Germany Attitudes towards Takeaway and Delivery: 2026
Takeaway and home delivery services remain widely used in Germany, with 86% of consumers ordering from food outlets or restaurants.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Outlook for attitudes towards takeaway and delivery
- Opportunities
- Reclaim value perception by engineering orders that feel ‘worth it’
- Anchor technology use in transparency, trust and efficiency
- Expand takeaway and delivery occasions as health priorities rise
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THE MARKET
- Geopolitical tensions worsen German consumers’ outlook on the cost-of-living crisis
- Graph 1: consumer perceptions of the German cost-of-living crisis, 2025-26
- Permanent VAT reduction reshapes operator economics, but prices remain high
- Graph 2: consumer price index, 2025-26
- Current GLP-1 weight loss drugs use is limited in Germany
- Next-gen GLP-1 drugs could bring headwinds for takeaway and delivery as accessibility improves
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THE CONSUMER
- Takeaway and home delivery participation
- Engaged buyers underpin resilience in takeaway and delivery demand
- Graph 3: change in takeaway/delivery ordering frequency over the last 12 months, by current takeaway/delivery use, 2026
- Direct ordering remains strong as third-party platform competition intensifies
- Graph 4: third-party ordering/delivery services takeaway/home delivery buyers spend the most money with, 2026
- Added value perceptions of third-party loyalty programmes strengthen platforms’ role as demand gatekeepers
- Takeaway/home delivery replacement behaviours
- Consumers mainly switch to at-home cooking options when opting out of takeaway and delivery
- Beyond price, greater control and health motivations fuel home cooking as an alternative
- Demand for food that feeds the soul and the body
- Deliver comforting meals designed for regular consumption
- Ready meals pose a bigger threat among engaged takeaway/delivery buyers
- Graph 5: alternatives chosen by consumers instead of ordering takeaway/delivery, by frequency of ordering, 2026
- Satisfaction with third-party delivery platforms and key drivers
- High satisfaction underscores the strength of third-party delivery platforms
- Pricing and service touchpoints are the biggest levers for improving satisfaction
- Strong ordering fundamentals set the baseline, but satisfaction hinges on perceived value exchange
- Price scrutiny intensifies as consumers weigh convenience against cost
- Leverage value creation to offset price friction
- Communication and support may fall short in moments that matter most
- Emerging technology in takeaway/delivery
- Consumer acceptance of emerging tech is a work in progress
- Acceptance of emerging tech hinges on preserving trust and authenticity
- Leverage emerging tech to deliver seamless, experience-enhancing improvements
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PRODUCT, INNOVATION AND MARKETING
- AI and automation are redefining the takeaway/delivery experience from end to end
- Third-party delivery evolves into a holistic marketplace solution
- Wolt promotes its wide-ranging shopping services in its first nationwide TV ad
- Exclusivity and partnerships strengthen third-party platform differentiation
- Burgermeister launches app with pickup option to strengthen direct ordering
- Retail players are levelling up their convenience food offer, improving freshness through technology
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APPENDIX
- Report scope
- The consumer
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Key driver analysis
- Key driver analysis methodology
- Interpretation of key driver analysis results
- Abbreviations
- A note on language – Germany
Takeaway and home delivery services remain widely used in Germany, with 86% of consumers ordering from food outlets or restaurants. Yet, in the 12 months to April 2026, 35% of buyers report ordering less often as cost-of-living pressures persist. While the 7% VAT reduction for dine-in meals has affected operator economics, rising cost pressures are prompting some consumers to order less often, reflecting greater price sensitivity.
As spending becomes more selective, demand is more concentrated among engaged users, raising the bar for operators to prioritise retention and encourage repeat ordering. The clearest opportunity lies in strengthening the perceived return on spend (eg through more flexible bundle offers, attractive add-ons and clearer pairing cues). Accommodating rising health and weight management priorities among consumers will also help compete more effectively with home cooking, the primary alternative when consumers opt out.
AI and automation are increasingly embedded in the takeaway and delivery journey. However, with consumers still wary of this technology, operators should use it to reinforce transparency and support human touchpoints, without replacing the authentic sensory cues, such as real food imagery, that shape food decisions and help build trust.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
- Escalating price sensitivity and the impact of VAT changes on value perceptions and consumer spend
- Home cooking as the primary alternative to takeaway and delivery, as consumers prioritise value, control and weight-management goals
- Pressure on ordering frequency, with demand concentrated among younger, more frequent takeaway and delivery users
- Use of direct restaurant ordering and third-party platforms, shaped by loyalty programmes, delivery fees and times, and visibility, influencing where consumers order and whether they complete or repeat orders
- Cautious use of AI and automation in takeaway and delivery, with greater acceptance of tools that make ordering easier and resistance to visible or synthetic applications
- Active price comparison and selective add-on purchasing, reflecting consumer efforts to manage perceived value at the point of ordering
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