MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos lessened their orders for sweet delicacies in favor of savory items as fast food staples dominated the list of most purchased products on GrabFood in the Philippines last year.
According to Grab’s Philippine Food and Grocery Trends, burger was the most ordered food in 2023, followed by chicken sandwich and fried chicken.
The index was rounded up by the following: pasta, fries, hotdog, ice cream, dimsum, nuggets and caramel macchiato.
Likewise, Grab reported that Filipinos place an order for food mostly to satisfy sudden cravings in the afternoon and at night. GrabFood also delivered for everyday meals, family meals, special occasions and date nights.
In general, Grab noted that food deliveries remain a popular option for Filipinos in the pandemic aftermath. However, Filipinos are starting to recover their confidence in going out as well, proof of which is the rise in the volume of self pick-up in 2023.
“Deliveries have continued to grow since the pandemic began and now consumers are expanding their repertoire with delivery apps,” Grab said.
“Self pick-up and dine-in’s contribution to total order volume increased by 3.6 times from 2021 to 2023,” the superapp added.
In terms of consumer behavior, nine in 10 Grab users said they are swayed by reviews on the app when firming up a decision on whether to buy something.
Also, Filipinos use Grab to discover new food and beverage outlets, with 59 percent saying they look through the app to learn about restaurants and stores. Facebook emerged as the best option to explore places to eat, followed by Grab, friends and family, Instagram and food blogs.
Further, Grab reported that 44 percent of Filipinos are willing to pay extra for sustainable brands, hinting that consumers are starting to become conscious of how their goods are produced. Nearly all Filipinos said they are more likely to support suppliers with sustainable practices.
Grab Philippines director for deliveries Greg Camacho believes GrabFood will remain relevant in the post-pandemic period, given the convenience provided by its delivery service.
Recently, Grab has introduced a group order experience in GrabFood, with new features like bill splitting and dine-in deals, allowing it to serve consumers who are returning to onsite dining.