US digital sales of food and beverages from restaurants soared 123.8% last year, per eMarketer estimates. This massive increase was the result of more consumers using delivery services like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub amid lockdowns and restaurant closures.

On today's episode, we discuss why Uber is trying to be a one-stop shop and how DoorDash outperformed Uber during the pandemic. We then talk about The New York Times' Q1 subscriber and revenue performance, NBCUniversal's thoughts on regional sports, and what stood out at this year's NewFronts. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer senior forecasting analyst at Insider Intelligence Eric Haggstrom.

Many mobile app categories saw a boost last year as more consumers spent time with their devices during quarantines. According to our estimates for smartphone app user growth, grocery apps, food delivery apps, and health/fitness apps were the three fastest-growing categories in 2020.

DoorDash is dominating the digital food fight

Food delivery apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and SkipTheDishes—a Winnipeg-based homegrown competitor to the US-based services—had already established a foothold before the pandemic. The greater need for delivery last year elevated their influence in food service, even though the fees they charge have raised concerns in the restaurant industry and for regulators.

After a challenging 2020, which saw big shifts in how digital media was consumed and how marketing adapted, we anticipate five developments will have a lasting impact on Canada’s digital economy.

Following increased demand due to the pandemic, digital restaurant marketplace sales are on track to finish the year with $44.94 billion in sales, more than double the $20.08 billion in 2019.

Following protocols and updates suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most restaurants across the US are adjusting their services to offer takeout and delivery only—relying on services like Caviar, DoorDash and Seamless to help get meals to consumers at home.

Brands have sought after millennials since the segment was identified as a demographic phenomenon reminiscent of the boomers. There’s been heavy investment in the creation of products and services that fit within an evolving consumer culture, one increasingly defined by this influential cohort. Growing independence and earning make this group the most digitally connected of all.

This report will take a look at the key digital habits and personas across age groups in Canada.

eMarketer junior forecasting analyst Nazmul Islam and principal analyst Andrew Lipsman tell us the likelihood that your food delivery driver has eaten some of your meal. How are people using food delivery apps, and how can they make the unit economics work for everyone?

eMarketer’s very own gamers, corporate account manager Brandon Galindo and sales executive Michael Bruckenthal, explain what happened at the Fortnite World Cup. What did the esports competition look like, how much did competitors win and how do parents feel about their kids participating? Then vice president of content studio Paul Verna, discusses updates to Spotify’s new Ad Studio, Walmart’s latest driverless delivery partnership and why DoorDash bought Caviar.

Food delivery apps are rapidly growing in popularity, according to eMarketer’s latest forecast on mobile app usage. This year, these apps will be used by 38.0 million people in the US, up 21.0% over 2018. By 2021, more than 20% of US smartphone users will use a food delivery app.

Consumers are embracing mobile delivery as they get comfortable with mcommerce, and quick service restaurants are seizing the opportunity.

Food delivery, common in urban areas where population is dense and car ownership is low, is expanding to the suburbs and beyond thanks to the rise of digital services connecting users to restaurants.

According to a new survey from Fetch, more than four in 10 consumers say have ordered food to go while on their daily commute.

Along with meal kits and instant ramen, food delivery has vastly altered the American palate for at-home dining. But despite growing competition in the digital delivery space, not everyone has embraced it.