Chennai: Chennai, the coastal powerhouse of South India, continued to showcase its deep-rooted cultural heritage and enduring love for food in 2025, as reflected in Swiggy’s annual “How India Swiggy’d” report. From the first sip of aromatic filter coffee in the morning to indulgent late-night feasts, the city’s food choices revealed a fine balance between timeless local classics and popular national favourites.
Throughout the year, Chennai’s food carts were dominated by staples such as Veg Idlis and Medhu Vadas, alongside favourites like Chicken Biryani and Samosas. The city leaned into what it trusted most—comfort, familiarity, and flavour.
According to the Chennai edition of How India Swiggy’d, the city devoured a staggering 98 lakh biryanis in 2025, accounting for over 10% of all biryani orders in the country. Chicken Biryani emerged as the most ordered dish, with 58.7 lakh orders. Close behind was the city’s evergreen favourite, Idli, which clocked over 53 lakh orders. Idlis saw nearly 40% growth as a snack-time favourite between 3 pm and 7 pm compared to last year, while also topping the breakfast charts with 19.2 lakh orders.
Desserts were no less indulgent. Gulab Jamun led the charts with 2.5 lakh orders, followed by Mango Rasmalai with over 2.1 lakh orders. Breakfast preferences continued to favour local classics, with Medhu Vada ranking second after Idlis at 10.1 lakh orders, followed by Veg Dosa and Veg Pongal. Veg Vada and Veg Idiyappam also featured among the most ordered breakfast dishes.
Snack time in Chennai leaned heavily towards non-vegetarian options, with Chicken Fry (5.7 lakh orders) and Chicken Burger (4.9 lakh orders) leading the category. Veg Samosa remained a crowd favourite with 4.2 lakh orders. Dinner emerged as the city’s most preferred mealtime, with dinner orders growing 24.5% year-on-year.
Late-night cravings told a story of indulgence, with chicken-based dishes dominating orders between midnight and 2 am. On average, over 17 Chicken Burgers were ordered every hour in 2025, making it the most loved late-night indulgence, followed by Chicken Fry and Chicken Fried Rice.
Festive ordering also reached new highs. One customer placed a sweets order worth Rs. 38,788, which included 66 packets of Indigo Milk & Ghee Assorted Sweets (500g), along with items such as Special Madras Mixture, Kaju Katli, Milk Halwa, and Boondi Ladoo. Chennai also ranked among the top five cities for group orders and incognito orders on the platform.
Swiggy’s affordable food proposition, 99 Store, received strong traction in the city, with Chicken Burger, Chicken Nuggets, and Chicken Momos emerging as the most ordered dishes. In the corporate segment, DeskEats saw local favourite Idli topping the charts with over 14.5 lakh plates ordered, followed by Plain Dosai and Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani. Notably, a customer ordered 75 Mutton Biryani Smile Packs—the highest single office order in the city—highlighting Chennai’s love for grand workplace feasts.
Health-focused choices also gained momentum, with high-protein food recording 20.7 lakh orders over the year.
Quick food delivery through Swiggy Bolt played a key role in meeting instant cravings. On Bolt, Chicken Biryani (7.5 lakh orders) and Veg Idli (6.6 lakh orders) were the most ordered dishes, followed by Veg Dosa and Medhu Vada. Mothi Laddu topped the dessert list on Bolt, averaging over 38 orders per day, while Chocolate Lava Cake and Mysore Pak ranked second and third, respectively. In one standout moment, Ginger Chai was delivered to a customer in just three minutes.
Late-night Bolt orders mirrored the city’s love for biryani, with Chicken Biryani averaging 93 orders between midnight and 2 am. The biggest Bolt order of the year came from a customer who ordered seven buckets of Mutton Biryani—enough to serve a party of 35.
Swiggy also acknowledged its delivery partners, with a special mention for Poongodi from Chennai, who led female delivery partners nationwide by completing 8,169 orders in 2025—the highest in the country.
Elaborating on the trends, Sidharth Bhakoo, Chief Business Officer, Swiggy Food Marketplace said, “In 2025, food continued to be an important part of our daily life and celebrations as India indulged in its favourite dishes. In the city of Chennai, we witnessed a fine balance of the love for classics and the comfort of national favourites. From late night indulgences to premium dining out, Chennai embraced the rich tapestry of culture through food. Food is an emotion, and we remain committed to deliver exceptional food experiences in every corner of the city, one meal, one celebration at a time.”
Dining out also saw strong traction in the city. Chennai saved a total of Rs. 39.70 crore through Swiggy Dineout in 2025, marking a 35.3% increase over the previous year. One customer saved Rs. 63,805 in a single booking, while the city ranked among the top 10 for late-night dining transactions between midnight and 3 am. Premium dining gained popularity, with Chennai featuring among the top five cities in India, recording over 82,000 premium dining bookings—up 55% year-on-year. During the Great India Restaurant Festival (GIRF) 2025, the city saved Rs. 17.35 crore, while celebratory outings saw customers spending Rs. 66,078 on Mother’s Day and Rs. 42,171 on Father’s Day.
Overall, Chennai’s 2025 food journey reflected a city deeply rooted in tradition, yet open to indulgence and convenience—making it one of the most vibrant food markets in India’s evolving online food ecosystem.
