letters.
• “NO WHITE SAUCE AND NO GARNISH, ONLY BBQ SAUCE” appeared seven times on a burger order.
• The anti-coriander stance was clear, repeated 16 times with double exclamation marks.

Preferences were stated. Loudly.

City flavours and late-night habits

• Cape Town recorded more than double the national average for late-night orders.
• Durban earned the title of South Africa’s vegan capital, with 21 711 plant-based orders.

Restaurant MVP

One restaurant stood above the rest, recording an impressive 84 283 orders in a single year. If queues existed on delivery apps, this one would wrap around the block.

“Our annual Cravings Report shows just how vibrant, diverse and proudly South African our food culture is,” says Ntsoaki Nsibanyoni, Uber Eats General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa.

“From late-night orders and high-value treats to heartfelt notes and lightning-fast deliveries, people are embracing convenience with personality. We look forward to delivering even more moments of joy, from everyday meals to unforgettable surprises.”