The German delivery and takeaway market continues to perform strongly. 46% of consumers order several times a month, reaching the highest levels seen since 2021. This growth is largely fuelled by the expansion of delivery services, including the rising popularity of third-party platforms, and increased adoption of ordering technology. Moreover, as the high cost of living persists, takeaway is viewed as a cost-effective alternative to eating out, boosting its appeal.
However, the segment faces increasing competition from retail convenience food and drink products. While consumers turn to takeaway to avoid cooking, foodservice prices continue to outpace overall inflation, which will prompt many to trade down to retail. Additionally, third-party platforms increasingly allow consumers to choose between takeaway or lower-priced retail options, as seen in partnerships like Wolt and online supermarket Knuspr.
In response, foodservice operators can stand out by enhancing the takeaway sensory experience and embracing a hybrid model that leans into consumers’ cautious spending behaviours. Strategies like providing tips/recipes that show customers how to integrate their takeaway order into a home-cooked meal can position takeaway as a complement to home cooking, resonating with budget-conscious consumers.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Frequency of ordering takeaway/home delivery food, with frequency reaching its highest levels since 2021
- Preferred ordering methods, including the rise of third-party platforms
- Preferred types of takeaway/home delivery food, with pizza as the unrivalled favourite
- Reasons for ordering takeaway/home delivery food, such as satisfying a craving, serving it at a social gathering or avoiding cooking
- Interest in takeaway/home delivery innovations, with compostable packaging in pole position
- Behaviours towards takeaway/home delivery, including whether consumers feel guilty when ordering takeaway, and whether receiving discounts for dining-in when ordering takeaway would encourage them to visit the restaurant/food outlet
Amid high foodservice prices, operators can position takeaway as a complement to home cooking to counter competition from retail, such as by suggesting at-home customisation ideas for takeaway dishes.
Eliana Riera-McInnes, Foodservice Research Analyst
Market Definitions
This Report focuses on delivery and takeaway of food and drink prepared by foodservice establishments (where drink is being ordered with a meal). Such a service typically involves the placing of an order by telephone, via the internet (including apps) or in-person.
This is a consumer research-focused Report which aims to look at key developments in the foodservice takeaway and home delivery market in Germany.
Please note that when referring to ‘takeaway’ in the Report, takeaway/home delivery is meant.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Opportunities
- Outlook
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OPPORTUNITIES
- Lean into competition from retail
- Embrace a hybrid foodservice-retail approach
- Integrate takeaway and homemade
- Use takeaway to encourage dine-in visits
- Harness the resilience of takeaway during challenging economic times
- Graph 1: foodservice products/activities consumers would cut back on if they were worried about money, 2025
- Leverage gamification to boost dine-in visits
- Improve the sensory experience
- Tackle consumer perceptions of on-site vs takeaway food enjoyment…
- …by rethinking transport and packaging
- Encourage mindful consumption
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CONSUMER
- Frequency of ordering takeaway/home delivery food
- Demand for takeaway and delivery services remains strong
- Graph 2: any takeaway/home delivery bought, 2021-25
- Ordering frequency has reached its highest level since 2021
- Graph 3: frequency of ordering takeaway/home delivery food, 2021-25
- 16-34s continue to be the key target audience as the most frequent takeaway orderers
- Third-party platforms and promotional activity support younger consumers’ high engagement
- Takeaway consumers maintain their ordering habits as they age
- Graph 4: consumers ordering takeaway/home delivery food once a week or more, by age, 2021-25
- Preferred ordering methods
- Direct ordering still leads, but third-party ordering is on the rise
- Graph 5: preferred ordering channels for takeaway/home delivery food, 2021-25
- Lieferando holds the lion’s share of the third-party segment
- Graph 6: third-party ordering/delivery services consumers spend the most money with, 2025
- Lieferando’s leadership is increasingly challenged in cities
- Wolt and Uber Eats continue to expand their reach in the German market
- Lieferando takes a hyper-local marketing approach amid rising competition in cities…
- …giving a humorous spin to the good, the bad and the ugly
- Omnichannel experience is crucial for direct ordering
- Graph 7: preferred methods for ordering directly from restaurants/takeaways, 2025
- Women are more likely to opt for collecting their takeaway orders…
- …allowing them to better plan and offset takeaway ordering guilt
- Preferred types of takeaway/home delivery food
- Pizza remains the unrivaled favourite among takeaway/home delivery buyers
- Graph 8: preferred types of takeaway/home delivery food, 2023-25
- In the spotlight: key established and up-and-coming pizza brands
- L’Osteria’s first TV ad showcases its ‘hard to photograph, easy to share’ XXL pizza
- In the spotlight: innovative pizza concepts
- Japanese cuisine gaining popularity with 16-34s
- Graph 9: consumer preference for Japanese cuisine, by age, 2023-25
- Mintel predicts: the rise of yakitori as a takeaway option
- Reasons for ordering takeaway/home delivery
- Wanting to skip cooking drives consumers to order takeaway/home delivery…
- Graph 10: reasons for buying takeaway/home delivery food, 2025
- …making it key to align marketing and communications strategies accordingly
- Just Eat UK promotes how takeaway is not just an occasional weekend treat
- Gen Z takeaway consumers are the least likely to order takeaway to avoid cooking
- Graph 11: consumers who buy takeaway/home delivery food to avoid cooking, by generation, 2025
- Harness foodies’ appreciation for complex dishes
- Appeal to busy parents with sharing and celebratory takeaway offerings
- Graph 12: consumers who buy takeaway/home delivery food for social gatherings or special occasions, by parental status, 2025
- Interest in takeaway/home delivery innovations
- Sustainable packaging leads the way in takeaway/home delivery innovations that capture consumer interest
- Meeting the demand for personalisation and flexibility can help streamline takeaway ordering
- Bolder innovation drives interest among engaged consumers
- Graph 13: features consumers would like to see more of when buying takeaway/home delivery food, by frequency of ordering, 2025
- Strike a balance between improving the basics and bolder innovation
- Lieferando combines sustainability with convenience and personalisation-focused innovation
- Glovo and Uber Eats expand payment flexibility and social features
- Behaviours towards takeaway/home delivery
- Value-consciousness is prevalent among German takeaway/home delivery consumers
- Graph 14: behaviours towards takeaway/home delivery food, 2025
- The convenience of delivery makes it worth it
- Consumers expect greater fee transparency from third-party platforms
- Feelings of guilt are prevalent among younger takeaway consumers
- Acknowledge the challenges younger takeaway consumers face in today’s busy lifestyles
- Uber Eats France addresses consumer guilt and contradictions with humour
- A chance for retailers/supermarkets and foodservice brands to collaborate
- Target better-off consumers with in-store takeaway outlets
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MARKET DRIVERS
- Foodservice prices remain high despite declining inflation
- Graph 15: harmonised consumer price index, by select categories, 2023-25
- German consumer sentiment continues to be impacted by the polycrisis
- Graph 16: consumer perception of the German’s cost-of-living crisis, 2025
- The impact of US trade disruption
- Convenience retail products increasingly threaten the takeaway segment
- The third-party platform conundrum
- The EU has introduced the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation
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APPENDIX
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and generations
- Abbreviations
- Generations
- Methodology – Consumer research
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
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