Super app Grab is the food delivery leader in Southeast Asia, generating $5.9 billion in gross merchandise value from those sales in 2020.

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.

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.

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.

In 2020's pandemic-ravaged economy, Uber and Lyft will share in the pain. Usage for both services has been highly correlated with various local and statewide lockdown orders, and although we expect both companies will see better figures in H2 2020 than they did in H1, neither will get close to their 2019 numbers until next year.

As the restaurant industry faces continued operational challenges and indoor dining constraints loom across the country, many consumers are turning to food delivery apps.

eMarketer principal analyst Andrew Lipsman discusses the current wave of retail store closures, the seismic shift to online shopping and what retailers should be thinking about during this time. He then talks about why payments firm Square is opening a bank, how you can help your local restaurants and where to watch live streamed music concerts from home.

eMarketer principal analysts Nicole Perrin and Andrew Lipsman, along with vice president of content studio Paul Verna, examine the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on grocery delivery, highlight how companies and individuals are coming up with innovative solutions, and point out examples of positive, and not-so-positive, corporate responses.

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.

Every week on eMarketer’s “Behind the Numbers” podcast, we take a few minutes to discuss some of the most intriguing headlines of the past seven days. This week, we're chatting about the latest financial results at Twitter and Snapchat, Spotify's purchase of podcast properties, and a food (delivery) fight.

Food delivery, while once niche, is becoming more mainstream. This year saw the explosion of fast food giants like McDonald's and Burger King going all-in on digital ordering and delivery through partnerships with UberEats and Grubhub, momentum that's certain to continue throughout 2019.

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.

Online grocery sales are reaching a tipping point, a fact that was a given at the inaugural Groceryshop conference held this week. Overall themes of digital transformation and the power of the consumer emerged while Amazon was mentioned less often than you might think.

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.

Thanks to the proliferation of on-demand services, digital food delivery is easier than ever. Depending on where you live, you might have multiple options for online ordering: Caviar specializes in local restaurants that wouldn’t necessarily deliver otherwise, Grubhub is adding quick-service partners like Subway and White Castle, and McDonald's uses UberEats.