NEW DELHI: Indians placed 93 million biryani orders on Swiggy in 2025, keeping the dish at the top of the platform’s food delivery rankings, while burgers, pizzas, and desserts followed closely.
Biryani Still Rules India’s Appetite:
At the heart of it all is biryani, which continued its reign as the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Indians placed a staggering 93 million orders for this aromatic rice dish, averaging out to about 194 plates every single minute or one every 3.25 seconds. That’s no small feat, especially considering this marks the 10th straight year biryani has claimed the top spot.
Chicken biryani stole the show among variants, racking up 57.7 million orders, proving that when it comes to repeat favorites, nothing beats that spicy, flavorful punch.
Burgers and Pizzas:
Hot on biryani’s heels were burgers and pizzas, showing how Western fast food has firmly embedded itself in Indian palates. Burgers came in second with 44.2 million orders, while pizzas followed closely at 40.1 million.
Together, these two categories alone accounted for over 84 million deliveries, highlighting a growing appetite for quick, cheesy, and handheld meals.
South Indian Staples Hold Strong:
Veg dosa wasn’t far behind either, recording 26.2 million orders and placing South Indian staples among Swiggy’s most ordered dishes.
Snack Time Stories:
Snacking habits told their own story, with peak cravings hitting between 3 pm and 7 pm. During these hours, people turned to comforting bites like samosas (3.42 million orders) and adrak chai (2.9 million cups), often paired together for that perfect afternoon pick-me-up. Other snack-time winners included chicken rolls, chicken nuggets, and veg pizzas, reflecting a blend of traditional and modern munchies.
Desserts That Won Hearts:
When it came to wrapping up meals on a sweet note, desserts saw massive demand. White chocolate cake led the pack with 6.9 million orders, edging out chocolate cake at 5.4 million. Traditional sweets held their ground too gulab jamun saw 4.5 million orders, while kaju barfi and besan ladoo rounded out the favorites, especially during festive seasons.
Global Flavours, Local Roots: India Experiments With Taste:
2025 also marked a year of culinary exploration. Global cuisines surged in popularity, with Mexican dishes hitting 16 million orders, Tibetan at 12 million, and Korean at 4.7 million. Matcha emerged as the most searched international flavor. On the home front, regional Indian cuisines exploded: Pahari food grew ninefold, and options like Malabari, Rajasthani, and Malvani nearly doubled in orders, as people sought out authentic, lesser-known tastes from across the country.
India’s Biggest Foodies: City-Wise Standouts:
City-wise, the report spotlighted some epic food enthusiasts. In Mumbai, one dedicated user placed 3,196 orders that’s nearly nine a day! Hyderabad had a big spender who dropped over Rs 47,000 on festive dry fruit cookie packs. Bengaluru topped the charts for quick deliveries via Swiggy’s Bolt service and led in bulk orders through their 99Store feature, where items like chocolate pastries, chicken biryani, and gulab jamuns flew off the virtual shelves. Emerging cities like Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Visakhapatnam, and Kochi showed the fastest growth in orders, signaling food delivery’s expanding reach beyond metros.
The People Behind the Orders: Swiggy’s Delivery Heroes:
Behind the scenes, Swiggy’s delivery partners were the unsung heroes, covering a mind-boggling 1.24 billion kilometers enough to go from Kashmir to Kanyakumari over 340,000 times. Standouts included Mohammad Razique from Bengaluru, who handled 11,718 deliveries, and Poongodi from Chennai, the top female partner with 8,169 trips.
Overall, the year leaned toward evening indulgences, with dinner orders outpacing lunch by about 32%. Festivals spiked consumption, and there was a clear shift toward late-night treats and health-conscious tweaks amid busy lifestyles.
These insights not only capture India’s diverse food scene but also hint at evolving preferences balancing nostalgia with novelty. As we head into 2026, it’ll be exciting to see if biryani holds its crown or if new contenders shake things up.
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