Changing Food Habits of Urban Middle-Class Youth in India: ‘Ordering In’
Rituparna Patgiri
Abstract
The liberalisation of the Indian economy facilitated significant changes in the eating habits of urban middle-class Indians since the 1990s. While there have been studies on food and Indian society before liberalisation, on ‘street food’ and the impact of restaurants and practices of eating out after liberalisation in India, the rising phenomenon of ‘ordering in’ has remained relatively under-researched. This article examines the impact of online food delivery service providers on the food habits of urban middle-class youth in India. It finds that the combined effects of demonetisation and the related push towards digitalisation strengthened online food delivery services in the market. Subsequently, ordering in has become a regular part of the eating culture of urban middle-class youth, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study offers new insights into remarkable recent changes in the psycho-social and socio-economic structures of Indian society, affecting both consumers and service providers.