Spring Fever Prompts Jump in Lighter, Fresher Fare

Rising Temperatures Tied to Spikes in Salad, Healthy, Low-Carb Orders

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Apr 17, 2013, 01:01 ET

CHICAGO, April 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As spring fever sets in, people are inspired to energize everything from wardrobes to eating habits. By breaking down the differences in order choices on hot and cold days, the analysts at GrubHub, a leading online and mobile food ordering service, found that traditionally fresh and lighter fare dominate spring and summer takeout orders*.

To identify the types of takeout orders most affected by fluctuating temperatures, GrubHub analysts cross-referenced two years of GrubHub order data with National Climate Data Center statistics. Findings highlight that restaurants offering salads, low-carb and healthy options lead the way with highest order spikes as temperatures increase.

When the temperature is hot, diners are more likely to order from restaurants featuring:

Low-carb options
Salads
Healthy options
Italian cuisine
Low-fat options
Seafood options

When the temperature is cold, diners are more likely to order from restaurants featuring:

Chinese cuisine
Thai cuisine
Indian cuisine

While these national findings link temperature to lighter food choices, city-specific breakdowns also demonstrate significant hot-weather ordering nuances:

San Francisco: Diners are almost 50% more likely to order from restaurants serving low-carb options
Boston: Diners are approximately 40% more likely to order from restaurants serving low-fat options
Philadelphia: Diners are about 25% more likely to order from restaurants serving low-carb options
New York: Diners are approximately 25% more likely to order from restaurants serving gluten-free options
Los Angeles: Diners are about 25% more likely to order from restaurants serving gluten-free options
Washington, D.C.: Diners are approximately 25% more likely to order from restaurants serving low-fat options
Chicago: Diners are almost 10% more likely to order from restaurants serving low-carb options

"The seasonality of ingredients plays into menus across the country, so we were interested to see if temperature affected takeout orders in a similar fashion," said Mike Evans, GrubHub co-founder and COO. "Our findings suggest a definite relationship between temperature and food choice. Whether it's hot, cold or somewhere in between, GrubHub's more than 90 cuisine filters help diners find exactly what they're looking for."

In addition to highlighting the cuisines most affected by temperature, GrubHub's analysis found that orders from restaurants serving sandwiches, sushi, dessert, vegetarian and Mediterranean cuisine remain steady, regardless of the temperature.

For more information about GrubHub and to check out what restaurants are available for pickup or delivery in your area, please visit GrubHub.com.

About GrubHub

GrubHub is a leading online and mobile food ordering service that shows diners local restaurants available for delivery or pick up. Available in more than 500 cities across the nation, GrubHub features more than 20,000 online ordering restaurants and, as the parent company of Allmenus, lists approximately 250,000 restaurant menus. Diners who order through GrubHub's free website or mobile apps can pay with cash, credit or PayPal™, and every order is supported by GrubHub's 24/7 customer service. Founded in 2004, GrubHub is a privately held company and is headquartered in Chicago.

* "Hot" and "Cold" are defined on a city-by-city basis, based on temperatures approximately one standard deviation higher/lower than the year-round temperature average. "National" trends are based on an analysis of orders placed (1/1/2011-3/25/2013) in Chicago, New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston and Philadelphia.

SOURCE GrubHub