The pandemic has given food delivery services a high profile as circumstances have decreed that we eat in rather than dine out. Vividata’s latest release of its What’s For Dinner? Canadian Consumer Winter 2021 research, gives a comprehensive look at food delivery service users in Canada, noting that digital and OOH media are highlighted as the most effective media to reach food delivery service users.

Findings show that among the 6.2 million Canadian adults using food delivery services, Skip The Dishes is the most popular at 67%. Uber Eats is a distant second at 44%, followed by DoorDash at 25%.

Ultimately, the report indicates that food delivery service users spend more time on digital media than the average Canadian adult. In addition, they spend more time with magazines, both print and online, and use public transit more frequently since they drive less than the average Canadian.

The highest users have higher incomes over $75,000 (23%), and are typically female (22%). Audiences with incomes between $50,000 to $75,000 (20%) fall next, followed by those who make under $50,000 (19%). The age range spans across Gen Y (34%), GenZ  (28%), and Gen X (22%).

Not surprisingly, students use food delivery services most often (26%), followed by MOPEs (managers, business owners, professionals, or entrepreneurs) at 25%, those in white collar jobs (24%), and blue collar occupations (21%).

And on average, households with children order from food delivery services more often each month and spend more per order.

The report suggests that sponsoring children’s sporting activities is a good way for food delivery services to reach households with children since nearly three in 10 service users have children at home and also have their children enrolled in sports. The top activities are swimming (44%), soccer (41%), basketball (25%), hockey (23%), and gymnastics (22%).

Pizza (44%), burger (35%), and Chinese (24%) restaurants are the most popular although food delivery users are more likely than average to order other ethnic foods such as Japanese, Mexican or Indian. Since using delivery series, 54% of consumers say they like to try new food products; 49% are eating more healthy food than in the past; and 22% always look for the light or diet versions of food and drink. They are also more likely to spend on better quality foods, try to eliminate animal products from their diet, and eat mainly vegetarian food.