The South Africa online food delivery market Growth is supported by the rising use of smartphones and smart devices, faster 4G and 5G connectivity, and the increasing adoption of digital payment options. These factors make ordering easier for users and broaden access to delivery services across the country. South Africa online food delivery market size reached USD 1.1 Billion in 2025. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to reach USD 2.2 Billion by 2034, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 7.52% during 2026-2034. Competition between food, grocery, and convenience platforms is also shaping user preferences and enhancing market visibility.
How AI is Reshaping the Future of South Africa Online Food Delivery Market?
AI-powered recommendation engines are gaining traction on delivery apps, enabling personalized restaurant and menu suggestions based on order history, time of day, and location. This increases basket size and repeat orders. Checkers Sixty60’s Pixie AI assistant, which can talk, see, and shop for users, shows how conversational AI is moving into everyday ordering.
Route optimization and dynamic dispatch algorithms help platforms shorten delivery windows. On-demand grocery apps now promise delivery in 15 to 60 minutes, and Mr D has cut average delivery times to around 34 minutes.
Companies are using AI in demand forecasting and pricing to manage peak ordering periods. Online grocery orders peak on Sundays, and platforms use these patterns to place riders and stock closer to demand.
AI-enabled marketing and loyalty tools allow platforms to analyze spending behavior and design subscription models. Checkers’ Xtra Savings Plus, priced at R99 a month for free delivery on baskets above R350, is a leading example of targeted subscription-led engagement.
AI-driven fraud detection and payment risk scoring are supporting the shift to cashless transactions. This reduces failed payments and builds user trust in ordering food online.
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Market Growth Factors
The South Africa online food delivery market is driven by the growing prevalence of smartphones, tablets, and other smart devices, together with improved internet access. Users can browse menus and order directly from mobile apps at almost any time and place. The spread of 4G and 5G networks supports faster and more reliable ordering, tracking, and payment. Expanding urban populations and changing consumer tastes are bringing food delivery into everyday routines. The convenience of ordering from a single app has also encouraged repeat use among working professionals and busy households.
Digital payments are a second major growth factor. Mobile wallets, credit and debit cards, and mobile banking make transactions faster, easier, and more secure, and they lower the barriers to regular use. Platforms are broadening what they sell, which also raises order frequency. In October 2026, Checkers Sixty60 began selling airtime, data, and other digital vouchers through its app. Airtime and data bundles are among the most purchased services in the country, with about 95% of consumers surveyed in Shoprite’s research saying they use them. Such offerings turn delivery apps into everyday super-apps.
Rising competition and the convergence of food and grocery delivery are also fueling market momentum. Shoprite states that Sixty60 holds more than 80% of the on-demand grocery delivery market. Mr D, owned by Takealot Group, partners with Pick n Pay, and Uber Eats works with SPAR on its 2U service. Industry estimates value South Africa’s grocery e-commerce sector at almost R14 billion (about USD 855 million). Sensor Tower data shows Uber Eats adding more than 260,000 new app downloads in South Africa every month. Platforms are also competing on delivery fees: Checkers Sixty60 charges R37 per order from July 2026, and Mr D charges R39 for Pick n Pay grocery orders from June 2026. Affordability remains a consideration, as MyBroadband analyses have found some items on Uber Eats to be 20% to 45% more expensive than in-store prices. This pushes platforms toward flat-fee and subscription models.
Market Segmentation
Platform Type Insights:
Mobile Applications
Websites
Mobile applications are central to the market, as the majority of orders, tracking, loyalty rewards, and payments are completed through smartphones. Websites remain a secondary channel for desktop users and for restaurants and retailers managing their own online ordering.
Business Model Insights:
Order Focused Food Delivery System
Logistics Based Food Delivery System
Full-Service Food Delivery System
Order focused platforms act as aggregators connecting users with restaurants. Logistics based platforms add rider fleets and dispatch technology, while full-service models manage the entire chain from ordering to preparation and delivery. Leading South African platforms increasingly blend these models across food, grocery, and retail.
Payment Method Insights:
Online
Cash on Delivery
Online payments through cards, mobile wallets, and mobile banking are gaining prominence as users prefer safe, quick, and cashless transactions. Cash on delivery continues to serve users with limited access to digital payment tools.
Regional Insights:
Gauteng
KwaZulu-Natal
Western Cape
Mpumalanga
Eastern Cape
Others
Recent Development & News
October 2026: Shoprite Holdings announced that Checkers Sixty60 now sells mobile airtime, data, and other vouchers, including PlayStation Wallet, Uber, App Store, Google Play, and Roblox top-ups. The vouchers cover Vodacom, MTN, Telkom, and Cell C and are delivered instantly via SMS.
July 2026: Reports highlighted that nationwide anti-migrant protests disrupted delivery services, including Uber Eats and Checkers Sixty60. This showed how heavily the fast-growing e-commerce and delivery sector relies on delivery workers.
June 2026: Naspers reported that Mr D’s grocery division achieved its first-ever profit, with the grocery delivery vertical growing 38% in the financial year ended 31 March 2026. Mr D’s on-demand food delivery service also posted 18% annual revenue growth.
April 2026: Discovery Bank data showed South Africans spending more on online grocery orders while cutting back on restaurant visits and takeaway orders. Checkers Sixty60, Pick n Pay asap!, and Spar2U were among the top online grocery platforms, while Kauai, KFC, Mr D, Nando’s, and Uber Eats led takeaway apps.
June 2025: SPAR announced a partnership with Uber Eats to expand its 2U online delivery service, giving users access to SPAR stores and Tops!.
October 2024: Chowdeck, a Nigerian food delivery service backed by Y Combinator, announced plans to expand into South Africa, Kenya, and Ivory Coast. Having reached 1 million users, it planned to add restaurant partners and services such as grocery and medicine delivery.
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