I haven't ordered food delivery in 18 months. Sure, I've saved money, but the decision also changed my relationship with food.

When the bright blue “Order Now” button on your favourite pizza app flashes on your phone, it’s easy to think that ordering food online is a universal habit. Yet, according to a new Yahoo Lifestyle feature, a surprising number of Americans have never taken advantage of a delivery service for well over a decade. The article, titled “Haven’t Ordered Food Delivery in 18 Years? You’re Not Alone,” pulls together recent surveys, expert commentary, and industry data to paint a fuller picture of why a sizeable segment of the population continues to skip the convenience of food delivery.

A Quiet Minority, But a Growing One

The headline statistic comes from a 2023 survey conducted by Statista (link: https://www.statista.com/statistics/112801753). The study found that 22 % of U.S. adults reported they had never used a food‑delivery service—an increase of nearly 4 % over the previous year. While the overall number is still a minority, it represents roughly 67 million people across the country. The Yahoo article notes that the “silent majority” is largely made up of older adults, people who live in rural areas, and households that rely on cooking at home as a primary way to prepare meals.

The report also highlights a notable trend: while 75 % of U.S. adults say they use food delivery services at least once a month, only 12 % do so weekly, and a mere 3 % use them more frequently than that. The article quotes the survey’s lead analyst, Dr. Maya Patel, who says, “People are increasingly mindful of delivery fees, the carbon footprint of multiple trips, and the health implications of fast‑food options.”

Why Delivery Isn’t For Everyone

The Yahoo feature breaks down the reasons people avoid delivery into five broad categories:

Cost – 31 % of respondents cited delivery fees, service charges, and tip expectations as prohibitive.
Health & Nutrition – 27 % preferred cooking because it gave them better control over ingredients and portion sizes.
Convenience & Timing – 22 % said the wait times were often longer than expected, especially during peak hours.
Safety Concerns – 15 % worried about drivers’ safety or potential contamination.
Environmental Impact – 5 % were concerned about packaging waste and the carbon emissions associated with frequent deliveries.

These categories echo a separate 2024 Nielsen report (link: https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/article/2024/in-home-grocery-shopping-trends), which found that 38 % of households that had used delivery at least once in the past year cited sustainability as a key factor in their decision to try or abandon a service.

A New Frontier: Ghost Kitchens and On‑Demand Cuisines

The article also points to the rise of ghost kitchens—restaurant‑only facilities that prepare food exclusively for delivery—as a potential game‑changer. Linked to a Reuters piece on “Ghost Kitchen Growth” (https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/ghost-kitchens-continue-rocket-2024-04-12/), the Yahoo article explains how these kitchens can cut costs and improve delivery speeds. Dr. Patel notes that “ghost kitchens are already experimenting with AI‑driven routing and drone delivery, which could further reduce wait times and increase customer satisfaction.”

Despite this technological push, the piece underscores that adoption rates for these new delivery models are still modest. Only 8 % of U.S. consumers have ever ordered from a ghost kitchen, according to Statista.

Expert Voices

The feature includes comments from three industry experts:

Liam Chen, CEO of FoodTech Solutions, says, “We’re seeing a shift in what customers expect—faster delivery, fewer fees, and greater transparency in food sourcing. Those who haven’t tried delivery yet are mostly missing out on this evolution.”
Sabrina Ruiz, a nutritionist who works with low‑income families, stresses, “The key to healthy eating isn’t delivery; it’s access to affordable, whole foods. Food delivery can be a shortcut, but it’s not a substitute for sustainable meal planning.”
Kevin O’Neil, a transportation policy analyst, points out that “delivery drivers are the new frontline workers, and the pandemic has highlighted the need for better safety protocols, which may influence consumer decisions.”

What the Data Says About Future Trends

The Yahoo article ends by looking ahead. A 2025 Statista projection (link: https://www.statista.com/statistics/112801753) forecasts that the U.S. food‑delivery market will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2 % through 2030, driven largely by younger consumers and urban dwellers. However, the same projection notes a 12 % drop in usage among adults over 60, underscoring that the “never‑ordered” segment is unlikely to shrink rapidly.

In a world where convenience is increasingly mediated by apps, the Yahoo piece reminds readers that not all consumers are swept up in the trend. For many, cooking at home remains a personal preference, a health imperative, or a financial necessity. As delivery platforms evolve—streamlining costs, integrating sustainability, and exploring new technology—the question is no longer whether delivery exists, but how it will fit into the diverse lifestyles that make America unique.

Read the Full INSIDER Article at:
[ https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/havent-ordered-food-delivery-18-112701753.html ]

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