Connection, Convenience & Comforting Foods Headline First Half of 2021

SAN FRANCISCO — More than a year into the coronavirus pandemic, DoorDash's second annual mid-year Deep Dish Report checks in on popular food trends, how users are celebrating special moments, what trends are here to stay and what new ones have emerged over the last six months.

The report used order data from Jan. 1 to June 1. Here is what it found:

The First Half of 2021

As consumers settled into a new year, they grew comfortable with treating themselves at home, whether that be indulging in more snacks or ordering in with their favorite health and wellness items.

Snacking orders are more popular in 2021, with an order increase in items such as glazed donuts (501 percent increase), sweet tea (284 percent increase), and sour cream and cheddar potato chips (112 percent increase).

As vaccines became readily available in March, DoorDash also saw an increase in items like electrolyte-based drinks (112 percent increase) and aspirin (49 percent).

Additionally, during the first quarter of 2021, DoorDash's non-restaurant orders climbed more than 40 percent from the fourth quarter of 2020.

Health and wellness products are on the rise, with a large surge in shampoo (1,233 percent increase) and conditioner (1,339 percent increase), in addition to tampons (686 percent increase), condoms (286 percent increase) and vitamins (254 percent increase).

The most money spent on a single order in the past 6 months was $2,955. The order included 35 luxury perfumes.

Celebrating Occasions

After a year of diluted, virtual or canceled plans, customers are finding much more to celebrate and enjoying the simplest of life's pleasures. Celebrations and generosity are on the rise, leading to more gift-giving: 65 percent of Americans said they're more likely to celebrate birthdays or holidays with family and friends in 2021 compared to 2020.

The top 10 states feeling the most generous, in order of highest gifting orders, are:

1. California
2. Texas
3. New York
4. Florida
5. Ohio
6. Illinois
7. Georgia
8. Pennsylvania
9. Virginia
10. North Carolina

Habits Here to Stay

Americans' support for both local and Black, Asian-American and women-owned businesses is strong and will continue throughout the year: 95 percent of Americans supported local businesses in 2020 and 91 percent supported Black-owned, women-owned or Asian-American-owned businesses in 2020.

Sixty-five percent of Americans report they'd rather give up social media than never be able to get an item delivered again.

Habits on the Rise

Ninety-one percent of Americans plan to do more of at least one major type of activity as the pandemic winds down, with 68 percent planning to visit new places. Additionally, 63 percent of Americans report planning to try new restaurants, and 47 percent say they plan to try new foods in general.

More fun calls for more food. These are the top 10 foods on the rise as customers begin to gather again:

1. Chocolate shake (440 percent increase)
2. Chicken nuggets (410 percent increase)
3. Cheese pizza (362 percent increase)
4. Spicy chicken sandwich (286 percent increase)
5. Beef burrito (248 percent increase)
6. Hot sauce (201 percent increase)
7. Blueberry muffin (161 percent increase)
8. Bacon cheeseburger (113 percent increase)
9. Nachos (103 percent increase)
10. Sausage and egg sandwich (107 percent increase)

The new year also saw Americans partaking in the same comfort foods. In the past six months, these are the top 10 items ordered:

1. French fries
2. Quesadillas
3. Iced coffee
4. Boneless wings
5. Chocolate chip cookies
6. Pad Thai
7. California roll
8. Caesar salad
9. Chicken tikka masala
10. Chili

DoorDash's second annual mid-year Deep Dish Report surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults between May 27-28.

San Francisco-based DoorDash operates an online food ordering and food delivery platform.