News Category: Diners

Classic Dishes Show Exponential Order Growth for Takeout During the Holidays

Seattle, Miami and New England Lead the Hunger Game with Chinese Favorites and Sports-Food Staples

Order Data Reveal Year-Over-Year Growth in Popularity of Pakistani, African and Halal Cuisine

CHICAGO, July 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Picnics and barbecues may be the token foodie celebrations of the season, but summer also serves as a time to celebrate the nation’s cultural diversity. In fact, GrubHub order data reveals that America’s taste for takeout is continuing to grow beyond staples like pizza and pad thai, with Pakistani, Caribbean and Halal cuisines experiencing significant lifts in order popularity.

For an accurate snapshot of America’s food diversity, GrubHub analysts examined year-over-year orders in more than 500 cities across the country. While Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Mexican are the nation’s most popular ethnic cuisines, respectively; the following cuisines are experiencing the most significant growth in popularity this year.

Trending Ethnic Cuisines*

1. Pakistani: almost 97 percent more popular
2. Caribbean: more than 68 percent more popular
3. Halal: almost 40 percent more popular
4. Spanish: more than 36 percent more popular
5. African: more than 30 percent more popular

In addition to uncovering Americans’ evolving ethnic dining preferences, GrubHub reviewed restaurant offerings on a local level to uncover which cities offered the widest variety of GrubHub’s 69 different ethnic cuisines.

Most Food-Diverse Cities (Ethnic Cuisines Available)

1. New York City (56)
2. Chicago (53)
3. Los Angeles (45)
4. Boston (44)
5. San Francisco (42)
6. Washington (41)
7. Philadelphia (35)
8. Miami (35)
9. Denver (31)
10. Houston (28)

“Food is an embodiment of culture, and GrubHub brings nearly 70 ethnic options to hungry diners across America,” said Mike Evans, GrubHub co-founder and COO. “While classic takeout cuisines like American, Italian and Chinese will always be here to satisfy cravings, the volume of options available on GrubHub lets diners be adventurous without leaving the house.”

To learn more about the cultural diversity of American takeout and to see how specific trends are playing out in cities across the country, please visit GrubHub’s interactive map, or visit grubhub.com to find takeout restaurants available in your area.

About GrubHub
GrubHub is a leading online and mobile food ordering service that shows diners local restaurants available for delivery or pick up. Available in more than 500 cities across the nation, GrubHub features more than 20,000 online ordering restaurants and, as the parent company of Allmenus, lists approximately 250,000 restaurant menus. Diners who order through GrubHub’s free website or mobile apps can pay with cash, credit or PayPal™, and every order is supported by GrubHub’s 24/7 customer service. Founded in 2004, GrubHub is a privately held company and is headquartered in Chicago.

* Based on year-over-year growth in orders placed between 4/1/12-6/19/12 and 4/1/13-6/19/13

Pacific Northwest, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles Rank Highest for Gluten-Free Takeout Orders

CHICAGO, June 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — With approximately one in three Americans trying to cut back or avoid gluten in their diets*, the analysts at GrubHub, a leading online and mobile food ordering service, tracked the trend at U.S. takeout restaurants. An analysis of 2013 GrubHub orders reveals that menu items identified as gluten-free have grown in popularity with diners by nearly 60 percent since April 2012.

To better gauge the demand for gluten-free takeout, analysts examined orders from GrubHub’s network of more than 20,000 restaurants in 500+ cities. Findings suggest that diners in the Pacific Northwest lead the demand for gluten-free goodies, with Seattle, Portland and Eugene, Ore., topping the list of cities with the highest percentage of gluten-free orders.

Where Are Diners Going Gluten-Free?

1. Seattle
2. Portland, Ore.
3. Eugene, Ore.
4. San Jose, Calif.
5. Chicago
6. Raleigh, N.C.
7. Denver
8. Minneapolis, Minn.
9. Los Angeles
10. Albany, NY

In addition to identifying the U.S. cities with the highest gluten-free demand, GrubHub analysts determined the most popular gluten-free dishes. More than four percent of GrubHub restaurants now offer gluten-free options, and order data reveals specialty pizzas, salads, burgers, wraps and sandwiches to be the most-ordered gluten-free items.

