DoorDash Revealed The Most Popular Quarantine Orders, & They Include A LOT Of Melted Cheese
As many restaurants remain closed or at a limited capacity amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, more people are turning to takeout to enjoy their favorite eats. DoorDash took a look at what their customers ordered in the most over the past few months, as well as how peoples' food habits have changed while social distancing. Unsurprisingly, DoorDash's 2020 Deep Dish report of the biggest food trends shows that comfort food reigned supreme while people were in quarantine.
In an email to Elite Daily, the food delivery service shared their findings using order data collected from 2,000 customers from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2020. One of the biggest takeaways from the report released on Thursday, July 23, is that people said they are much more likely to crave comfort food over other types of food (53% to 18%), and their orders on the platform supported this statement.
According to DoorDash, there was a significant increase in the amount of orders savory comfort foods, including a 1,735% increase in people ordering queso blanco, a 1,130% increase in orders of cheese nachos, and a spike in and spinach and artichoke dip orders, which saw a 1,902% increase.
When it comes to top foods ordered since January, cheesy goodness is popular there, too, with mac and cheese coming in at No. 2 and "make your own pizza" as the fourth most popular order for the first half of the year.
Sweets were also popular, with a 1,400% increase in people ordering cinnamon rolls, an 843% increase in New York style cheesecake orders, a 779% increase in blueberry muffin orders, and a 260% increase in orders of churros.
The company also analyzed peoples' food behaviors at home, including the surge in baking. Baking emerged as one of the biggest quarantine hobbies, and DoorDash's report found that 80% of respondents said they'd baked something since the pandemic began. While you might have seen banana bread and sourdough loaves on social media, cookies reigned supreme as the most-baked item during quarantine.
In addition to a 1,193% increase in orders of Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookies compared to the same time last year, 60% of participants said they'd baked cookies. According to the baking report, cake and brownies followed cookies at about 48% and 46%. Banana bread came in at 32%, followed by pie at 24% and sourdough bread at 19%.
The report also seemed to point towards a trend of new bakers and cooks, especially among young people. Of the 49% of respondents said they bought new kitchen items during quarantine, 57% were under 44 years old.
If you're inspired by the quarantine trends and decide to order some melted cheese on chips with a chocolate chip cookie for dessert, remember to follow coronavirus safety guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as of June 15, which recommends using contactless payment methods, wearing a face covering when going out, limiting errands runs, and sanitizing your hands after picking up food orders.
If you think you’re showing symptoms of coronavirus, which include fever, shortness of breath, and cough, call your doctor before going to get tested. If you’re anxious about the virus’s spread in your community, visit the CDC for up-to-date information and resources, or seek out mental health support. You can find all Elite Daily's coverage of coronavirus here.
