Uber Eats says it has generated an estimated R1.6 billion in additional value for South African restaurants over the past decade, as the platform expanded beyond food delivery into a broader digital marketplace.
The Uber-owned platform, which launched in Johannesburg in September 2016, now operates across all nine provinces, connecting restaurants, retailers, couriers and consumers.
Reflecting on its evolution over the past decade, Uber Eats says its service has saved consumers more than 12.7 million hours of driving to a store or restaurant a year, as its merchant network has expanded beyond major urban centres.
Ntsoaki Nsibanyoni, GM for Uber Eats South Africa, says the business has shifted significantly from its original focus on restaurant meals.
“When we launched Uber Eats in Johannesburg, we were focused on getting a meal from a restaurant to someone’s door. Ten years later, the platform has become part of how South Africans access what they need, while helping businesses connect with more consumers and creating flexible earning opportunities.
“This milestone is about celebrating how far we’ve come, while continuing to explore how technology can support greater economic participation,” she says.
Thousands of merchants have joined the platform during 2026, with almost three-quarters classified as small and medium businesses, according to Uber Eats.
Uber Eats has also used partnerships with government to bring more township-based businesses onto its platform.
Its township partnership with the Gauteng Department of Economic Development has generated more than R1 billion in economic value, while bringing thousands of merchants and delivery people into the digital economy.
Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, MEC for economic development in Gauteng, says digital platforms can provide another route into the formal digital economy for businesses and workers.
“Digital platforms can play an important role in expanding economic participation, particularly by creating earning opportunities for young people and helping businesses connect with more consumers.
“As South Africa continues to build a more digital and inclusive economy, platforms like Uber Eats can help broaden access to both opportunity and everyday products and services,” says Ramokgopa.
Despite the growth of this industry in SA, the expansion of app-based delivery is also taking place against broader pressures in the courier industry.
Delivery workers face security risks, including robberies and hijackings, while operators contend with rising last-mile costs, addressing and infrastructure challenges that can lead to failed deliveries, and pressure to meet increasingly fast delivery expectations.
ITWeb previously reported on how delivery drivers of Uber Eats, Mr D and other firms were increasingly being targeted in hijackings and robberies, with industry representatives warning attacks could increase insurance and delivery costs and undermine confidence in online commerce.
Next expansion target
For Uber Eats, the next phase will involve further development of the marketplace as it seeks to expand its merchant and courier base, adds Nsibanyoni.
While Uber Eats did not disclose its latest courier numbers, the platform had more than 10 000 active delivery people at the end of 2023. The company reported 30 million orders completed locally over the course of a recent full-year reporting cycle.
The expansion also illustrates how app-based delivery businesses have broadened their role in SA’s digital economy, moving from a service focused on restaurant orders towards infrastructure that connects smaller businesses and consumers to an increasingly wider online marketplace.
The data generated by a decade of orders on the platform also provides a picture of how consumer preferences vary across SA.
“Fried chicken with pap is the most ordered meal on the platform over the past decade, while chakalaka, malva pudding and lamb bunny chow also feature among local favourites. Sushi is particularly popular in Cape Town, while grilled chicken is prominent in Durban, and burgers and grilled peri-peri chicken feature strongly in Johannesburg and Pretoria,” says Uber Eats.
Consumer behaviour has seen unusually frequent ordering. In 2025, one customer placed more than 2 500 orders over 10 months, while another ordered the same coffee more than 700 times in a year.
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