TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Four facts about Indonesia’s online cravings during Ramadan: GrabFood
GrabFood revealed Indonesians’ eating habits during the month of Ramadan.
Change Size
GrabFood revealed Indonesians’ eating habits during the month of Ramadan. (Shutterstock/Jirapong Manustrong )
M
uslims around the globe spend Ramadan in prayer and worship as they await Idul Fitri. Ramadan is also a month of togetherness, when Indonesians love to celebrate with peers, friends, and family as they bond over food during sahur (predawn meal) time and to break-the-fast.
Online food delivery service GrabFood recently released its data that revealed Indonesian culinary trends throughout this year’s Ramadan. It saw a whopping 500 percent increase in orders.
The following is a list of interesting facts about Indonesia’s online cravings as reported by GrabFood Indonesia.
1. Bubble tea and ayam geprek remain national favorites
During the fasting month, cold and refreshing bubble tea drinks were immensely popular with Indonesians as the drink was considered perfect for quenching their thirst. Meanwhile, ayam geprek (battered fried chicken with sambal) offers a harmonious blend of spice and umami that’s beloved by many. It is not surprising that fried chicken was also a popular menu item with GrabFood users.
2. Fried banana is the month’s go-to snack
Snacking is a wildly popular daily routine for many Indonesians to lightly satiate their hunger between heavy meals. According to 2016 research by United Kingdom-based data company YouGov, Indonesia ranked among the heaviest snackers in the Asia-Pacific region.
GrabFood’s data shows that in the previous Ramadan, fried banana was Indonesia’s spotlight snack, with many also enjoying snacking on martabak (pancake with sweet or savory filling).
Read also: Grab opens two new GrabKitchens in Jakarta
3. Number of GrabKitchen orders rose significantly during Ramadan
GrabKitchen was first introduced on September 2018 and was met with widespread acclaim. The new function allows customers to order a variety of menu items from their delivery only kitchen with just one order. These kitchens are also known as satellite kitchens and they host a variety of merchants to make the people’s favorite foods more accessible.
During Ramadan, the number of GrabKitchen orders increased significantly with chicken and Thai tea being customer favorites.
4. GrabFood’s rush hour countdown to iftar
During Ramadan, the hours between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. were peak business hours for both GrabFood’s drivers and merchants as they rushed to help people bring their fasting day to a delicious close. Many ordered food in preparation to break-the-fast, so the number of orders skyrocketed during these hours.
GrabFood also saw an increase in orders after the tarawih (evening Ramadan prayers) as customers loved to eat heartier meals to close out the day, such as rice with chicken on the side. (ayr/wng)
