Neighboorhood bar

2023 Uber Eats Cravings Report: “The Most…” Orders

by David Klemt

Let’s take a look at the top orders, delivery requests, order combinations, surprising pairings, and more from the 2023 Uber Eats Cravings Report.

It appears that the chicken sandwich dominance we’ve seen over the years is winding down. At least, that seems to be the case among Uber Eats users.

As you’ll see below, not only is the chicken sandwich not the most popular item, it’s not even among the top five. It does edge out the cheeseburger and wings among the most popular combos, but it doesn’t outperform French fries and salt as a combo.

Another eyebrow-raising detail? Pizza doesn’t show up anywhere among the most ordered items, most popular combos, or even the most surprising combos.

Now, if you’re curious about the 2022 Uber Eats Cravings Report, you’re in luck. You can click here for the top food orders from that report, and here for the top beverage orders.

The Most…Ordered Items

French fries
Garlic naan
Pad Thai
Miso soup
California roll

Am I the only one who expected to see burgers, chicken sandwiches, and pizza on this list?

The Most…Popular Combos

Burrito bowl + cheese
French fries + salt
Chicken sandwich + shredded lettuce
Cheeseburger + mustard
Wings + ranch

Fairly standard, really. Every one of these orders makes complete sense. Now, the category coming up next…it’s a different story.

However, before we move on, let’s compare these items to those found on the 2022 Uber Eats Cravings Report.

Interestingly, the number-one item is nearly identical: burrito + cheese. And French fries + salt is the second most-popular item on both lists.

The Most…Surprising Combos

Steak + jelly
Cottage cheese + mustard
Condensed milk + avocado
Seaweed + pasta sauce
Butter + pickled onions

I really have nothing to say after reviewing this short list. I mean…hey, do your thing, everyone. Make your order yours.

To the operators out there, be ready for some odd order combos.

The Most…Popular Requests

No onions
Dressing on the side
Ranch
Extra soy sauce
Spicy
Sauce on the side
No lettuce
No jalapenos
Extra gravy
No slaw

Looking at the top request, Uber Eats has a theory as to what’s driving it: the return to the office.

People, it appears, are self-conscious about their breath in an in-person, face-to-face setting.

The Most…Popular Food and Alcohol Combos

Ribeye + Vodka
Cheeseburger + Frozen Margarita
Chicken + Frozen Piña Colada
Lobster tail + Apple whiskey
Tamales + Daiquiris

Last year’s report reveals the following combos:

Steak + Margaritas
Pizza + White Claw
Burritos + Margaritas
Chicken + Sangria
Wings + Beer

Overall, a lot of change from the 2022 Cravings Report to this year’s report.

Image: Nik on Unsplash

5 Books to Read this Month: August 2023

by David Klemt

Our inspiring and informative August book selections will help you and your bar team take your front of house and bar program to the next level.

For this month’s list we’re showcasing the 17th annual Spirited Awards finalists in the Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book category. So, below you’ll find the top-four nominees in that particular category, plus an additional self-improvement book.

To review the book recommendations from July 2023, click here.

Let’s jump in!

The Bartender’s Manifesto: How to Think, Drink, and Create Cocktails Like a Pro

First up, this book from June 2022 by Toby Maloney with Emma Janzen. Not only has this book won a James Beard Award, it took home this year’s Spirited Award for Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book.

From Amazon: “Take a raucous romp through the essential stages of fashioning cocktails and learn the hows and whys of bartending with acclaimed mixologist Toby Maloney and the team from The Violet Hour. When the pioneering cocktail bar opened in Chicago in 2007, it set a high standard with an innovative training program that teaches not just how to replicate classic cocktail recipes flawlessly, but how to embrace ingenuity, make smart decisions, and create original, inspired recipes from rote.”

Pick up the hardcover here.

Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails with 60 Recipes

Next, Mindful Mixology by Derek Brown, with a foreword by Julia Bainbridge. As all operators should know by now, low- and no-ABV cocktails are here to stay. From aperitivo hour and zero-alcohol to simply drinking less but better, consumers are changing their relationships with cocktails. This book will help operators and their teams navigate the moderation movement.

From Amazon: “Creating these drinks isn’t as simple as removing the alcohol. No- and low-proof cocktails still have to be balanced and still have to be delicious, but they don’t operate exactly like cocktails with alcohol. The drinks Brown presents in this book are meticulously choreographed around taste, texture, body, and piquancy to result in surprisingly complex ‘adult beverages’ minus the booze.”

Grab the hardcover today.

Modern Classic Cocktails: 60+ Stories and Recipes from the New Golden Age in Drinks

Robert Simonson is also a James Beard Award-winning author up for a 2023 Spirited Award. Not only are there more than 60 cocktail recipes in Simonson’s book, he explores what it means for someone to create a modern classic cocktail. No, your bar team can’t simply “invent” a new drink and declare it a modern classic—there are actual considerations, like public opinion, that make it so.

From Amazon: “What elevates a modern cocktail into the echelon of a modern classic? A host of reasons, all delineated by Simonson in these pages. But, above all, a modern classic cocktail must be popular. People have to order it, not just during its initial heyday, but for years afterward. Tommy’s Margarita, invented in the 1990s, is still beloved, and the Porn Star Martini is the most popular cocktail in the United Kingdom, twenty years after its creation.”

Make sure to get your hardcover copy today.

The New York Times Essential Book of Cocktails (Second Edition): Over 400 Classic Drink Recipes With Great Writing from The New York Times

If you want hundreds of cocktail recipes and amazing writing, this is the book for you. There are more than 400 recipes in this book, from classics to modern craft drinks. Oh, and there are essays from an array of fantastic writers, including Rebekah Peppler, David Wondrich, Robert Simonson, and Jim Meehan. There are also interviews with icons like Ivy Mix and Sother Teague.

Truly, this is one of the most comprehensive cocktail books every printed.

Pick up this book in hardcover format now.

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

A couple of weeks back, we had a KRG Hospitality team meeting about habits. Habits we’re proud to have developed, habits we’d like to focus on developing, and habits we’d like to work on losing. This book, from James Clear, is one of the resources we talked about.

From Amazon: “Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, listeners will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field.”

Order the paperback today.

Image: Mikołaj on Unsplash