Fried chicken remained the most popular food on Uber Eats
Uber Eats has released its 2025 South Africa Cravings Report, showing the country’s most-ordered items.
The report also provides insights into how delivery habits evolved over the year.
Ntsoaki Nsibanyoni, Uber Eats general manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, said the report highlights how diverse the nation’s 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,” she added.
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Most popular foods and trends
According to the report, fried chicken remained the top item for the second consecutive year, topping searches in every city. Paired with pap, it was the most popular combination. Malva pudding was the second most-ordered item.
Valentine’s week saw thousands of orders sent to partners, parents, friends and secret admirers, some including detailed notes. Johannesburg and Pretoria recorded the highest activity, followed by Cape Town.
High-frequency users
The report also identified high-frequency users. One ordered for two more than 500 times, while another placed weekly date-night orders for a year.
1 245 South Africans placed at least 365 orders in 2025.
The top user placed 2 772 orders, spending R465 320.
One restaurant received 419 orders from a single user.
High-value orders included a single tequila purchase totalling R17 773 and a combined tequila and two bottles of whiskey order totalling R17 668.
Uber delivery highlights
The busiest courier completed 8 250 trips and travelled 48 940km, while another covered 49 893km over 6 349 trips.
City-specific trends included Cape Town recording more than twice the late-night orders of the average city. Durban registered 21 711 plant-based orders, the highest in the country.
One restaurant received 84 283 orders in 2025, the highest for any single location.
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