“Local restaurants are continuing to meet the evolving needs of diners, and takeout is no exception,” said Mike Evans, GrubHub co-founder and COO. “Whether our diners are searching for food that meets a dietary restriction, or are craving something very specific, GrubHub offers cuisine filters and smart searches that make it easy to find exactly what they want.”

For more information about GrubHub, or to find takeout restaurants available in your area, please visit GrubHub.com.

About GrubHub

GrubHub is a leading online and mobile food ordering service that shows diners local restaurants available for delivery or pick up. Available in more than 500 cities across the nation, GrubHub features more than 20,000 online ordering restaurants and, as the parent company of Allmenus, lists approximately 250,000 restaurant menus. Diners who order through GrubHub’s free website or mobile apps can pay with cash, credit or PayPal™, and every order is supported by GrubHub’s 24/7 customer service. Founded in 2004, GrubHub is a privately held company and is headquartered in Chicago.

* Source: NPD Group, “Percentage of U.S. Adults Trying to Cut Down or Avoid Gluten in Their Diets Reaches New High in 2013, Reports NPD.” March, 2013.

Family Favorites Top the List of Most Misspelled Food Names

CHICAGO, May 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — While May’s National Spelling Bee is intended to foster the vocabulary and scholarship of America’s youth, the competition also serves as a reminder that proper spelling is a challenge, regardless of age. When it comes to food, GrubHub search data confirms that family favorites like fettuccine, Caesar salad and omelets top the list of words perplexing spellers across the country.

To better understand America’s spelling plight, the analysts at GrubHub delved into diner search terms* to uncover the most frequently misspelled food names and their probability of being misspelled:

Most Frequently Misspelled Food Words:

1.Fettuccine – misspelled more than 70 percent of the time

• ‘Fettucine’ – more than 30 percent of misspellings
• ‘Fettucini’ – almost 30 percent of misspellings

2. Caesar – misspelled almost 40 percent of the time

• ‘Ceasar’ – almost 20 percent of misspellings
• ‘Cesar’ – almost 7 percent of misspellings

3. Omelet/Omelette (French) – misspelled more than 17 percent of the time

• ‘Omlette’ – more than 7 percent of misspellings
• ‘Omlett’ – more than 7 percent of misspellings

4. Dessert – misspelled almost 10 percent of the time

• ‘Desert’ – 100 percent of misspellings

5. Sandwich – misspelled more than 7 percent of the time

• ‘Sandwhich’ – about 7 percent of misspellings
• ‘Sandwitch’ – about 1 percent of misspellings

In addition to the top food misspellings, GrubHub analysts took a look at cuisines originating from non Latin-based languages (such as Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Mediterranean cuisines) to identify the foods with the greatest number of alternate spellings. While there is no culturally “correct” spelling of certain dishes, GrubHub’s menu data confirms that Pad See Ew, Kabobs and General Tso’s Chicken have the highest spelling variance.

“When it comes to spelling, GrubHub doesn’t judge,” said Mike Evans, GrubHub co-founder and COO. “In fact, if it wasn’t for spell check, this entire press release would look like it was written by a cat. We judge food by its flavor, not its name – so, misspell away. GrubHub will help you find exactly what you are looking for.”

Please visit GrubHub.com for more information about GrubHub or to find the restaurants available for pickup or delivery in your area.

About GrubHub
GrubHub is a leading online and mobile food ordering service that shows diners local restaurants available for delivery or pick up. Available in more than 500 cities across the nation, GrubHub features more than 20,000 online ordering restaurants and, as the parent company of Allmenus, lists approximately 250,000 restaurant menus. Diners who order through GrubHub’s free website or mobile apps can pay with cash, credit or PayPal™, and every order is supported by GrubHub’s 24/7 customer service. Founded in 2004, GrubHub is a privately held company and is headquartered in Chicago.

*Misspellings determined by search term data collected from (4/9/13-4/25/13).

Rising Temperatures Tied to Spikes in Salad, Healthy, Low-Carb Orders

CHICAGO, April 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — As spring fever sets in, people are inspired to energize everything from wardrobes to eating habits. By breaking down the differences in order choices on hot and cold days, the analysts at GrubHub, a leading online and mobile food ordering service, found that traditionally fresh and lighter fare dominate spring and summer takeout orders*.

