Singaporeans are switching from fast food to salads, with halal foods making up nearly a third of all orders, says Foodpanda Singapore.
In its first annual Food Delivery Report, which analyses two years’ worth of data, the delivery service says Singaporeans are leading Asia for ordering meals.
Foodpanda Singapore says the most noticeable trend was a move to healthier options. Over the past year there has been an 83 per cent increase in orders for salads, soups and vegetarian dishes, resulting in healthy food making up nearly a quarter of all orders – from 12 per cent in 2015/2016 to 22 per cent.
Healthy food orders in Singapore also nearly double fast-food orders now, which account for just 12 per cent of customers.
Halal dishes make up 30 per cent of all orders, compared to the previous year’s 19 per cent. The 57 per cent increase follows Foodpanda’s initiative last year to become the only food-delivery company in Singapore to have dedicated bags labelled “Halal” and “Non-Halal”.
European food has increased by 36 per cent, going from 19 to 26 per cent of all orders. When it comes to Asian food, Singaporeans are also starting to favour spicier dishes with Korean food orders rising 40 per cent this year.
More women
Foodpanda has noticed that Singapore’s “hungriest neighbourhood” is the north (Hougang and Sengkang), the destination for 30 per cent of orders. In terms of the gender split, Foodpanda has found that 70 per cent of orders are made by women.
Late-night delivery is also becoming more popular, with a 69 per cent increase over the past year – mainly between midnight and 2am (73 per cent). These diners prefer Italian cuisine, with 18 per cent of orders being for pizza followed by pasta at 17 per cent.
Lunar New Year deliveries soared this year, with three times more orders than last year.
Singapore also came out top in terms of order numbers. Despite its population being just 5 million, Singapore accounts for half of all Foodpanda orders in Asia, compared to 15 per cent in Malaysia, 14 per cent in Hong Kong, 13 per cent in Thailand and 8 per cent in the Philippines. More than half of Foodpanda’s Singapore customers (56 per cent) order twice a week, with 13 per cent ordering three times a week.
“The study shows a huge shift in Singapore’s eating habits,” says Foodpanda Singapore MD Aspa Lekka. “Food delivery is no longer the ‘lazy’ fast-food option of the past, with a huge selection of dishes that were traditionally only available by going out.”
