Takeaways fuel multimillion-dollar hospitality growth

Wednesday, 15 October 2025

Cost of living pressures have not put New Zealanders off takeaways, with sales experiencing the greatest growth in the hospitality industry.

New figures from the Restaurant Association show people opting for delivery and pick-up over eating in have fuelled a 3.2% increase, equating to $136.7m from a total of $4.4b in sales.

In a population of 5.3m, it means Kiwis have spent $830 per person on average, or $16 per week.

Meanwhile Canterbury food and drink sales have remained static but Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois said it wasn’t necessarily a negative in the current climate. Many other regions were seeing declines, so holding ground in a high-cost, low-confidence environment was a sign of resilience, she said.

Venus Valibia, left, and Denver Vergara, pictured in Sydenham, try to limit their takeaway buying for health reasons but get some when they are too busy to cook.

The growth in takeaways was largely due to the uptake of deliveries during Covid lockdowns hospitality owners said, and there had been a steady increase ever since.

The amount of deliveries versus eat-in depended on the weather and the day, Thonglor Thai Restaurant owner Kannitkall (Pat) Mathong said.

“During the week, it’s more takeaways than eat-in,” but she said on weekends dining at the restaurant was more popular.

Base Woodfired Pizza co-owner Rod Thomson’s delivery orders have almost doubled in the last three years, but still only 15% of his customers were choosing takeaway over dine-in.

Bridies Bar and Bistro Duty Manager, Shelley, who didn’t want to give her last name, said wet weather prompted a lot more deliveries through UberEats.

“If it’s raining - it’s nuts. No-one wants to leave their house.”

Burgers & Beers Sydenham owner Anita Tang said the shift was being embraced by the younger generation as a hangover from Covid lockdowns, seeing most tables occupied by those in their 30s and 40s.

Mr Don and Thailand Chicken Rice ghost kitchen has no option for dine-in and about 60 orders are flying out the door daily.

“They can do everything online, they don’t have the motivation to come out, especially the young ones [and] … they can get everything they need from socialising on social media.”

She said 40% of the restaurant’s sales were takeaway and delivery.

Base Woodfired Pizza co-owner Rod Thomson echoed Tang. He said there had been “a massive uptake in takeaways since Covid”.

“Phone orders and UberEats has gone up [by] almost double in the last three years.

Ian Agnew only gets fish and chips once a week despite having an array of fast food outlets close to his home in Sydenham.

“People love using their phones, it’s so easy to deliver to your door.”

But he said despite this, the traditional trip to the local fish and chip shop had not changed.

“Everyone still loves going to the chippy.”

Mia-Grace Irvine, 9, and her Grandad Paul Irvine get sushi once or twice a week to save on cooking.

Recently opening a third site in Christchurch, he said his customers mainly chose to eat-in with only 15% choosing takeaway.

Takeaway regulars who The Press spoke to in Sydenham, Christchurch, on Tuesday evening were surprised to learn about growth in the sector.

Living close to more than a dozen takeaway options on Colombo St, Ian Agnew said he and his wife - now retired - bought takeaways every Tuesday, but would only opt for Burger Fuel and more expensive options as a treat.

Holding a parcel of fish and chips, he said they used to indulge in McDonald’s but it was twice as expensive for the same amount of the Kiwi classic.

Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois says the way people use takeaways has evolved, buying them for lunch or picking up takeaways after their children’s sports

Venus Valibia and Denver Vergara said they purchased takeaways once or twice a week when they got too busy, but were conscious it could be unhealthy.

The pair suggested more people may be buying takeaways as it was almost the same price as buying food from the supermarkets.

“It’s just easier,” Valibia said. “Less time, same money.”

Paul Irvine - who bought takeaways for his granddaughter Mia-Grace once a week - usually when her mother was working - also believed steep supermarket prices may have been a factor.

“The sauce is amazing,” the nine-year-old said, after selecting her favourite katsu chicken on rice. “She’s a fussy eater,” Irvine said.

Ghost kitchen Mr Don and Thailand Chicken Rice focuses only on takeaway, making more than 100 meals a day for about 60 orders, with one loyal customer returning more than 50 times since it opened over a year ago, co-owner Sunny Kwon said.

Takeaways aren’t just relegated to dinner.

Bidois said the way people used takeaways had evolved.

Busy workers were increasingly ordering lunches delivered to the office, and hectic family lives often prompted food pick ups after kids’ sports or activities.

Platforms like Uber Eats had also made it much easier for people to grab something on the go, contributing to steady growth in takeaways.

“Canterbury’s hospitality sector continues to show strength and adaptability. Takeaways are a great example of how the industry is evolving — from workplace lunches to family meals after sports, people are engaging with hospitality in more flexible ways,” Bidois said.