Cooking or Clicking: The Impact of Online Food Delivery Platforms on Domestic Food Preparation

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Babar, Yash; Adeli, Ali M.; Greenwood, Brad N.
• 署名单位: University of Wisconsin System; University of Wisconsin Madison; DePaul University; George Mason University
• 刊物名称: MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0025-1909
• DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.2023.02636
• 发表日期: 2026
• 关键词: online food delivery; population health; food sourcing; GrubHub; nutrition; Difference in difference

摘要

One of the most notable developments of the sharing economy is the unfettered proliferation of on-demand services. In this work, we examine how a subset of such platforms, online food delivery (e.g., Grubhub, UberEats, DoorDash), has affected the meal preparation and dining behaviors of American households. To do so, we exploit the phased entry of the platform Grubhub into U.S. counties from 2005 to 2019 using a difference-in-difference approach. Results indicate that the availability of such delivery services leads to a significant reduction in time spent preparing meals within the home, with no concomitant change in dining out. This effect is intensified in areas subject to greater demand and in areas with a greater number of restaurants but abates when less economically feasible (i.e., in areas with higher unemployment and households with more children). We also explore the association of Grubhub availability with subsequent changes in population body mass index. Implications for research, consumers, platforms, and public health are discussed.