Meal Kit Intenders are Increasingly Ordering Food Delivery

Even as many communities across the country begin to make their way out of lockdown and relax stay at home orders, many restaurants are still far from opening their doors for business as usual. As a result, takeout and delivery remain top of mind for consumers and businesses seeking to fill the gaps. 

In the past two weeks, usage of delivery food services has increased to 24%, a number that–although only slightly higher than this time two weeks ago–has shown a slow incline in the past several months.

Interest Spikes for Meal Subscription Kits

We’re observing a growing overlap among meal kit intenders and those who use food delivery services. In April, 37% of those who intended to use meal kit subscriptions were also getting delivery. However, this month, that number has risen to 43%.

A 13% jump in a single month prompts further questions as to the root of this trend. It’s possible that interest in meal kit subscriptions from those who get delivery could be based in a desire to eat healthier. 

According to the data, those who avoid carbs and fat when trying to lose weight are also the most likely to be getting food delivered. Given the general lack of control consumers have over the nutritional value of takeout, meal kit subscriptions–as desired above–could provide a convenient solution.

Delivery Apps are a Priority

In the past month, it’s become increasingly clear that food delivery users also highly value mobile apps. Between April and May, food delivery users who listed mobile apps as a passion jumped from 38% to 56%.This suggests that the longer users are reliant on apps for their deliveries, the more important they become. 

This data provides several takeaways with which to move forward. First and foremost–delivery still matters. However, interest in delivery could organically lead to interest in meal subscription kits, which operate in a similar fashion, but provide the consumer with more control over the health of their meal. While nutritional value may be a driving factor for some, what is clear is that delivery ordering apps–whether from a major restaurant or local favorite–will need to be user-friendly to retain loyal customers.