These Are the Top Takeout Trends of the Year, According to Uber Eats

Do you remember what life was like before Uber Eats? You had to peruse a paper menu, call the restaurant to place your order, and within about an hour you’d likely have dinner on your doorstep. But these days, almost everyone orders Uber Eats at least once a week. From fancy French fare and freshly baked sweets, to bottles of wine and convenience store snacks, you can satisfy any type of craving with just a click of a button. And while most takeout orders are pretty ordinary, the 2022 Uber Eats Cravings Report says otherwise.

This report captures the most popular, the most unusual, and most unique delivery requests across the Uber Eats platform. Some of these findings may come as a surprise, while others may seem more on the nose with your own takeout behavior. Here are the seven biggest takeout trends of the year:

New Thanksgiving traditions

Many users partied a little too hard on Thanksgiving Eve, causing them to order an abundance of French fries and hash browns the next morning. I mean, nothing cures a hangover quite like greasy potatoes, right? The report also saw a spike in orders containing fresh bread, likely for Thanksgiving Day leftovers.

No alcohol, no problem

Beverages and aperitifs sans alcohol continue to gain popularity amongst many crowds. Uber Eats saw a 300 percent spike in orders including non-alcoholic beers, wines, and spirits since last year.

So long, Choco Taco

2022 may be remembered as the year that the Choco Taco became extinct. Many nostalgic foodies wanted to get their hands on this Klondike classic just one more time before it was gone for good, hence a plethora of Choco Taco orders.   

TikTok trends

Of course, a viral TikTok video influenced some consumer behavior this year. The Negroni Sbagliato with Prosecco gained popularity this fall, resulting in many orders containing the popular cocktail’s ingredients.

Fewer requests for ranch

Not long ago, it felt as if everyone was dipping everything into ranch dressing. But Uber Eats data suggests that requests for a “side of ranch” are less frequent now. In fact, asking for ranch didn’t even make the top 20 trends from this year’s findings.

Mom will always be No. 1

It looks like many users scored major points with mom this year. There was a boom in flower orders in the days leading up to Mother’s Day, which way surpassed the days surrounding Valentine’s Day.  

Late-night snacking

Gone are the days of college students solely eating ramen noodles. It’s never been easier to order midnight munchies to your dorm room, and students at Penn State certainly took advantage of this convenient food service. The University of Iowa and Texas A&M University followed closely behind, in second and third place, respectively.

It’s always fascinating to look at data and examine behavior and trends, especially with something as common as takeout orders. The Uber Eats Cravings Report also gathered other information, like the most popular delivery combo—unsurprisingly burritos with cheese. Steaks and margaritas were the most frequently paired food and alcohol, and ham and cream cheese were the most unexpected food combo. Pickles and whipped cream were also on the list of unexpected food combos and we’re certainly still scratching our heads at that one, though we're betting TikTok might have something to do with it. If there’s anything we’ve learned about this year’s report, it’s that people rely on Uber Eats for way more than just standard dinner delivery.