To identify the types of takeout orders most affected by fluctuating temperatures, GrubHub analysts cross-referenced two years of GrubHub order data with National Climate Data Center statistics. Findings highlight that restaurants offering salads, low-carb and healthy options lead the way with highest order spikes as temperatures increase.

When the temperature is hot, diners are more likely to order from restaurants featuring:

1. Low-carb options
2. Salads
3. Healthy options
4. Italian cuisine
5. Low-fat options
6. Seafood options

 

When the temperature is cold, diners are more likely to order from restaurants featuring:

1. Chinese cuisine
2. Thai cuisine
3. Indian cuisine

While these national findings link temperature to lighter food choices, city-specific breakdowns also demonstrate significant hot-weather ordering nuances:

• San Francisco: Diners are almost 50% more likely to order from restaurants serving low-carb options
• Boston: Diners are approximately 40% more likely to order from restaurants serving low-fat options
• Philadelphia: Diners are about 25% more likely to order from restaurants serving low-carb options
• New York: Diners are approximately 25% more likely to order from restaurants serving gluten-free options
• Los Angeles: Diners are about 25% more likely to order from restaurants serving gluten-free options
• Washington, D.C.: Diners are approximately 25% more likely to order from restaurants serving low-fat options
• Chicago: Diners are almost 10% more likely to order from restaurants serving low-carb options

“The seasonality of ingredients plays into menus across the country, so we were interested to see if temperature affected takeout orders in a similar fashion,” said Mike Evans, GrubHub co-founder and COO. “Our findings suggest a definite relationship between temperature and food choice. Whether it’s hot, cold or somewhere in between, GrubHub’s more than 90 cuisine filters help diners find exactly what they’re looking for.”

In addition to highlighting the cuisines most affected by temperature, GrubHub’s analysis found that orders from restaurants serving sandwiches, sushi, dessert, vegetarian and Mediterranean cuisine remain steady, regardless of the temperature.

For more information about GrubHub and to check out what restaurants are available for pickup or delivery in your area, please visit GrubHub.com.

About GrubHub

GrubHub is a leading online and mobile food ordering service that shows diners local restaurants available for delivery or pick up. Available in more than 500 cities across the nation, GrubHub features more than 20,000 online ordering restaurants and, as the parent company of Allmenus, lists approximately 250,000 restaurant menus. Diners who order through GrubHub’s free website or mobile apps can pay with cash, credit or PayPal™, and every order is supported by GrubHub’s 24/7 customer service. Founded in 2004, GrubHub is a privately held company and is headquartered in Chicago.

* “Hot” and “Cold” are defined on a city-by-city basis, based on temperatures approximately one standard deviation higher/lower than the year-round temperature average. “National” trends are based on an analysis of orders placed (1/1/2011-3/25/2013) in Chicago, New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston and Philadelphia.

GrubHub Data Reveals Women 25 Percent More Likely to Include Dessert in Takeout Orders

CHICAGO, Feb. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — If old adages are to be believed, girls are made of sugar, spice and everything nice. While a sweet tooth certainly isn’t gender specific, data from GrubHub, a leading online and mobile food ordering service, confirms that women are 25 percent more likely to order dessert than men.

To further examine the gender gap in dessert orders, GrubHub analysts sorted through six months of takeout orders to break down male and female dessert preferences*. If wooing a certain Lord or Lady is on the agenda this February, let the following trends guide your next GrubHub order to a sweet ending:

The Ladies:

• Women are approximately 50 percent more likely to order frozen yogurt
• Women are nearly 15 percent more likely to order ice cream
• Women are about 10 percent more likely to order fried desserts

 

The Fellas:

• Men are approximately 20 percent more likely to order milkshakes
• Men are about 10 percent more likely to order cookies

 

Mutual Interest:

• Any way you slice it, cake is the gender-neutral dessert of choice, accounting for more than 25 percent of all dessert orders

 

GrubHub also found that geography plays a role in the dessert gender divide. Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Dallas exhibit relative gender equality when it comes to overall dessert orders, but the following cities demonstrate gender gaps significantly wider than the national norm:

