The report arrives at a time when platforms like Uber and Uber Eats continue to play a significant role in daily life.

Research from Uber’s 2023 Economic Impact Report shows that the Uber Eats app saved consumers more than 12.7 million hours by delivering meals and groceries directly to their door.

This growing reliance on convenience, combined with unmistakably South African personality, shaped this year’s cravings landscape.

With millions of grocery orders, tens of thousands of stores available nationwide, and a delivery record of under a minute, 2025 was the year people embraced convenience with confidence, character and unmistakable flavour.

Spar partners with Uber Eats to extend 2U service

What South Africa craved most

For the second year running, fried chicken refused to loosen its grip on the nation. It was the top searched item in the entire country and, impressively, the top search in every city.

Paired with pap, it became South Africa’s most-loved order of 2025.

South Africa’s ‘Chicken Wars’ redefining the fast food industry

Insight Survey  4 Aug 2025

And in a very respectable second place, malva pudding held its ground once again, proving this nation takes dessert as seriously as dinner.

Food continued to play a starring role in how South Africans show love, apologise, celebrate and impress.

Image supplied

click to enlarge

• 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 far beyond chocolates. Curated grocery bundles, flowers, late-night snacks and full meal plans were delivered across cities, often accompanied by messages that read like love letters.
• One eater submitted a birthday lunch order with a note so poetic the courier reportedly smiled the entire way. The full message: Happy Birthday, my sweety. You are truly an absolute star lighting up my world. Your beauty takes my breath away every single day, and not a moment passes without me thinking of you. I miss you deeply, and my heart aches to be near you. I love you more than words could ever capture, and I hope this birthday is as unforgettable as you are to me—filled with all the joy, love, and magic you deserve. Here’s to you, the most incredible person in my life. I can’t wait until we’re together again. Forever yours.
• Rituals also 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 the perfect trio.

The dedication levels

Some people use Uber Eats; others treat it like a daily ritual. Then there are the true elites whose dedication belongs in a hall of fame.

• 1,245 South Africans placed 365 or more orders this year. That at least an order a day, every day.
• South Africa’s top eater placed 2,772 orders, spending R465,320 in 2025 alone. That is commitment, convenience and possibly a very well-fed household.
• One restaurant received 419 orders from a single loyal fan. At that point, it is less a customer and more an unofficial brand ambassador.

Convenience was not just a trend this year. It became a lifestyle choice.

The big spenders and the big savers

Whether splurging like there’s no tomorrow or pinching pennies like a financial wizard, South Africans went all in this year.

The top most expensive orders this year were:

• A single order of tequila – R17,773.24. The tequila for champions.
• An order of tequila and 2 bottles of whiskey for R17,668.51 (because clearly one premium whiskey simply won’t do).

On the flip side, this year’s Uber One champion saved over R20,000 this year, with more than R18,000 saved on Uber Eats orders alone.

The delivery heroes behind it all

This year’s delivery person stats deserve a standing ovation, a parade, and possibly their own Netflix documentary:

• The busiest delivery person completed 8,250 trips and travelled 48,940 km. That’s roughly the distance from Johannesburg to Cairo and back.
• Another clocked 49,893 km across 6,349 trips. That’s more mileage than some used cars on a dealership lot.
• Fastest delivery? A chilly 48-second drop-off for a peach rooibos iced tea.

Special requests

South Africans didn’t hold back in the notes section:

• A quarter chicken tikka order included “BREAST ONLY” repeated more than 50 times, leaving absolutely zero room for interpretation, misunderstanding, or chicken thigh-related disappointment.
• Someone really, really wanted crispy chips, typing “PLEASE MAKE CHIPS EXTRA CRISPY” a full 16 times. The caps lock stayed on. The message was received.
• Another Eater had very specific burger requirements: “NO WHITE SAUCE AND NO GARNISH ON ANY BURGERS PLEASE ONLY BBQ SAUSE” repeated 7 times.
• The anti-coriander brigade made their stance crystal clear: “NO CORIANDER!! NO PEPPERS!!” screamed 16 times with double exclamation marks for extra emphasis. Food preferences? More like food demands.

City flavours and late-night habits

• Cape Town ordered so late, so often, it recorded more than double the late-night orders than the average SA city. The city that never sleeps? More like the city that’s always hungry.
• Durban claimed the title of SA’s vegan capital with 21,711 plant-based orders

Restaurant MVP

And finally, one restaurant took the crown with a staggering 84,283 orders this year. If queues existed on delivery apps, this one would wrap around the block, down the street, and possibly into the next suburb.

“Our annual Cravings Report shows just how vibrant, diverse and proudly South African our food culture is. Whether it’s late-night orders, high-value treats, heartfelt request notes or the fastest deliveries in the country, people are embracing convenience with personality,” says Ntsoaki Nsibanyoni, Uber Eats’ general manager for sub-Saharan Africa.

“We’re excited to keep delivering moments of joy – from everyday meals to unforgettable surprises.”