Who Is the Third-Party Delivery Customer?

CHICAGO -- Third-party delivery services are shaking up the notion of convenience by creating an easy option for time-crunched consumers, pulling them away from restaurant occasions and visits to foodservice locations such as convenience stores, in general.

More than 40% of consumers now say that they aren't using restaurants as often as they'd like, according to the National Restaurant Association. That means that retail and restaurant operators not only have to nudge consumers to their brands but to foodservice overall. Of all consumer spending, just 13% is allocated to food—less than half of which goes to restaurants. So who are delivery customers now?

Here's a look at the latest statistics on the third-delivery consumer, as reported in Restaurant Business ...

Millennials make up two in five (41%) of third-party delivery customers. Gen X accounts for 21% of third-party delivery customers, and baby boomers comprise 22%, while Gen Z is the smallest user, at 14%.

Source: Technomic's On-Demand Delivery Study

Caucasian consumers are much more likely than other groups to use third-party delivery services. This group accounts for 76% of the clientele.

Patronage of traditional delivery services is much more varied in terms of ethnicity. While they are less likely to use third-party services, African-American (39%), Hispanic (26%) and Asian (13%) consumers frequently use conventional food delivery.

Source: Technomic's On-Demand Delivery Study

Men are slightly more likely than women to be third-party delivery consumers, accounting for 52% of the clientele. However, that flips when it comes to traditional delivery; women account for 57% of traditional delivery customers.

Source: Technomic's On-Demand Delivery Study

More than a third of consumers (37%) expect food quality via third-party delivery services to exceed that of a dine-in occasion. Nearly two in 10 expect the food quality of third-party delivery services to be higher in quality, while 57% expect it to be about the same. Just 6% expect the food quality to be worse.

Source: Technomic's On-Demand Delivery Study