As World Food Day highlights the importance of food and access to it, Maxim looks at the everyday ways delivery is helping people share, access and enjoy food across South Africa. According to the company, demand for delivery via the app grew 2.5 times in 2026.
On World Food Day, observed annually on 16 October, Maxim is highlighting the many ways its Delivery service is being used to make food and everyday items more accessible, while connecting people and supporting local businesses.
For many people, food delivery is now woven into ordinary routines. It can mean ordering lunch from a nearby takeaway during a busy working day, having dinner delivered after a long commute, or treating yourself to a muffin and coffee from the local cafe without having to leave home. But delivery can also be about sending food to someone else. A parent can prepare a container of food and send it to a child living across town. A family member can arrange for a meal to be delivered to a relative who is unwell or unable to leave home. Friends can send each other food as a small gesture of care, even when they are unable to be together in person.
These simple acts demonstrate how the way people use delivery services continues to evolve. What may appear to be an ordinary food order can also represent convenience, care, connection and accessibility.
The most frequently ordered items through Maxim Delivery range from ready-made meals, including fast food, to everyday groceries and household essentials. Customers can use the service to order anything from burgers, pizza and sandwiches to bread, milk, eggs, fresh produce and other staples, making it easier to access both convenient meals and the essentials they need at home. These ordering patterns highlight how customers use delivery for both prepared meals and the basic ingredients and necessities they need in their daily lives. Average delivery times have dropped to 29 minutes, roughly a third faster than last year, underscoring continuous service improvements.
For customers, delivery can provide greater flexibility in how they access food and other everyday necessities. It can be particularly useful when time is limited, when traveling to collect an order is inconvenient, or when someone wants to send something to another person rather than collect it themselves.
At the same time, delivery provides local businesses with another way to reach their customers. Restaurants, takeaways, cafes, grocery stores and other businesses can extend their reach beyond the people who walk through their doors, allowing customers to access their products from wherever they are. For businesses, another win is cost savings: by outsourcing transportation to a ride-hailing or delivery service instead of hiring their own couriers, owners can concentrate on their core products rather than logistics
Lesoli Lemphane, Head of Development South Africa at Maxim, says the growing demand for delivery reflects the different ways people live, work and connect.
“Delivery has become part of the way people navigate everyday life. It is not always about ordering a large meal or planning a special occasion. Sometimes it is a small treat from your local cafe, a parcel being sent to a family member, or a home-cooked meal being delivered to someone you care about. We have seen demand for our Delivery service increase, while the average delivery time has decreased. These figures reflect the growing role delivery plays in people’s routines and the importance of making the service convenient and accessible. Ultimately, technology can help make everyday tasks easier while connecting customers with the businesses and people who matter to them.”
As South Africans mark World Food Day, these everyday uses highlight how food can be more than a necessity. It can be a way of showing care, bringing people together and strengthening connections. Through its Delivery service, Maxim aims to make these everyday exchanges more convenient and accessible, while helping customers and local businesses stay connected.