1. Boston: Women are almost 40 percent more likely to order dessert
2. Philadelphia: Women are about 35 percent more likely to order dessert
3. Atlanta: Women are about 30 percent more likely to order dessert
4. Houston: Women are almost 30 percent more likely to order dessert
5. Washington, D.C.: Women are about 25 percent more likely to order dessert

 

“While we can’t promise that these insights will improve your love life, they do show that our female diners, especially, like to finish their meals on a sweet note,” said Susanne Dawursk, GrubHub brand marketing director. “And with GrubHub’s more than 17,000 restaurants in 400+ cities, diners can find plenty of great dessert options. Whether you choose to share with your honey is entirely up to you.”

For more information about GrubHub and to check out what desserts are available for pickup or delivery in your area, please visit GrubHub.com.

About GrubHub
GrubHub is a leading online and mobile food ordering service that shows diners local restaurants available for delivery or pick up. Available in more than 400 cities across the nation, GrubHub features more than 17,000 online ordering restaurants and, as the parent company of Allmenus, lists approximately 250,000 restaurant menus. Diners who order through GrubHub’s free website or mobile apps can pay with cash, credit or PayPal™, and every order is supported by GrubHub’s 24/7 customer service. Founded in 2004, GrubHub is a privately held company and is headquartered in Chicago.

* Analysis based on dessert orders placed 8/1/12-1/31/13.

Numbers Reveal 10 Percent Bump in 2013 Healthy Takeout Orders

CHICAGO, Jan. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — With the first month of the New Year drawing to a close, GrubHub, a leading food ordering service, tracked takeout orders to determine the typical lifespan of a New Year’s resolution. The current three-week bump in healthier takeout orders reveals that diners have stuck to 2013 resolutions at least one week longer than the previous two years.

According to GrubHub analysts, the January bump in healthier takeout orders lasted a mere two weeks in 2011 and 2012. However, healthy orders have spiked nationwide by approximately 10 percent in the first three weeks of 2013 with no current signs of a downturn.

While Chicago, San Francisco, New York City, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles show minimal bumps in healthy orders over the past three weeks, the following cities exhibit significant upticks in 2013 healthy takeout:

• Atlanta: 20-25 percent
• Philadelphia: 10-15 percent
• Boston: 5-10 percent

“While our data backs up the long-speculated hypothesis that New Year’s resolutions tend to be short lived, the overall trend in healthy ordering has grown consistently in the last two years,” said Mike Evans, GrubHub co-founder and COO. “Approximately 85 percent of GrubHub’s more than 17,000 restaurants offer at least one healthy menu item, and we are continuing to work with our restaurants to meet this diner demand.”

Whether it’s your goal to eat more vegetables, reduce refined carbohydrates or bump up protein intake, GrubHub’s cuisine filters, menu search capability and special instructions boxes provide the tools needed to stick to 2013 resolutions:

• Refine results. Utilize GrubHub’s more than 80 cuisine filters to narrow down your preferences and search for restaurants serving “Low Fat,” “Low Carb,” “Vegetarian” or “Healthy” menu items.
• Be exact. Know precisely what you are looking for? Type the menu item name, such as “quinoa,” into GrubHub’s “What would you like?” search box. Restaurants offering quinoa will show up in the search results, with matching items identified at the top of the restaurant menu.
• Customize your order. For an added level of control, utilize the special instructions box to clarify preparation instructions. For example, diners can ask the restaurant to put the “dressing on the side” or “hold the mayo.”

For more information about GrubHub and to see what restaurants are available for pickup and delivery in your area, please visit GrubHub.com.

About GrubHub
GrubHub is a leading online and mobile food ordering platform that shows diners local restaurants available for delivery or pick up. Available in more than 400 cities across the nation, GrubHub features more than 17,000 online ordering restaurants and, as the parent company of Allmenus, lists approximately 250,000 restaurant menus. Diners who order through GrubHub’s website or mobile apps can pay with cash, credit or PayPal™, and every order is supported by GrubHub’s 24/7 customer service. Founded in 2004, GrubHub is a privately held company and is headquartered in Chicago.